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My friend has a decent compressor that he has used to paint with so,
and I kow there are probably people here who refrian from using harbour freight tools, but I have used DA buffers, chain saw, rotary buffer. Tool sets and stuff from them. That have all worked great.
My dad used to be a craftsman kind of guy until he realized that HFT had deals an stuff an sometimes the stuff lasts as long a other tools from lowes or home depot, an are 1/3 price 1/2 price.
So does anyone have a reccommended nozzle tip/ gun for spraying gel coat that they sell or something from lowes or online retailer?
what will i need besides compressor, hose, an a gun?
tape, acetone. what do you thinthe gel coat with acetone? styrene?
an does it take longer to set when u thin it? I used some before without thinning it for minor work, an it set up quick maybe 10 mins, im in south east georgia, still 80+ outside.
Do you use gel coat with wax in it? or did u spray pva mold release agent all over the entire boat? cuz it will stay tacky if u don't use pva spray or have a wax built into it.
The size and the pressure the compressor puts out are important. If you have never sprayed anything before, I suggest you practice. I sprayed a garden bench with paint, and practiced on a couple wood panels before I sprayed gelcoat.
You will need some inline oil/water filters for the compressor otherwise you will be spraying water and gelcoat and that never goes well. Thinning the gelcoat is dependent on the gelcoat, I used Styrene because that was what the manufacture recommended. You should use your test sprays to determine how much to thin. On your final coat you add surfacing wax. That will block off the air and allow the gelcoat to cure.
As a retired professional carpenter and home builder I can say that when I was working I bought the best in power tools. Of course HFT wasn't available then or at least in retails stores. I don't build or remodel homes anymore I only work on boats. As my primo tools wear out I replace them with HFT. The only problem I've had is with a crappy belt sander from them. The only HFT I won't buy in their circular saw. Their 10" chop saw works as well as any I have used. I chuckle when a member at this site buys a $300 German tool and only uses it on one job. I guess its snob appeal. As far a a good gelcoat gun HFT has a conventional spray gun with a 2.0 tip. Its advertised for spraying primers or latex but works great with gel coat. It costs $20. get one with a 25% off coupon that is found in many magazines and newspapers.
