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Gelcoat matching
TechTeach	#1  Posted on 06/09/09 - 4:55 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 120 Comments: 1 Joined: 06/09/09	What is the best way to match whaler gelcote?? Can it be ordered? Has anyone figured out the ratios for tinting white to match whaler color?? I got a few nicks to patch.
ossnap	#2  Posted on 06/10/09 - 6:03 AM
Member Posts: 27 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/09/09	You can order gel coat patch kits directly from Spectrum if you want to use the same gel coat that was put on the boat originally. Or, you can buy clear gel coat from somewhere else and add your own tinting agents. The tinting agents can be found at the same places that sell gel coat.
TechTeach	#3  Posted on 06/10/09 - 6:43 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 120 Comments: 1 Joined: 06/09/09	Yeah, I know that. I was just wondering if anyone cracked the tinting code on there own to give me a direction to start. I'm very good with gelcoat, the hard part is getting the best color match. Thanks for the reply though, appreciate it.
Tharsheblows	#4  Posted on 06/10/09 - 3:31 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 92 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/18/06	Hi TechTeach and welcome to WhalerCentral. I read somewhere either here or at CW that the manufacturer mixed their gelcoat on the fly as needed so the boat sprayed today might be slightly different in color as the one tomorrow. Also the environment can make varables both at time of mixing and UV degrading over time. I just mixed a match of Whaler blue to my Eastport I started with the cheap tint kit sold at West Marine. It had a blue, red,yellow (Primary's)also a black and a white still wonder what the white would be for, my gelcoat started out white. But I could not match with this kit alone My gelcoat has a almost nonperceptible green but the green in the kit was not strong enough. I then ordered the smallest amount available of Pthalo green from Spectrum. That did the trick to the tune of about one drop to a quart. I don't know if I can explain how to match a color with the eye. But start by going to some art sites and download a color wheel. and notice the relationship between warm and cold colors. Also another way is to get the use of a paint spectrometer and it will break down the colors and give you an idea which way to go. Auto body supply shops sometimes have a portable spectrometer to mix auto paints for repairs. As for mixing by eye use a small amount of base say a 1/4 teaspoon full and pull a small drop of tint on something like a toothpick and add drops while counting drops if you go to far just dump and start over. I think you have the desert tan I would have on hand some yellow, brown, black to grey it up you might need a touch of red and even green it can be suprising I am thinking this is with a white base not a clear. Using small amounts so not to waste to much, and patience is the key. Also I noticed on mine that color when wet and color after being catalyzed was no difference ( Spectrum base white) and a trick is to view out side in sunlight while squinting. put a drop on surface and adjust color until at a distance of 3 ft or more away you cant see the edge of drop while squinting. artist use a piece of opaque paper with a pin hole held at least a foot away from the eye, sight through the hole and view the drop. I know this is not a mix by number answer but I hope it will help. Bob
TechTeach	#5  Posted on 06/10/09 - 5:07 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 120 Comments: 1 Joined: 06/09/09	Thanks Thar, the green is a good point. We also have a 40 Ocean Yachts and after going through the process you just described with browns and grays a few time the magic formula was a touch of yellow believe it or not. I'll keep the green in mind. Thanks Edited by Joe Kriz on 06/12/09 - 11:14 AM
jquigley	#6  Posted on 06/10/09 - 8:16 PM
Member Posts: 269 Comments: 1 Joined: 07/17/07	That is a clever smiley. I think you get the crown for the first animated smiley on this site. Unless, of course, I missed one.
Joe Kriz	#7  Posted on 06/10/09 - 8:37 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11434 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	jquigley, Animated images are not allowed here. They distract the readers attention. Edited by Joe Kriz on 06/10/09 - 8:38 PM
Tom W Clark	#8  Posted on 06/11/09 - 7:59 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	For nick repairs, just buy Spectrum Color's Gel Coat Patch Paste mixed to the specific Whaler color you need. http://spectrumcolor.com/catalog.htmatalog.htm
jquigley	#9  Posted on 06/11/09 - 3:07 PM
Member Posts: 269 Comments: 1 Joined: 07/17/07	Oh man, zapped the smiley. I think I read that animated AVATARS were not permitted in the Code of Conduct. I did not see smileys in there. I thought it was kind of neat. Personally I feel that many of our personalities are lost in forums as so much of communication is non-verbal. (Meaning it is hard to convey our entire message without physically conversing. With the animated smiley, I knew right away he was saying "Alright cool, rock on." I think it is a clever way to add a certain je ne sais quoi. As far as the gelcoat goes, I think Tom W. Clark is right on. I would, (and did) save the trouble of mixing and dripping and adding and fussing. I just bought it right from Spectrum and it was close enough for me. Edited by jquigley on 06/11/09 - 3:09 PM