Glassing Finishes

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Created by

McHenry > 9 months ago, 22 Jul 2018

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 9:31am

May as well start a thread on this one.

Glassing finishes.. can someone please run through ALL the different type of glassing finishes you can get on a board so I can finally get my thick head around it all.

Thanks in advance

glide77

246 posts

22 Jul 2018 12:04pm

Here's a brief run down
Clear glass on blank.
Spray artwork and clear glass.
Volan glass on white blank...greenish tinge kinda old skool look...usually cut lap edges.
Resin tint with cut laps single colour.
Multi colour resin tints and swirls.
Pigment tint...will be a solid colour can not see through.
then all these can be wet rub finish or polished.

Cobra

9106 posts

22 Jul 2018 2:03pm

^^ all above then wax.
hope this helps.

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 3:55pm

What's a hot coat?

Can you get a gloss gloss coat and not polish it?

Is there a wet rub, gloss coat unpolished and a gloss coat polished??

glide77

246 posts

22 Jul 2018 2:36pm

Hot coat is the last coat of resin that gets brushed over the hardened cloth layer...just fills up the cloth and laps.
i think back in the day they sometimes didn't finish past here...cause without all the sanders n stuff it's a lot of work.
nowdays always a wet rub finish to smooth it out for that standard Matt finish.
Gloss just cut and polished like a car from this stage on.

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 4:43pm

So all boards have a hot coat and from there it's just a matter of wet rub or polish??

glide77

246 posts

22 Jul 2018 3:16pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
So all boards have a hot coat and from there it's just a matter of wet rub or polish??

Yep

Nozza

VIC

2882 posts

22 Jul 2018 5:37pm

I would have called the hot coat the filler coat, using filler resin.
I think some use clear gloss from there after sanding.
I'm far from an expert though.
Just checked the construction on the red and white Sunova 666 I got this year.
It was glassed, filler coated, sprayed with 2 pack clear, sanded, painted red and white but somehow letting the balsa show through, then clear coated again.
That probably wasn't particularly helpful....

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

22 Jul 2018 5:58pm

Select to expand quote

glide77 said..

McHenry said..
So all boards have a hot coat and from there it's just a matter of wet rub or polish??

Yep

and if you didn't already know it McHenry a gloss coast and polish add weight to the board.
A polished finish will also ad 1 or 2 hundred to the final cost of a new board.

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 5:30pm

So after the hot coat or filler coat some day then sometimes people use a gloss coat.

So can the gloss coat be polished(gloss) or unpolished...??

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 5:31pm

Yeah ok so I guess my question is regarding the gloss coat. Does it least have to be polished so it's gloss or can you have a gloss coat that isn't gloss polished...

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

22 Jul 2018 6:10pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
Yeah ok so I guess my question is regarding the gloss coat. Does it least have to be polished so it's gloss or can you have a gloss coat that isn't gloss polished...

My understanding is, you do not gloss coast if you do not want a polished finish.

Nozza

VIC

2882 posts

22 Jul 2018 6:19pm

The clear gloss I have used, you would basically leave alone - it's a final gloss finish.
With my red / white 666, I initially didn't want the balsa to show through, but they refused to do that as it would add 2kg to a 12 ft. board.
That board is probably a totally different thing, as they vac. bag the balsa to the core in a different process to normal boards, then glass it.
I'll go and sit quietly in the corner now....

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 5:56pm

This is why I'm confused. Have listened to a few podcasts with glassers and they were saying a gloss coat completely seals the board closed and therefore makes a board last a lot longer. Which most people want for a mal. Mid length and short board probably different.

Nozza

VIC

2882 posts

22 Jul 2018 6:35pm

You may end up knowing less than you did before the way this is going.
The "gloss" coat that seals the board would be the filler resin I think.
Final clear gloss coats would have no structural affect.
Anyone who really knows out there?

glide77

246 posts

22 Jul 2018 4:56pm

Select to expand quote

Nozza said..
You may end up knowing less than you did before the way this is going.
The "gloss" coat that seals the board would be the filler resin I think.
Final clear gloss coats would have no structural affect.
Anyone who really knows out there?

Hot coat/filler coat is it for fibre glass boards.

From there it it is just how much you want to polish it.

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 6:29pm

Can you do a board without a hot coat/filler coat??

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

22 Jul 2018 7:17pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
Can you do a board without a hot coat/filler coat??

Without a filler coat the board would be rough mate very rough, so nope.

beerdead

NSW

433 posts

22 Jul 2018 7:58pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
This is why I'm confused. Have listened to a few podcasts with glassers and they were saying a gloss coat completely seals the board closed and therefore makes a board last a lot longer. Which most people want for a mal. Mid length and short board probably different.

A gloss coat will prolong a boards life.
It does add weight, but strengthens the impact strength. I believe it also stiffens a board, but whether or not this may be an issue depends on the particular boards characteristics, and the riders needs.
It requires some sanding to remove any surface undulations i.e.ripples, and irregularities such as dust pimples. There is also a wax layer on the surface, which is the layer that promotes the resin setting.
It is sanded with increasingly fine grades of abrasive until it can be buffed to a desired shine.

beerdead

NSW

433 posts

22 Jul 2018 8:10pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
Can you do a board without a hot coat/filler coat??

There was a trend in the Seventies to squeegee the filler resin off the deck to provide a textured deck. This allowed easy application and retention of wax. It could be finish coated, again squeegeeing off the excess.
It was not as resistant to compression.

McHenry

1739 posts

22 Jul 2018 9:41pm

Thanks for the great explanation beerdead!!

thedrip

2355 posts

22 Jul 2018 8:42pm

I don't know what's what, but the boards I have had gloss finished and they polished are tougher to impacts and their finish (new look) lasts longer even if they have exactly the same glass job otherwise.

They are heavier though.

McHenry

1739 posts

23 Jul 2018 6:33am

Thanks Drip, it's all becoming clear now!!

Thanks for the the email last week, sorry been too busy at work to respond!

vanders1

QLD

3809 posts

23 Jul 2018 7:46am

To confuse things you have the texture deck's like Pieter is doing which apparently was done a lot in years gone by. It's what he used on my 12'er, squeeze's all the resin out as much as possible and no filler coat. Keeps the weight right down compared to a gloss coat, nearly 1.5kg-2kg on a board of my size. Leaves a textured finish, basically the weave of the volan glass, he does it on the deck, bottom is wet sanded.

Nozza

VIC

2882 posts

23 Jul 2018 8:41am

Thinking overnight (yes, my life is that sad), I am talking the construction for an epoxy board over an EPS blank.
Some (lots) may be polyester resin over a polyurethane blank, which I have no idea about.

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

23 Jul 2018 9:08am

I had a shortboard

made in the late 70's or it could have been 81,it had the textured deck,I dont think they were a hit as I didnt see many.

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

23 Jul 2018 9:17am

Select to expand quote

Nozza said..
Thinking overnight (yes, my life is that sad), I am talking the construction for an epoxy board over an EPS blank.
Some (lots) may be polyester resin over a polyurethane blank, which I have no idea about.

Yes Nozza different manufacturing process from sup boards to surfboards.

I recall in the early days of sup, a good debate by the guys next door regarding hull speed.
They were talking about the hull finish on race yachts,polished were slower compared to gloss coated.

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

25 Jul 2018 12:18pm

Close shot of a board in production McHenry pre filler coat pre sanding.

McHenry

1739 posts

25 Jul 2018 8:46pm

Keep em coming Mac!

Nozza

VIC

2882 posts

25 Jul 2018 9:51pm

Select to expand quote

McHenry said..
Keep em coming Mac!

Is that polyester or epoxy?
What blank?
Serious question, I am trying to learn

Macaha

QLD

21981 posts

26 Jul 2018 7:51am

Select to expand quote

Nozza said..

McHenry said..
Keep em coming Mac!

Is that polyester or epoxy?
What blank?
Serious question, I am trying to learn

Just blank and glass mate not my board just showing McHenry a board without filler and sand.

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