BattleCry

Have you ever seen a "checker-board" effect on a top deck?

I have an '86 28SS Cigarette. On the top deck, there is, what could be described as, a checker-board effect on it. I was told that it was caused by removing the deck too early from the mold. Is this true? Also, is there any measures, that can be taken, to get rid of this, short of, total restoration?

As always, your help is greatly appreciated!

Big Andy

Catagory5

What your talking about is called print through. It's usually caused by applying the second stage laminate before the skin has cured or by overheating the second stage and reactivating the skin and gelcoat. What your seeing is the actual fiberglass weave "printing through" the gelcoat.

To fix that you deck needs to be sanded and re-faired. Then either re-gelcoated or painted. If you paint over the print it will transfer into your paint, especially if you use a darker color.

FX10

Big Andy,
I manage Superboats on Long Island and I know what your talking about. Balsa core print through is common in boatbuilding.
You can leave a skin coat (3/4 oz. mat) to fully cure for a few days put 2 layers of 1 1/2 oz over it let that fully cure, then put another layer of mat down to bond the balsa, and you can still get print through.
Wood expands and contracts with heat (sunlight) at a much greater rate then polyester, vinylester or epoxy resin. Applying a layer of core mat prior to installing the balsa will take care of the print through.
Even if the print through is sanded out, it will usually come back if left in the sun for long periods of time.

Rick

glassdave

well there ya have it . . . . man we got some good talent on this board. as Rick said the rates of expansion in the core can vary across the surface. honestly i think this is the biggest contributer and is verified by the fact that you can block it till the cows come home but before ya know it . . . its back. temp is always changing so the surface is always changing. its is also the same reason you will always see iterations in the side of a boat where bulkheads are tabbed on. . . . . i think



hey. . .as long as all the glass guys are here. i was thinking about doing a "whos who/ introduce yourself" thread in this section. seems we have a great deal of knowledge and talent on the site in both the graphics and fiberglass fields. thought it would be kinda cool to see where each of our specialties lie. i know i've learned many new things since this section was added. everybody is always pretty helpful . . . even that wackey Art Kern guy, right Ginger . . . pretty much all the questions get answered.


O.G- my phone number is 419-461-1484

glassdave

LOL . . . . . . what a wingnut

BattleCry

Should I fix it or just leave it? It doesn't hurt anything, does it?

glassdave

does not hurt anything. i dont think it is worth fixing for the effort involved it is still only a crap shoot weather it will stay away. usually it is only visible at cetrain angles and under cettain lighting conditions.

BattleCry

THANK-YOU to all of you. Your valuable knowledge is GREATLY appreciated!

Big Andy