1. How “thick” to fill? Or when to switch? I’m doing my first rounds of fairing with standard fairing mix/balloons. How do I know when it’s time to go to QF? Trying to preserve the QF($) for the final coat.
2. How are y’all measuring it out? Seems like somewhere in here suggests eyeballing it, but I definitely don’t trust myself to do that right.
3. How thin of a skim coat can I put down with it?
4. Vinegar for tool clean-up like regular epoxy?
Thanks.
Jbo
Quikfair Questions
Re: Quikfair Questions
1. For horizontal surfaces I've used a loose slurry of resin/fairing mix in hope of a bit of 'self leveling". That's a Cracker Larry suggestion I believe. Otherwise I just have gone to QF right away. I like the stuff and am not sure how much more expensive it is over the resin/mix given the price of resin.
2. I've eyeballed little dabs of a few tablespoons with no problems. No big deal if a tiny batch is off, just scrape/sand it off in a jiffy. Otherwise I measure with tablespoons or some such glopped on to a flat plastic covered board and mixing on the board with a tongue depressor.
3. Thin as you want. Us a good plastic scrapper with a clean edge. Clean edge is important.
4. Yeah, vinegar, but the only tools I use are disposable tongue depressors and the scrapper.
Dougster
2. I've eyeballed little dabs of a few tablespoons with no problems. No big deal if a tiny batch is off, just scrape/sand it off in a jiffy. Otherwise I measure with tablespoons or some such glopped on to a flat plastic covered board and mixing on the board with a tongue depressor.
3. Thin as you want. Us a good plastic scrapper with a clean edge. Clean edge is important.
4. Yeah, vinegar, but the only tools I use are disposable tongue depressors and the scrapper.
Dougster
Re: Quikfair Questions
Anything you have to sand off is money spent and not used, not to mention the time you'll spend sanding and the money you spend on sandpaper. Work clean, leave as smooth and fair a surface as you can, that will go a long way to minimizing effort and material use. I think of pro drywall finishers and how they work- it looks so flat and perfect when they've applied a coat, vs. a beginner that leaves a lumpy surface full of ridges and dips. It sounds simple, but in reality it takes practice, and more so when you mix your own fairing compound, but the advantage to mixing your own is getting the consistency you need for a particular purpose.
Take time between applications to mark out where you need to fill. Use a guide coat to help you see the low spots. Wet down the hull to simulate gloss paint and see how it will look if you stopped now.
Take time between applications to mark out where you need to fill. Use a guide coat to help you see the low spots. Wet down the hull to simulate gloss paint and see how it will look if you stopped now.
Hank
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Re: Quikfair Questions
jbo_c wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:56 am 1. How “thick” to fill? Or when to switch? I’m doing my first rounds of fairing with standard fairing mix/balloons. How do I know when it’s time to go to QF? Trying to preserve the QF($) for the final coat.
It is nice to go to pink fairing after larger fills are done.
2. How are y’all measuring it out? Seems like somewhere in here suggests eyeballing it, but I definitely don’t trust myself to do that right.
I use medicine cups and a small tongue depresser; one for each part. Clean them after use.
3. How thin of a skim coat can I put down with it?
Feathers nice
4. Vinegar for tool clean-up like regular epoxy?
I use acetone for all of it..
Thanks.
Jbo
Re: Quikfair Questions
Thanks for the replies. I’ve done my share of drywall mud, but I’m not great at it. Don’t do it often enough. Usually about the time I finish a project, I see I’ve gotten the last couple of joints pretty good.
I’m happy with the bottom(after all, it’s the bottom). Just a couple of little divots to fill and sand.
Working on the sides now. I have no illusion that I’ll make them look as good as many here do, but would like them to be generally smooth. It’s a shanty boat, not a yacht.
Jbo
I’m happy with the bottom(after all, it’s the bottom). Just a couple of little divots to fill and sand.
Working on the sides now. I have no illusion that I’ll make them look as good as many here do, but would like them to be generally smooth. It’s a shanty boat, not a yacht.
Jbo
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Re: Quikfair Questions
I'd say save the Quickfair for the last thin layer or two.
It spreads on like butter and if you can afford it, it's lovely compared to home made fairing mixes, which I get too dry, too runny, too lumpy etc.
What really saves time and effort is large fairing tools to apply fairing compound and using a longboard with 60 or 80 grit for initial fairing.
It's hard to screw up the mix ratios. Don't try to eyeball "that blob is 2x the other blog". Instead put down 2 blobs of part A and 1 blog of part B. Much easier to compare 3 blobs to make them indenticalish.
It spreads on like butter and if you can afford it, it's lovely compared to home made fairing mixes, which I get too dry, too runny, too lumpy etc.
What really saves time and effort is large fairing tools to apply fairing compound and using a longboard with 60 or 80 grit for initial fairing.
It's hard to screw up the mix ratios. Don't try to eyeball "that blob is 2x the other blog". Instead put down 2 blobs of part A and 1 blog of part B. Much easier to compare 3 blobs to make them indenticalish.
designer: FB11/GV10,11,13/ HMD18/
SK17,MM21/MT24
SK17,MM21/MT24
Re: Quikfair Questions
The biggest thing is using a guide coat to smooth the coats out. After applying the 2nd coat of epoxy primer out spray a guide coat on then sand to get your highs and lows. From there fill the lows with Quickfair. Sand everything with a straight board. This should be about your last sanding, but to be sure one last guide coat and filling of any low spots and a final sanding with a straight board should finish it up. It is up to you how fine a finish you want.
Tom
Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978
Re: Quikfair Questions
My boat is about fair enough for me to move on. I have these pinholes in some places in the glass bubble/epoxy fairing mix. Will Quikfair fill these?
Thanks.
Jbo
Thanks.
Jbo
Re: Quikfair Questions
Maybe not, I'd try a real light coat. Otherwise:
https://www.myrefinishportal.com/us/en/ ... -200g.html
This stuff worked great for me. DaveTX shared it with me a long time ago. He used it on cars. For sure blow out the area well. Then spread a dab of this super thin. 5 minutes to dry then sand down a minute. Leaves a reddish tint that covers easily enough with the S3 primer. It's really handy to spot fix the odd pinholes you find too late. A dab on your finger, wait the 5, sand it a second, then spot prime with the S3. A little bit goes a long way. It's on my LB22 and no trouble years later.
Dougster
https://www.myrefinishportal.com/us/en/ ... -200g.html
This stuff worked great for me. DaveTX shared it with me a long time ago. He used it on cars. For sure blow out the area well. Then spread a dab of this super thin. 5 minutes to dry then sand down a minute. Leaves a reddish tint that covers easily enough with the S3 primer. It's really handy to spot fix the odd pinholes you find too late. A dab on your finger, wait the 5, sand it a second, then spot prime with the S3. A little bit goes a long way. It's on my LB22 and no trouble years later.
Dougster
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Re: Quikfair Questions
Best way to fix pinholes is to blow the dusts out of them with air and try qf or clear epoxy..
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