# Gel coat finish



## Mattyrodill (Nov 14, 2007)

Hi everyone. I have suffered a few scratches on the surface of my Rapido 941M and need some advice on how to fill them in. Do I need gel coat or are there other preparations that would do? My Rapido is 7 years old so I expect there'll be some fading of the original topcoat. Any advice greatly received.
Thanks
Mattyrodill


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

You can polish out fine scratches - filling with gel coat is a bit more complex. The best way is to fill the scratch and then immediately cover it with true sellotape - true gel coat cures better without air


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## Mattyrodill (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks Richard but the scratches are too deep to polish out. Can you recommend a gel coat product? Is it clear or white finish. The comment about the sellotape was interesting. How does that work exactly? I don't want to make a mess of it!


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## ramblingon (Jul 15, 2009)

If you go to your local GRP supplier they can sell you what you need, and advise you- some pretty nasty chemicals involved with all GRP products, if the cracks are only small then I would fill with car body filler and get some GRP paint from my local yacht chandlers to finish off.


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Have a look at >>This place<< I used to have a GRP cruiser which obviously got scratched so I was used to repairing the gel coat which is the waterproof coating. So you mix the colourant with the catalyst which sets very quickly and apply to the scratch. The selotape smoothes out the fill and aids curing


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## brillopad (Mar 4, 2008)

you will get in a right mess, the thing is that, gel coat is the first stuff in the mold when doing grp work so it cures with no air around it, so if you want to fill some cracks in, you apply the gel coat in the colour you want and then stick sellotape over the top, but gel coat is runny and will end up running down your van, you can do it on a flat surface, but on the side of a mh,not me govennor i'd find a better way. dennis


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*gel coat repair*

This might help, take a look here.

Graham


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

You could try surface filler very fine body filler. Sets in about 20 mins and can then be sprayed. I have used it loads of times on my kit cars i used to build.

steve & ann. ---------------- teensvan.


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## Mattyrodill (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks tp everyone for their help. I've ordered a tube of filler. Let's hope I don't make too much of a botch!


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

*Re: gel coat repair*



zappy61 said:


> This might help, take a look here.
> 
> Graham


Thanks for the link Graham, good site.
Gary


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks Graham, I need some myself Someone shortened my drive yesterday whilest i was out in mh.

Dave p


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

No probs guys. The instruction sheet is here which you might find of use.

Graham


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

*Re: gel coat repair*



greygit said:


> zappy61 said:
> 
> 
> > This might help, take a look here.
> ...


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*Re: gel coat repair*



greygit said:


> greygit said:
> 
> 
> > zappy61 said:
> ...


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