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Advice on painting fibreglass please Advice on painting fibreglass please
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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  • 1 Post By oldbmw
  • 1 Post By roger2002

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Old 6 Feb 2013
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Advice on painting fibreglass please
Hi guys


I’m currently attaching a rallye style fairing to my Africa Twin. It’ll need painting. I don’t want to pay a pro-bodyshop to do it and would prefer the diy way. My experience is spray painting my Rat-Transalps matt-black from a Halfords spray can. The paint doesn’t last, particularly when it rains.

The new fairing is fibreglass with a gel-coat covering. How should I prep it for painting (anything else in addition to sanding it)? What’s the best paint to use? Any recommendation where in the UK I can source the paint (white and red)?

I’m about as far from the sea as is possible, so there aren’t any yachting chandlers I can visit for a chat.

Many thanks for any input.

Thanks
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Old 6 Feb 2013
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Are there no indications here Chris?

Google
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Old 6 Feb 2013
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Hi Dave
Many thanks for doing a google search for me. Honestly, I genuinely never thought of that. Wow, google is great. Amazing this teknology lark, init.

So, have you every resprayed gelcoat in your garage and not made a mess, that is the first time you're riding at 80mph and the fairing is vibrating nicely and the paint doesn't crack and flake? Or ridden in the rain and the same didn't happen? Which brand of paint did you use? Where did you buy it? How did you prep the plastic parts prior to painting? Did you manage to do all this without putting it in an oven to cure it?

Best wishes.
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Old 6 Feb 2013
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I have built a few boats, before coati9ngteh gelcoat, wipe the clean prepared surface lightly with a rag damp with acetone. it will help gelcoat or two pack polyurethane to bond.
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Old 7 Feb 2013
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I used to fibreglass repairs and always used Acrylic paint. Sand it gently first to remove the sheen, clean it with acetone on a rag, LIGHT coats of paint sanding between with wet sanding paper and clean every time with the acetone on a rag. Patience is a virtue, take your time and wait between coat for it to dry. You can clear coat it at the end and polish it up and it'll look awesome!
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Old 7 Feb 2013
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Originally Posted by oldbmw View Post
I have built a few boats, before coati9ngteh gelcoat, wipe the clean prepared surface lightly with a rag damp with acetone. it will help gelcoat or two pack polyurethane to bond.
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Originally Posted by roger2002 View Post
I used to fibreglass repairs and always used Acrylic paint. Sand it gently first to remove the sheen, clean it with acetone on a rag, LIGHT coats of paint sanding between with wet sanding paper and clean every time with the acetone on a rag. Patience is a virtue, take your time and wait between coat for it to dry. You can clear coat it at the end and polish it up and it'll look awesome!
Many thanks for your input gents. Much appreciated.
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