mitchmellow Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 The FreeB 14 is painted and waiting to cure a little. Color turned out slightly different than expected but still happy with it overall. Have some 5/8 blue poly rope for a coaming lip. I am hoping to find a similar blue shock cording and rope for rigging and painters. Do you offer colors, Jeff? Also need to add wear strip and will probably paint the cloth on the inside of the coaming. The recycled polyester has been interesting. I read about the sanding after each coat of paint and reasoned that a little hand sanding with 220 grit before painting might help. Wrong! It was reminiscent of suede after painting. Sanding after the final coat softened it to a velour/velvet. These pictures don't really do it justice but if you enlarge them you get some idea. Both the regular roller and a foam roller tend to lift the "nap" as you paint. I don't know if a foam brush would give a different result. I might attempt that on a scrap. At one point I had thoughts of finding a local artist to do a likeness of Elvis in shades of blue on the deck and I would name it "blue velvet"! (lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Well you won't have to worry about people seeing you with that bright color! I like it! The second picture gives it a canvas look. I like that also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hmm, I don't know that the finish you got bothers me at all. The boats are covered with cloth. Even the original dacron polyester shows the weave unless you use 10 coats of paint. If one wants a smooth glossy mirror they picked the wrong method and materials in the first place. Did you try a coat after sanding? I wonder what sanding between 1st & 2nd, then again between 2nd and 3rd would yeild? Nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I know it is hard to get the photos to show what is actually going on but from what I see that is not bad. Fabric always has a texture, paint is a thin film and it takes on the texture of what is under it. The issue has been small fibers that stand up and look like grains of sand and don't see that on yours. I wish there was a safe way to singe those stray fibers off. That would solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Please don't get me wrong. I'm not disappointed in the texture of the fabric at all. I imagine seal skins had a texture also. In a way, it reminds me of leather. The color was a little more shocking than the pain chip but that is growing on me also. This has been a very enjoyable process. Thanks to Jeff for all his knowledge and his willingness to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 What kind of paint did you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Rustoleum. By the way, I used almost 3 quarts for the 3 coats. I think I followed Jeff's advice in his video pretty closely. Could it be that this fabric soaks up more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AeroE Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 How do the surfaces feel? Are the fibers causing the fuzz noticeable after three coats of paint? I would like to see a photo of the skin under a glancing light, in the shade or exposure to the Northern sky. I also wonder about how the fibers would respond to sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Rustoleum. By the way, I used almost 3 quarts for the 3 coats. I think I followed Jeff's advice in his video pretty closely. Could it be that this fabric soaks up more? Sounds like it to me. It seems more porous than anything else I have sold so I am not totally surprised. I have never used 2 full quarts on a boat but that may well be a thirsty fabric. Just painted the 11.5 oz and two coats was plenty. I think as tight as the weave it one coat would seal it. Not that I would trust just one, but it took two coats to get the color evened out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I'll try to post some better pictures tonight or tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Two shots of the fabric that was sanded before and then after painting: Two shots of the fabric that was never sanded: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingBear Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Just a thought but have any of you tried steel wool to soften the surface instead of sand paper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I'd be afraid of all the little metal filings from the steel wool. How would you get then out? Maybe vacuum.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingBear Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Concerining the steel wool fibers. I waited until the paint was well dried before using and was able to just brush the fibers off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I see, I thought you were talking steel wooling before even painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I don't think that would be anywhere near aggressive enough to remove the fibers. I think it will take sandpaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyderxxx Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 What about a scotchbright pad? They come in different grits. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Hummm, if i had that boat, I'd tell everyone it was covered in suede. I really don't mind the look at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Artificial seal skin! Yay, that's the ticket ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Now, let's rethink this, you say animal skin (especially seal) you will have PETA after you! Stick with the "recycled", "environmentally safe" type words, you'll be a hero! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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