A couple of funky spots

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joatmon
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A couple of funky spots

Post by joatmon »

I have three small spots under and behind the rear seat that seem to not want to dry. I think I remember reading that this is caused by uncured or unmixed epoxy, and will never dry completely. Is this a fix that needs to be done ASAP or can I wait until the season is over? The largest is like an oblong quarter and the other two are are pencil lead width about one inch long. Also what would be the best fix for this? Otherwise everything is going smooth. Thanks
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

You could try to warm those spots with a hot-air gun or a hair dryer for a few minutes then let it cool and check it in 24 hours to see if it is still soft. If still soft, you can use a scraper to remove it then a rag moistened with laqueur thinner to clean up. Allow to dry, lightly sand and apply more epoxy.
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joatmon
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okay

Post by joatmon »

That sounds like a plan. I noticed a few more spots, they all are smaller in the 1/8 to 1/4 inch range. I didn't notice any clogging when I sanded the epoxy and am wondering if there could be something else causing this? I will try the heat gun technique and hope for the best. If it doesn't work, I'll go the scraper route. Really keeping my fingers crossed, so I don't have to ruin the varnish that was looking pretty good, despite my earlier drying problems. I knew the epoxy would be my downfall. Thanks Glen, I'll keep you updated.
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

Hold on now, is this uncured epoxy, uncured varnish, poorly mixed epoxy or epoxy blush?

So, the question is, have you varnished these areas? If yes, how many coats and how long ago?

If it is epoxy blush, it should wash off with warm water and a scouring pad. If it is poorly mixed epoxy or a bad ratio, try the heating routine and scrape out if needed.
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davidb54321
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Post by davidb54321 »

How long did the epoxy cure before you put the varnish on? I have had this happen on thwarts and paddles that I pre-coated with epoxy and tried to hurry the varnish.
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joatmon
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Post by joatmon »

I think the spots are either poorly mixed epoxy or spots of blush (if that can happen). Whatever they are, the varnish isn't drying over them. The epoxy had cured for over a week maybe longer.(I'm losing track of time) There are a few on the outside too. (haven't varnished the outside yet) Anyway, the heat gun trick seemed to work on the larger areas, the smaller areas are still a bit tacky. It really is weird, it's like pimples of anti-varnish. Do they have anything that you don't have to mix to wet out the glass, like a one part epoxy? My next boat will wait until they come up with that.
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