polyester finish

Hi all,

I got a demand to finish an model with polyester. To have a better idea about the finish here is link of a picture of a chair with the required finish:

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the only thing I know is that this is an ordinary wood chair covered with... glass reinforced polyester with silk screen flower pattern...

I've little or no experience with polyester finishing, so I'm looking for some place to start, book, web or other basic info that might get me on track.

All info is greatly appreciated

Jill

Reply to
feploand
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Jill--You didn't mention what kind of "model" you're working on, but by the appearance of the chair and your description, it looks like a standard resin finish; surfboard and snowboard builders use the same technique. It's simply a silkscreen applique or airbrush art with a layer of clear fiberglass resin over it. It's nothing magical or mysterious; you can use two-part resin, urethane, varnish, clear lacquer, whatever, so long as all components are chemically compatible with one another. Modelers do the same thing with decals and spray a clear coat of Future floor finish or some other clear finish over them. I hope that answers your question. Michael

Reply to
Disco58

As an afterthought, bear in mind if you use two-part resin it does create heat in the curing process

Reply to
Disco58

Michael. you are really helpful. the model i'm working on is a boeing

737. What i do not understand is how did they get the (white) patterns so well all around the chair parts. Almost like it was done by hand. I have no exeprience at all with silk screens. is this applied later on the resin? Thanks again. Jill
Reply to
feploand

The pattern could be part of the polyester cloth, or airbrushed, or silk screened on plain colored polyester and then resin coated. If it were me, I would do the pattern on the polyester before wrapping it around something where the pattern would be more difficult to achieve.

Reply to
willshak

Polyester resin by itself is a clear finish. It can be used to toughen up wood. There are far better ways to finish wood in my opinion. If all they want is a smooth surface on the wood to make it look like metal or plastic, to take a better finish, there are easier ways. Epoxy coating is an even stronger surface, but more expensive.

Go to a crafts store, like Michaels. They have polyester casting resin. Mix up a bit of that, and brush it on and let it sit. A coating brushed on or squeegeed on takes far longer to cure than a casting, however, so use a little extra catalyst and wait several days before sanding it smooth.

Again, I'd use an acrylic finish as someone else suggested if all they want is a smooth paintable finish. You can get acrylic finishes in spray cans. Easy to apply, it dries fast. There are also two-part acrylic finishes- wicked to apply- very toxic!

Reply to
Don Stauffer

Don Stauffer wrote in news:XBK4g.11$j%3.3069 @news.uswest.net:

Why not have somebody with an alps printer print the designs in white on clear decal paper, then apply them and cover them with a clear coat. Should work. We modelers do tha all the time.

Cheers,

Dennis

Reply to
Mechanical Menace

Or, if you cannot find anyone with an Alps, print out design on regular paper, take a sheet of decal paper and the printout to a copy shop and have them print design on decal paper. Works fine.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

Anyone try this inkjet decal paper yet?

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Reply to
willshak

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