Fiberglass Repair: How To Repair and Spray Metal Flake on Boats 

I was looking for a good instructional video to help me with my first metal flake repair job. This video is perfect. Thanks for putting it together.

Keep the videos rolling, never can learn too much!

One of the most helpful videos I have found! Thanks.

Very good how-to video. I also repair polyflake for a large bass boat dealer in the northeast. I use the exact same method for application as you do as there is no other way actually. A couple of things you do, I do differently. Instead of styrene for reducing, I use acetone instead. I have never had any issues using acetone so I have stuck to using it. The other is the use of a Preval sprayer. I use either a siphon or gravity gun with medium sized tip. I do use Preval's a lot but only in smaller sized areas. I use PVA with at least 3 sprayed applications letting it dry between each coat. In general, I will block sand off all the peaks in the clear then I apply a second coating of clear then block sand using a shaped Styrofoam long block with 180 grt sanded surface then dry 320-600 machine then blocked 1000 wet and finally 2000 wet hand sand (careful on the edges) then a fine cut compound buff. Doing a 3 color polyflake and clear application is far more labor intensive.

great video and advice i totally agree with the advice and comments on the respirator i can see you are a young guy and when i was your age i thought i was indestructible but trust me we are not around the harsh chemicals in some of those products in my 40s i had 5 or 6 Strokes that left me permanently disabled btw i’m a retired Woodworker who was always around the same chemicals you are using and i firmly believe those chemicals were the culprits from years of exposure i grew up in South Florida and as a teenager began doing fiberglass and gelcoat repairs using those aerosol sprayers like you used trust me you dont want to go through what ive had to do years of physical therapy to learn how to walk, talk, and even think again

Great videos, and because ur videos are informative with relevant info is why I buy my marine electronics from russel marine

Thanks for the video it is very helpful for my bass boat Restoring

Great vid, thank you, just about the respray full deck in flake on a 17ft speed boat

Can you make a more detailed video about mixing the styrene and MKP? Also how to add the wax at the end? I need to fix a little bad spot on the corner of my skeeter but I'm still unsure of the amounts. Plus I am a chemist so I am more used to being very precise with measuring.

hi, steve here, do the first two clear spray jobs need to cure completely before the last one with the wax, an can I use patch aid instead of styrene for ether one

hello a friend greeting I work for lund boats and my work is the same as yours. Fix boats with metalflacke finish and it is a stressful job when the flacke turns silver

Did you add the wax additive to the clear you had already in the sprayer or did you mix an entire fresh batch

What brand of clear gel coat would you recommend and what size tip for the HVLP to spray it?

Russ, where is a good place to get clear gel coat? Who carries it? Having a hard time finding it in my local area.

Missed these videos

Hi there Is this the reverse for spraying into a mould - spray clear coat first then a mix of clear coat and flake then clear coat again ? Cheers

Do you wait for each clear coat to dry before the next or just tack up?

Good video now do you use clear coat or gel coat to seal the flake you keep saying clear coat and not gel coat I’m confused

Great video, I have an older boat that needs some touch ups like this. I had no idea the flake alone was what determined the color. It has those thin cracks in the gelcoat every older boat has and was wondering if there was a technique to make it look beautiful again? Again, thanks for these videos, they're really helpful.

Can I spray just a clear over a spot where the silver flake is coming through

What brand products are you using ??

If I spray gelco 24 oz how much. Pach aid

What gel coat did you use

How long do you wait in between the clear coat layers?

If you plan on staying in business very long you better start wearing a respirator EVERY time you crack open a can of resin or additives. Word to the wise brother...take care of your lungs and liver. This stuff is harsh beyond your wildest thoughts. I Know. Trust me.

From my 20+ years of bodywork experience you should always use a sanding block and never hold the sandpaper and sand with your bare hands. Otherwise only your knuckles actually touch the sanding paper and sand the surface, so instead of sanding the surface flat you end up sanding finger grooves into your project. I prefer a block and sand at 45 degree angle and then sand back across in 45 degree angle in the other direction. It helps get better feel for the surface and when it is truly flat. Some people might say it won't matter, but the flatter your surface the better shine and mirror reflection you get on your final product. If you ever look into a paint or fiberglass job and the reflection isn't flat like a mirror reflecting all the images and colors surrounding the vehicle, that distortion and waves in the reflection are due to a surface that is not been properly prepped and sanded completely flat. If your going to buy the materials and go thru all the work it is not that much more effort to do it correctly. Also whenever sanding wet sand with emery paper, the water removes the dust so the paper won't clog. It also helps to sand faster and flatter so you get a better overall finish and final product.

you sound like Owen Wilson, awesome!

my entire boat top is faded out ive wet sanded alot out of the oxidation layer but its still cracked and looks bad. i want to price spraying new gel coat on the entire top of the boat. bottom is fine i can use for reference. the one thing i cannot find is where to buy clear gel coat. how much i need. where to buy flake and how much i need. i know how to paint cars but boats are a different story since now one will go through a proper walkthrough the whole thing

Would it be important on the hard lines to use fine line tape, as opposed to masking tape? Additionally, to protect your young invincible lungs, I would recommend that you wear a respirator while spraying, and at least a dust nask for your prep work. Old guy here, been painting Marine and automotive for over 50 years, still have my lungs because of heading the same advice I just suggested to you. Thanks for the video! Be safe and well.

I'd like to see a video on a complete top cap recoated with clear coat.

What's the best way to match the color of metal flake?

If my gel coat is starting to fog and gray can I respray the clear over the top without respraying the flake

i tried a preval sprayer 60 ml of gel 6ml styrene 30 drops of hardner it spattered out it looks like shit

what pressure did you use on the gun?

What is the Wax Additive product?

can you use this process for the whole boat if the entire boat is faded

Never get to see finished product.

love your videos.but please wear a mask.you won't regret it.take it from me.

why should you not use acetone to thin the clear?

Mixing metal flake with clear is not the best way to do it . It makes a mess . They make whats called dry metal flake guns. You spray on clear and then spray the dry metal flake on the clear . what doesn't stick just falls to the plastic you put on the ground you can even collect it and put it back in the gun . The gun just cleans up with air . The best part of the dry spray is you don't have to know anything about metal flaking or mixing the right amount . You can practice a few times on a cardboard box and you are good to go . Watch this video . ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YmE-kCQLjvM.html

I'm just here for the comments from the PPE Nazi's.

I've been doing cosmetic and structural fiberglass, Gelcoat and all linear urethanes for 12+ years. Metallic anything absolutely has no business being on a boat/yacht. You definitely do not just "eyeball" how much catalyst you add. Poor advise. You could cause someone to suffer from chemical burns or burning down a shop. MEK-P IS nothing to sneeze at.