How do you make Gelcoat-filler out of gelcoat?

[Hydro-T20]

Hi!

Just wondering how you guys do this? I`m in the process of filling inn some spots on the boat now and I`m getting abit tired of filling in the deep spots with layer on layer on layer with gelcoat-it would be so much easier if someone would be so helpful to tel me the secret? Also does it lessen the quality on the gelcoat itself?

Hope someone will help me with this

[afr]

if you see glass you need to put glass then gel
but to make a paste (not a good idea ) you use fine taulk

[Alan Power]

Hey Hydro,
You can buy gel repair paste, I know Scott Bader do it and I think Ashland do also. Never had a problem with using it.

As for fillers in standard gel, I have had expansion problems, When ground out cracks are filled, faired and sprayed over, the filler expands with the heat from the buffer and the filled cracks underneath are clearly visable in the new surface

[Skeeter0226]

The most common filler used is "fumed silica" commonly called "Cab O Sil" or "Aerosil". Both are brand names. Mix it in with your gel coat slowly or you may get lumps. Use the same amount of catalyst as with straight gel coat. If your gel coat has wax or surfacing agent in it, you must sand all the surface before adding any more filler or gel coat over it. After the filler putty kicks, heat it with a heat gun. This will help with the shrinkage. I agree with AFR, build it up with glass as close as possible, then use only a minimal amount of filler.