Dykem Blue Question

[Group W Bench]

Dykem blue dye is the way to go when fairing, as the lows become very obvious and it will not clog abrasives like spray paint. It is best to thin it out around 8 or 10:1 with denatured alcohol when fairing hullsides, as it stretches the dye a long way and is easier to wipe on with a rag in an even fashion. You want it to wipe on a royal blue rather than the deep purple if you use unthinned blue dy. Buy the small bottle and a gallon of denatured alcohol, and you will have plenty.

[CLM65]

Thanks Eugene!  I assume that the dye does not interfere in any way with the bonding of new gel coat to the fiberglass?

[Group W Bench]

That is why you use the thinned Dykem instead of spray paint. I do not understand utilizing spray paint to identify low spots, as you have to sand off the spray paint to allow for good adhesion of subsequent layers of fairing compound anyways. Dykem simply tints the lows on the existing fairing compound rather than covering it like spray paint. You fill right over the blue areas that identify the low spots.

[CLM65]

Thanks a bunch Eugene.  I think I'll go with the diluted DB

[CLM65]

And thanks to everyone else too.  I do think the method of a light dusting of primer, and then removing it by sanding or acetone, will work also.  But Eugene's method seems a little easier as I won't have to remove the remaining material before filling.

[Aquasport Commodore]

Dykem blue dye is the way to go when fairing, as the lows become very obvious and it will not clog abrasives like spray paint. It is best to thin it out around 8 or 10:1 with denatured alcohol when fairing hullsides, as it stretches the dye a long way and is easier to wipe on with a rag in an even fashion. You want it to wipe on a royal blue rather than the deep purple if you use unthinned blue dy. Buy the small bottle and a gallon of denatured alcohol, and you will have plenty.

Just to clarify that is 8-10 parts Alcohol to 1 park Dykem correct?

[seabob4]

Dykem blue dye is the way to go when fairing, as the lows become very obvious and it will not clog abrasives like spray paint. It is best to thin it out around 8 or 10:1 with denatured alcohol when fairing hullsides, as it stretches the dye a long way and is easier to wipe on with a rag in an even fashion. You want it to wipe on a royal blue rather than the deep purple if you use unthinned blue dy. Buy the small bottle and a gallon of denatured alcohol, and you will have plenty.

Just to clarify that is 8-10 parts Alcohol to 1 park Dykem correct?

Correct...

[RickK]

I was thinking we might see a byproduct of the first few tries