Think I need a proper primer. lacquer doesn’t seem to equalize the surface completely as I would like. Let’s see how it ends. It feels smooth but in direct light I can see highs and lows.
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I used a polyester sanding primer and it was really good. My careful (slow) brush application wasn’t ideal and it kicked faster than anticipated so ended up with brush marks. Spray applied would be awesome. Got a sprayer now so will try that next time. I can post product name in a bit. Recommend something like it tho. It can sand super well. Wet sand with warm water and a little bit of dish washing liquid.
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Something like duratec polyester surface primer.
It’s brilliant.
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@rosco @BigBen thanks both. Kind of in a weird place. Plug all waxed up and ready for gelcoat in the morning. But have the feeling that its not all perfect as I would like it to be. Think I will make another plug again soon. So it feels a little waste to finish the one I am doing now. But Again it would be nice to see if its as “not as perfect as I want it” as I think it is. I might be supriced. Have been spending all day yesterday and today on this plug 
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Have a go with it. You can always wash and sand it down lightly if it’s not perfect and paint with primer then sand and re wax and have another go.
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You can always, make the mould, make a part then work on the part again until you’re happy? (Then make a mould from the part. 
)
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Sounds like I know what to do all summer now
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Even if you decide not to use the part, going through the whole process is great practice so that you can improve next time. Its a shitload of work and really onlynpays off if you plan on making more than one enclosure
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I decided to go with a thick polyester gelcoat to seal the bucks. I’m gonna need to fully sand these back to shape now, but i’m hoping it will give me a better finish. There were inconsistencies in my filler where the sanding took away the filler more than the timber around it and I really don’t want that to show up in the final products.
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Your little sneaky one…, don’t give me more options 
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This was a fucking shit idea… or a good idea executed shitly. Many brush strokes, much sanding. Still left with air bubble voids so another fill still necessary 
Live and learn…
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One thing that I will give polyester over epoxy, is that polyester is a lot more workable. Sanding epoxy is kinda shit, it gums up sandpaper real quick and if you get it too hot (like with an electric sander) shit turns ugly real quick.
Polyester sands really nicely, barely gums up your paper at all and doesn’t go to shit when heated up.
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Have you tried polyester body filler and spot putty? Do that on your wood and you can sand and buff the crap outta that. Then primer and more sanding if your a masochist.
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My bucks were pretty much good enough to use an aerosol primer/filler. I was just being a cheap bastard.
And now I’ll probably end up still using the aerosol primer on top will see how they turn out
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Not going to lie, they looked good from my end. Lol. You’re a glutton for punishment. Watch out sanding epoxy it can be brutal on the lungs. Hope you’ve got a mask! 
The polyester body filler sands too easily.it sands quicker than the wood and as soon as you sand it too much, you end up with imperfections that need to be filled again.
I am, admittedly, too heavy with my sanding most of the time.
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Glad I’m not the only one with that issue then. Just bought a compressor and spray gun, Hope to spray my next one to avoid this shitstorm.
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Yes, I should have done that. It worked well for me previously. But cleaning the gun afterwards sucks.
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If you can mix body filler and gelcoat together for something in between. It’s easier to sand then the gelcoat. Mix both sides separately with their required catalysts, then mix those together.
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