Rollers w/o Tipping

Dec 11, 2015
291
Hunter 25 Plymouth
Fellow sailors/boaters, any suggestions on the best roller for oil/alkyd based paint? I used one a few years ago (can't remember which) and I didn't have to tip as the paint was nearly perfect. I used a foam roller last year and it created the usual bubbles.

Any wisdom appreciated!
 
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TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
I watched an Epifanes demonstration on a friends boat. 2 part, the rep. thinned with the prescribed Epifanes, very carefully for the conditions. The goal was a roll without tipping, which he has great success with. He used a 6" foam roller but I can't say the brand.
Epifanes rep set up._.jpg

Beyond thinning carefully which is intended to achieve a slow flow out, his method relied more on technique than coating.

He carefully rolled out the excess on the roller. Then he rolled 'thin', getting thin and full coverage. Then he finished with vertical rolling.
Epiphanes rep and Josh._.jpg

You'll see here, with the boat pointed to the Southwest, the starboard topsides is still in the shade.
He did one side, my friend rolled the other side, once the sun past the bow.

My take: I didn't see any time savings in not tipping as his rolling technique called for several passes. It's was a good finish, but not a great one. I could see the orange peel surface left by the foam roller. Had he started earlier in the day (he was on a tight schedule), a little cooler in the lower sun, the coating may well have flowed out perfectly.

I think tipping would have improved the finish however different conditions would have made the biggest difference in the finish.

With 1 part paint, I prefer a full sized foam roller (nothing fancy) because I want to apply my coating quickly, and tip right behind. The last time my daughter did the rolling for the first time. Sort of an experiment, but she's had some experience painting. The key was timing on her part: I'd ask her to wait or speed up as needed advising more or less paint. I followed with a tipping brush.

Rolling tipping duo (1 of 1).jpg

The day was perfect, cool, overcast, windless and not too dry. The Easypoxy continued to flow out behind me further clearing up brush strokes.
Roll and tip- Tipping the roller stiple off crop (1 of 1).jpg

It was a good coating. It took about 4 hours to roll and tip the 38' topsides. Time in prep, taping, boot top, etc, is another matter.
Launched 2017 (1 of 1).jpg
 
Dec 23, 2016
191
Catalina 27 Clinton CT
Roll and tip. The tipping is to break up the bubbles in the paint left by the roller. I can do both myself, not tough. By the way, pretty boat
 
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jwing

.
Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
In my experience, bubbles and orange peeling can be eliminated by a final pass or two of the foam roller using minimal pressure. Imagine rolling a horizontal surface; the only downward pressure would be the weight of the roller. You would be simply pushing the roller with the lightest of touch with the handle down close to the surface. Of course this is easier said than done on a boat hull, but for me it is easier done than tipping with a brush.
 
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TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Pros have been laying on perfect topside coats with a brush long before the roll and tip method became popular. I remember watching this guy paint the topsides of this 36' boat with one part enamel in about a half a day or less. No roller, brush only. He was an employee of the boat builder in our harbor doing a little moonlighting. I dropped everything and watched him. It was watching an artist at work. Years of experience went into his thinning mixture, he laid a very even coat on with strokes in both directions ('checkerboard' I've heard it called). He finished with horizontal stokes. He brushed the paint out with fast strokes. A few feet behind him, the topsides looked flawless to me.
Paitning tip; If a professional painter is nearby, put yoiur tools down, and watch .jpg
The boatyard was slow to adopt the roll and tip method. Now they use it extensively.

No matter how good you are, you can't improve on roller to apply a uniform coat. Faster than a brush alone.

They'll even roll and tip 90' yachts placing painters at various levels on staging. This sailboat about 60's, was done outdoors. They waited for perfect conditions.

Yep, that is a brush finish applied outdoors.
Roll and tip topsides (1 of 1).jpg