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Topcoat in small quantities?


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Long shot, but I don't suppose anyone knows if and where it might be possible to get a small pot of black topcoat for touching up purposes? I've spot primed the evidence of the last twelve months of scraping above the rubbing strake along things. I'd rather not leave a sea of small red bits, but equally I don't think I'm ever going to cause enough damage to get through 750ml of black gloss. And it's the only black area on the boat, and I don't want to repaint the entire 'bootstrap' in a more convenient colour, and I don't want to repaint any of the rest of the boat in black.

 

Any suggestions (other than 'black up to the gunwale', which is a project for future times)?

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I think Johnstons will mix sub 750 ml if they have the tins and I also thin I have seen small tins of black paint by the likes of Rustins in hardware shops.

 

I used Screwfix/Toolstation direct to steel self undercoating black for above the guard. I suspect its water based, is quick drying and dries to sheen rather than gloss. This helps obscure blemishes in the steel beneath. Only 750ml I am afraid but so easy to use to touch up its worth it.

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I didn't get further than checking the price of the usual boat-oriented topcoats — about £25 for 750ml. Given that I need about 7ml...

 

However, I've just realised that a pot of Humbrol will probably do the trick quite nicely. 14ml, £2. More expensive per millilitre, but ultimately pretty much exactly what I need. And cheaper than a coffee, so passes the budgetary requirements quite nicely. And maybe next year I'll learn to stop scraping along things allowing my friends at the helm ?

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16 minutes ago, David Mack said:

For somewhere that gets regularly scraped, what's wrong with DIY shed/supermarket/Wilko own brand gloss?

Absolutely nothing; I just don't want to store a litre of it when I need less than 50ml. I didn't get any further than looking at the cost of boat paint from suppliers of boat things because it seemed like a good place to start. I forgot that boat enamel is really quite expensive.

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1 hour ago, tehmarks said:

Absolutely nothing; I just don't want to store a litre of it when I need less than 50ml. I didn't get any further than looking at the cost of boat paint from suppliers of boat things because it seemed like a good place to start. I forgot that boat enamel is really quite expensive.

You may have trouble getting a shade match, there are lots of hues of black.

Pound ships sell small pots of paint, but it is probably water based rubbish.

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@Tracy D'arth: I'm not that fussed. I'd rather not patches of red primer everywhere, but if the black is a bit off I can happily live with that. It'll be muddy again within days anyway! The scratches themselves were mostly tiny, but I primed them with a 3" brush because I'd just been doing the gas locker before that, so the primer spots are...a bit larger ?

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14 hours ago, tehmarks said:

I didn't get further than checking the price of the usual boat-oriented topcoats — about £25 for 750ml. Given that I need about 7ml...

 

However, I've just realised that a pot of Humbrol will probably do the trick quite nicely. 14ml, £2. More expensive per millilitre, but ultimately pretty much exactly what I need. And cheaper than a coffee, so passes the budgetary requirements quite nicely. And maybe next year I'll learn to stop scraping along things allowing my friends at the helm ?

You could make life really easy and get an automotive touch up pot with it's own brush, quite cheap in independent shops.

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59 minutes ago, BWM said:

You could make life really easy and get an automotive touch up pot with it's own brush, quite cheap in independent shops.

and the patches will probably be matt by the spring unless you lacquer it. If you find some cellulose based then it may pickle up any existing paint it touches.

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15 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

You may have trouble getting a shade match, there are lots of hues of black.

Pound ships sell small pots of paint, but it is probably water based rubbish.

Is that for painting shops with?  Sorry I'll get my coat but couldn't resist it. ??

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Bring back Woolies and Valentines Valspar with their nice small tins of good quality paint for small jobs  There must be thousands of tons of half empty big paint tins knocking about in peoples sheds , big fire hazard.  Vendors of stuff always flogging their stuff in bulk these days.  You used to be able to buy one toilet roll which is all most folk needed for a week, not anymore, at least four, six, plus now. One Biro, pack of six now. one box of matches, six now, the list is endless.

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16 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Bring back Woolies and Valentines Valspar with their nice small tins of good quality paint for small jobs  There must be thousands of tons of half empty big paint tins knocking about in peoples sheds , big fire hazard.  Vendors of stuff always flogging their stuff in bulk these days.  You used to be able to buy one toilet roll which is all most folk needed for a week, not anymore, at least four, six, plus now. One Biro, pack of six now. one box of matches, six now, the list is endless.

Now that was good paint

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You think 750ml tin is too big - my roof is painted with Epifanes Multiforte that need a bit of touching up - probably a small cupful would do job.  Only available in 4 litre tins at about £60; unless someone else knows different?

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Thanks all; some useful options to look into there. A trip to Poundland may be in order! Or failing that, a spray does seem like it woul be much more convenient, so I'll probably look into that option. Really not too fussed about the patches not matching in shade or gloss — as long as they approximate the colour it's supposed to be I'm happy. It'll only get scraped again anyway, and the boat is a functional vessel and not a static art display!

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