Duratec Coatings and Precision Board Tooling

Coastal Enterprises, manufacturers of Precision Board HDU, is proud to host guest blogs written by some of the industry’s biggest movers and shakers, posted to the Precision Board Blog.  This guest blog is written by Jody Wyse, Western Regional Sales Manager for Hawkeye Industries, manufacturers of Duratec polyester and vinylester coatings, headquartered in Bloomington, California.  Jody talks about trying different Duratec coatings on smaller size samples of Precision Board tooling board to decide the best finish possible and avoid costly hiccups before ordering materials or starting on a new tooling project.

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In Jody’s own words…

Almost every time I meet with a customer about building new tooling out of Precision Board, they say they want the best finish possible. “The best finish possible” has a different meaning to almost every customer, so this is followed by a somewhat lengthy conversion about how they can achieve their individual desired result.

Depending on the exact product being built, they may need to make hundreds of parts that need a near perfect mirror-like finish, or it may be a one-off, sanded and post-painted part. “The best finish possible” is very different for each of these projects.

My suggestion is for them to make small Precision Board samples using several products and methods to determine exactly the finish they want prior to doing any actual building, or ordering materials for the project. Coastal Enterprises offers no-cost or low-cost samples in all their densities, which can be used for this purpose. I normally make these samples with them to ensure the tooling department understands each product and how it fits into the quality of the finished part. In tooling, unexpected results and surprises are not a good thing.  The tooling department should know exactly how each product works and what the finished tool will be like before they take the first step in building the tool.

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Many tooling products require different techniques or handling to achieve the desired result when compared to similar products typically used in production. Understanding them can be the difference between a very successful first tool, and starting over from scratch with lengthy delays and cost overruns. Small investments of time in testing and training upfront can lead to huge savings of both time and money quickly. Training and assistance is normally provided at no charge by the supplier, so I always recommend that a representative from each supplier all meet at the customer’s location at the same time at least once prior to starting the project to discuss the available product options.

After the customer has used these products a few times and understands them, the interactions with the suppliers become less frequent, unless new requirements come into play.

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This was built from Precision Board tooling board and cut to the shape of a hull.  I then coated it with our Black VE Primer. 1/2 of it was then coated with our Clear VE Top Coat. Left side of pic is the sanded and polished primer, the right side is the Clear VE Top Coat.

Both will achieve a gloss.  The Top Coat’s gloss will be better, and an important aspect is that the Top Coat will retain that gloss after multiple parts are made from it. The primer loses its gloss quicker.  This can work well for one-off parts, or situations where a high gloss isn’t needed.

Still have questions about using Duratec with Precision Board tooling?  You can reach out to our team at 909-546-1160 or send us an email.

Hawkeye Industries is proud to be the master distributor of the Duratec line of putties, primers, sealers, and topcoats.  Duratec Polyester and Vinyl Ester products are famous for their ability to cure completely when applied to plug/pattern surfaces.  That thin-film, air-cure capability makes Duratec ideal for the composites industry.  Check out their website or give them a call at (909) 546-1160 0r (800) 977-0060 if you are interested in more information on how Duratec products work with Precision Board tooling board.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane material used extensively in the tooling industry.  It is a closed-cell, rigid, dimensionally-stable substrate that is ideal for use in a number of different tooling applications.  Request free samplesget a quote or sign up for weekly e-blasts packed with helpful information.