As some one stated before the most common reason for fisheyes is oil - of any kind- but silicone being the most difficult to remove. Sometimes trapped air can cause a bit similar effect but on a smooth surface that is not often the cause, some of the pricks do have that look though. You have to remember that dishwashing "soaps" are sometimes used as releasing agents, I would not use any of them for this purpose - one of the reasons being the surfactants in them. I have lately used methylethylketone (MEK)for cleaning, acetone being the other choice, both only to be used on fully cured surfaces.

High humidity is one of the reasons for amine side reactions but I have never seen it to cause fisheyes directly -some types of epoxy hardeners actually like some moisture, not amines though- so I would not think that to be the reason.

My suggestion is to use the ketone for final cleaning (and hope for the best, I have worked with various epoxies professionally for twenty years and still often find that the nost effective way ;-))

Tapio Manner

: Well, I went to bed last nite and the last coat looked fine. When I awoke
: this AM, it had fisheyed again, not nearly as severely, but bad enough . .
: .

: I received an email from someone who laminates for a living, and he said it's
: almost always caused by oil contamination - I was so careful of what I did
: this last time, I wouldn't have believed it. But here it is. Any ideas?
: Here's my prep & coat sequence: 1) Sanded hull thoroughly - Scuffed
: completely by sandpaper everywhere. Not one pit or depression left in
: surface.

: 2) Washed hull with dishwashing soap and water using scotchbrite pad. Rinsed
: and dried thoroughly.

: 3) Let sit for 1 hour, warmed hull with hot air gun, let sit for another
: hour.

: 4) Opened new West roller pkg - Cut roller in two. Used new roller pan cover.
: Applied epoxy exclusively with new roller. Worked epoxy pretty severely to
: assure it was wetting surface.

: That's it. To say I'm hesitant to do it again is an understatement. I doubt
: my resin is contaminated, it worked fine on previous coats. The only other
: things I cannot be sure of are the roller and the roller pan cover -
: And/or Florida's heat & humidity. The picture is of the most severely
: affected area. The larger pits or depressions are the problem, not the
: dust . . .

: Spidey