I just tried it last night for the first time, and I didn't do very well. I just need some practice applying it, I'm sure (I guess
absolutely everything relating to vaping has a "learning curve").
While we're on the subject: Does anyone know where to get Xylene in quantities smaller than 1 gallon? I hope I don't need that much!
First off, make sure you have a "back up" PV, because this project is going to take a while. You will need nicotine to get through it.
I was leery of using that applicator they sent me, because it's so big compared to the GGTS parts, and I was concerned that a sponge would promote bubbles. I used a Q-tip (cotton swab). It seemed to work pretty well, but I got one small cotton fiber in the coating.
My first coat was too thick: There was a slight bulge of liquid developing towards the bottom of the parts. I turned them over, and could see it ooze un-evenly back in the other direction the way paint runs. That's when I ignored the "leave it alone" part of the directions, and tried to blot some of it off with a paper towel. It didn't turn out as badly as I feared, but once it starts to dry, you should "leave it alone".
I wasn't paying very close attention to the time, but after about 10 or 20 minutes I added another coat. Big mistake! The first coat was too thick, so it was still pretty fragile. A couple of small splotches peeled off or dissolved or something, and the edges of those splotches are quite noticeable beneath the second coat.
The coating will not "fill in" those tiny little scratches and swirl marks in the metal you get from fingers and fabric, so forget about an actual scratch. Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish shines great, but it's a lot of work to get those swirl marks out, and it didn't do anything to an actual scratch. I'm going to try another polish next time.
After it first dries (about 2 - 6 hours in), it doesn't feel very nice. It has kind of a "plastic" feeling. After about 24 hours it starts to feel more like metal. I imagine after a couple of days, when it's completely cured, it will feel much nicer.
Yesterday, I asked the supplier (Zoe Smith) about getting rid of the swirl marks, and those tiny scratches, but I haven't heard back from her. It's only been 1 day, though.
I have a MUCH larger project in mind for this stuff if it works like I'm expecting, and I learn to apply it correctly.