need to know: how to fiberglass

[drew2bm]

I am in the process of building a frame for a new center console idea to be fiberglassed and painted to match my color scheme. I wastold to use a masonite base for the frame construction.

What are all of the steps involved in applying the FG? is it sprayed on or spread on...? I know nothing about FG, so i need directions from scratch.

The construction will have 4 holes for switches and 2 holes for gagues, and 1 hole for plexiglass see-through display.

I need all the info i can get. THANKS!

 

[brcewane]

One of the easiest ways to fiberglass something is to go and get some 100% polyester felt at a fabric shop. Then take the felt and stretch it over what you want to fiberglass. Staple it on the back of your frame to hold it tight. You can use fiberglass matt, but I found that for a small project the thickness of the felt is easier than applying layers of matt and resin.

Then go out to your local hardware store and pick up some Marine Fiberglass resin and hardener.

Mix the desired amount and spread it over your polyester felt and make sure it is soaked all the way through.

Then wait for it to harden up. Then get yourself a bunch of varying grit sand paper.. usually 220 down to 400 is what you will need. Also grab yourself some bondo in a tube (if it is a small project)

No you just keep sanding/filling, sanding/filling until it is as smooth as you want with no pits and sanded down fine with the 400 grit sand paper.

Also, make sure you have a well ventalated area and a really good canister mask for the vapors.. that stuff will kill brain cells... literally.. as well get some latex gloves, because when you add the hardener the resin becomes chemically hot (you will know what I mean when you touch it)

Then prime and paint.. voila.. you have your fiberglass piece. It can sound a little complicated, but it really isn't.. Here is a quick 1,2,3 guide I did for my sub enclosure before applying the fiberglass..
1,2,3 Steps

And here is the final product

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[jrivard00]

Also make sure that you have acetone since it is the only thing that will desolve fiberglass resin from the paint brush and anything you may dribble it on. You may wish to have baby powder near you should you not be able to remove resin from you hands completely with acetone...apply it to your skin and it will cover the resin on your hands so you don't stick to everthing you touch.

If you are using fiberglass mat a good technique that I found is to first brush a coat of resin on the project surface. THen place your piece on mat on top followed by a paint brush full of resin. WHen apply the resin dab it on the matt, do not brush it on because the matt will frey apart on you. This also minimizes the chance of air bubbles.

The secret with fiberglass if not to apply too many layers at once. Apply a layer and wait until it is just tacky, then apply your second layer...etc. This will give the best results.

 

[drew2bm]

How do I know when the felt is COMPLETELY soaked? Once it is soaked, should I apply another layer or does it even matter? would multiple layers be better?

Iam sorry to ask so many dumb questions, but I have never worked w/ FG before and am eager to learn. thanks for all of your help.

 

[brcewane]

If you get white felt you will be able to tell.. it will become pretty much as dark as the resin itself. You will be able to tell which are "really" soaked and which are not, because the lighter areas are not really as soaked through as the darker.

Even after it was soaked through I brushed on some more resin as well to make it even stronger.. I would suggest doing a small test piece first just to get the hang of it and then do your actual piece

 

[Raph]

great stuff,im gonna start practicing.

 

[tunerkid]

i too am going to be taking on the challenge of making a fiberglass sub box 2 hold both my 12s, amp and cap.... question is how do i get it to mold in with my hatch... do i lay the cloth in the truck where i want to glass at, build a frame to hold that in place and glass it in my trunk??? im confused about how to get the mold, other then that im good to go, I THINK haha, if i glass it in the truck wont it seep through the cloth and get alll over my interior?


AHHH im so confused

 

[drew2bm]

You probably want to build your frame and then slide it in just to estimate fitment and make adjustments. Then you will want to take it out to do the fiberglassing. If it was in the hatch, it would be much more difficult to paint.

 

[brcewane]

Originally posted by drew2bm
You probably want to build your frame and then slide it in just to estimate fitment and make adjustments. Then you will want to take it out to do the fiberglassing. If it was in the hatch, it would be much more difficult to paint.

Excatly.. not sure if you checked out the 1,2,3 link in my above post, but that will give you some ideas. Basically you can use cardboard to get a template of the contours of the trunk area, then scribe and cut them out of wood.

It is a big trial and error project where you test fit something, take it out, trim it and test again.

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

best tutorial on how to make shapes:

http://ecominet2.alpine-usa.com/html/adc/2003_civic/2003_civic.html

 

[College84]

How about other trim pieces like door panels or the panels on both sides of the rear seats? would you just wrap them in the poly felt and do it the same way?

 

[brcewane]

Originally posted by EuroGSTSpyder
best tutorial on how to make shapes:

http://ecominet2.alpine-usa.com/html/adc/2003_civic/2003_civic.html

Great site.. good find