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Fiberglassing Fiberglasssing explained and the proper techniques on working on a fiberglass project.
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Old 05-20-2006, 04:12 PM   #31
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

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Oh and one last thing. Keep in mind that your mold must have a draft angle to allow the part to come out.
This type of mold should work very well for you, and the opening for the headlamp should allow you acess to make the part inside of it.
You should make your part with 1 layer gelcoat, 1 layer fiberglass mat, and probably 2 layers of an 8-10 oz. cloth. you will be able to tell once you make a part how stiff it should be. You can also reinforce stress or mounting locations with more material in these locations. Have fun and good luck.
i don't know what you mean by draft angle... could you explain that to me... and i stoped by NAPA today and picked up some fiberglass cloth 12oz, resin, hardener, sand paper, etc. i didn't see any fiberglass mat... where is a good place to pick that up..
thanks alot guys, its been alot of help.
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Old 05-20-2006, 07:25 PM   #32
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

I will loose huh? Gel coat cures due to a chemical reaction, has nothing to do with air. Gel coat has no physical properties that makes it appropriate to use insted of resin, which is what you are suggesting you do. Gel coat is usefull when mold making, not completeless nessassary, and not used in the manner you are suggesting. It should be used as a base, and as a base once it sets you lay your struction up on it, not into it. You may not need anything more than a piece of cardboard, but nobody can tell what the fuck your talking about, its not even in broken english, its in some form of jigberish.
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Old 05-21-2006, 05:36 PM   #33
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

They have an edit button for a reason.
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Old 05-22-2006, 10:59 PM   #34
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Struction? Jigberish? Try spellcheck asshole before you go and knock someone else. Duh. I should show that one to my english professor. Sorry if I misspelled something, I was too busy replying to you instead of people who needed my help. Try reading a book - gelcoat fully cures anerobically. You obviously have nothing better to do than knock me all day instead of offer advice... you claim to know so much more than me why are you wasting your time writing to me at ALL? Hmmm. L O S E R
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Old 05-22-2006, 11:07 PM   #35
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Thumbs up Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Quote:
Originally Posted by the russian
i don't know what you mean by draft angle... could you explain that to me... and i stoped by NAPA today and picked up some fiberglass cloth 12oz, resin, hardener, sand paper, etc. i didn't see any fiberglass mat... where is a good place to pick that up..
thanks alot guys, its been alot of help.
A draft angle is like when 2 plactic cups fit together... or are stacked together. Does tha make more sense? One has to pull out of the other. If you are using the bottom cup as the mold, the top cup (your part) has to come out of the 1st cup.
If you want quick access to fiberglass materials try Home Depot. They have bath tub repair kits that should contain mat... they also sell resin and cheap brushes. If you happen to live near any bodies of water... lol... a store called West Marine (or any marine store) will give you a better selection.
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Old 05-23-2006, 04:28 AM   #36
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

thanks it does help... a bit... i finally found some fiberglass mat... autozone... go figure.... and i got all my other supplies other than the gel.
i'm going to start on the box later this week.... we'll see how that one goes. thanks alot guys, if i need some more help it will be on a its own thread showing you guys my issues.
thanks again
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Old 05-23-2006, 11:44 AM   #37
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carbon Fibre
Struction? Jigberish? Try spellcheck asshole before you go and knock someone else. Duh. I should show that one to my english professor. Sorry if I misspelled something, I was too busy replying to you instead of people who needed my help. Try reading a book - gelcoat fully cures anerobically. You obviously have nothing better to do than knock me all day instead of offer advice... you claim to know so much more than me why are you wasting your time writing to me at ALL? Hmmm. L O S E R
I'm waisting my time because I'm tired of all the people who have played with fiberglass once thinking they are experts and posting false information. I'm not saying everything you say is wrong, just some of it is not entirely correct, like the gelcoat you keep bringing up, it cures by chemical reaction, it does however remain tacky if exposed to air. You have posted some helpful information, and I give you credit for that.
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Old 05-23-2006, 02:22 PM   #38
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Try this. Mix some gelcoat and put enough to make a good size chip on a mold surface. After it cures, take it off, take a rag with acetone on it, and try wiping both sires. The exposed side will leave gelcoat on your rag, the mold side won't. That is because gelcoat is designed to make a chenical bond with the fiberglass; it isn't fully cured. Oh, and i've been a custom boat builder for the past 8 years, professionally. How about you?
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Old 05-23-2006, 02:48 PM   #39
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Like I said, the exposed side will remain tacky, but not nesassarly uncured.

I have been in every aspect of composites- from materials buying, design, fabrication, finishing, testing, to quality control for about eight years also. You clearly know more about the subject than I initially believed when I first tore into you, and for this I am sorry. We get alot (and I mean alot) of people around here that know absolutly nothing that try to pass themselves off as experts. I am in no way an expert, but I have real life world experience in full time composites, in everything from non structural accent pieces to pieces that have to endure constant beatings and stresses. I'm sure you share alot of the same knowledge and experices that I do, and I'm sure between us there wont be any questions that will go unanswerd in the new fiberglass forum.
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Old 05-25-2006, 07:32 PM   #40
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Thanks for the respect. It will be returned.
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Old 05-25-2006, 07:37 PM   #41
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Anyone got any tips on how to hop up a 10 horse Craftsman riding mower engine? I garbage picked one and I'm making the framerails and body out of lewan and door skin, laminated with a high grade polyester and covered in light cloth. I'll post my pics so you can all laugh at me or be inspired, your choice.
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Old 05-26-2006, 02:05 AM   #42
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

I was just in other threads in the fiberglass thread and wanted to ask where you guys got the idea of covering your shit in tape to make a mold from it? You prep a part to mold it with a release agent - wax or spray on PVA. This retains all the detail of the original part. 3-4 good coats of a wax designed for this purpose does the job, and the mold actually comes off the part. You apply the wax, and either while it is drying or after it does you buff it off with a rag.
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Old 08-09-2006, 02:03 AM   #43
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

Don't know where I got the idea from, but it's cheap and fast. No waiting around for wax to dry etc. I don't do it often tho...

My understanding of gelcoat is that it's a hard protective layer for the composite materials. Otherwise the mat or cloth would become exposed and the part would fail.

That being said, I've never used it, mainly cuz I can't get it at Home Depot . I've done the below hood and airdam with HD stuff, mat was from Aircraft Spruce. I wonder, is there any reason I should start to use gelcoats?

I still need to color sand the air dam...I made a female mold for the airdam using the same materials (no masking tape tho!).
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Old 01-09-2007, 07:31 PM   #44
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

That's one of my favorite cars, but you need to fix that gap between the front air dam and the fender. How did The Silent Chamber get banned?
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Old 04-24-2007, 03:17 PM   #45
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Re: Fiberglass 101 - Tutorial

here's my question.
i'm planning on custom-making a gauge cluster for my truck.
i wish to remove the old one, and modify it.
i don't think i need to custom fabricate a whole new one, as i can cut the old one up and use the basic shape and frame to create a new one.
here's a pic

not my truck, but same dash panel.
i want to move the speedo over to the section with the 4 smaller gauges, and eliminate the right-hand large hole.
then move the 4 smaller gauges to the center, and block out the shift indicator (moved my shifter to the floor)
i know this is possible, and i'm hoping that fiberglass is my solution.
i'll gladly post a how-to once i'm done, i just need a professional opinion of some kind before i tear my truck all up.
can this be done?
how long will it take?
what materials should i use? (thickness, etc.)
just any help is appreciated.
i'm buying my new gauges and senders etc. in about a month or two so i'll keep checking back.
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