First Timer

[Erik412]

After reading all the forums and getting a general idea on how to do fiberglass work and fabrication, I started searching for where to buy everything I would need. Are there specific sites that everyone recommends? In looking, I found fiberglass matts and they were offering different oz. weights. Which would be recommending for autobody parts?

Thanks for the help.

Erik

[CBFryman]

depends, the heavier the mat the thicker it is and the less flexible it is, mat is already not very flexible. but i think you mean cloth,

mat looks like this


Heavier Cloth looks like this


lighter cloth looks like this

[Erik412]

I am going to get a book this weekend on the basics of glassing and quite possibly start practicing. Any idea on where I could buy the needed supplies?

Thanks again for the help.

Erik

[CBFryman]

for jsut learning the cloth that yo ucna buy at Home depot/lowes/ace works fine, and the bondo polyester resin works fine too, i would suggest working with cloth before working with mat, mat can be a pain in the ass, espeically when doing contores surfaces, plus cloth is easier to sand. really the onlything mad has over cloth is strength.

[CBFryman]

sorry for the spelling...im so tired...

[TheSilentChamber]

Differnt weights refer to weight per square yard. Both cloth and mat come in differnt weights. "parts store" cloth is going to be about 6oz and cloth is going to be about 10oz. Most mass produced stuff is going to use a chop gun/sprayer system, this is cost efficent and fast but isnt that strong. Cloth is strongest in two directions so make sure to place layers on 45* angles when building layered parts for strenth. Mat isnt very strong but is equily strong in all directions. The heavyer the material the more texture your going to have bleed though to surface. for large parts that require strenth but also have to be sanded and preped I use a combination of heavy cloths and/or mats with a few layers of 4oz on the outside to serve as a surfaceing vail, to sand and to help stop the pattern from the underlaying thicker materials from showing though.


Your going to need: Resin ( I would suggest cheep parts store polyester while your learning, such as Bondo brand resin), hardener (probably will come with it), paint brushes (cheep throw away plastic bristle will work, but I prefer the feel of the cheep throw away ones with the real hair bristle and wood handles, 2" ones are like 88 cents), Acetone, body filler spreader/squeegy,

[CBFryman]

gloves, unless you like picking resin off of your hands

and resporator if you are going to work in a confined area.... other wise you get high like if you where huffing paint
which isnt always a bad thing... but do it for too long with out fresh air and you end up stupid and hugging johnny...

[Erik412]

So, when doing multiple layers of cloth, do you lay the first cloth, then resin, then lay the second cloth immediately and so on?

Thanks again...
Erik

[TheSilentChamber]

You dont really do a layer of fiberglass then a layer of resin, you saturate the layers of fiberglass with resin, not really layered. And yes you can do all the layers at once, most polyester resins require about three layers of fiberglass to fully cure without being tacky.

[inandoutaudio]

I am in the process of starting a custom composite fabrication shop , I have built many show winning cars that have had completly fiberglassed interiors, plus we specalize in fabrication of custom fiberglass enclosures, as well as custom body parts. all parts can be wraped in vinyl, carpet, or can be layed up in carbon fiber, or platnum carbon fiber (aluminized) or can be painted.. I would be interested in discussing what you want in more detail so that an accurate price can be established.. feel free to email me for more information..I have pictures of previous work that i have done that i can email to you at your decression..