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all you fiberglassers

Old Aug 16, 2006 | 10:55 PM
  #1  
MichiganRice22's Avatar
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Default all you fiberglassers

alright so i just finished my 2nd box with amp rack. turned out great untill i came to the whole smoothing and sanding, its a lot of work.. i mean a lot. So i ended up wrapping it.. ill get picks of the finished thing which i never did.

but my question is...what should i use for like the filler like to make it all smooth, because to me using bondo body filler is just a pain because you can only mix so much and than you only have a certain amount of time to get it on before it starts to be un-usable.

what other types of filler should i look into for a fiberglassing job that i can use in the future?
 
Old Aug 17, 2006 | 12:02 AM
  #2  
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

i'm pretty sure bondo will be your best bet. just stick with applying small amounts at a time. fiberglassing is a very time consuming thing. honestly, i think sanding and painting would look so hot but also carpeting it would look good too. just depends on what the rest of the trunk or wherever you're putting it looks like. good luck and remember.............PATIENCE IS THE KEY.
 
Old Aug 17, 2006 | 12:29 PM
  #3  
Ej1Rider's Avatar
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

try fibrekal.... you can get them mostly only in body shop, thats what i use whenever i need it... works alot better than bondo and alot smoother..
 
Old Aug 20, 2006 | 08:04 PM
  #4  
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

also with worken fine stuff out use the light weight body filler...... it sands alot easier than regular bondo...


ya just gotta be quick about mixing and applying it... never work it so long that it starts to chunk up... if it does sand it all down and start again.....

also do yourself a favor and buy a palm sander hand sanding sucks! and if you want it to be painted you got alot of sanding to do and when you think your done.... paint it.... and look at all the flaws ya missing and start sanding again.
 
Old Aug 21, 2006 | 05:33 AM
  #5  
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

not to thread jack but anyone got info on DIY fiberglassing.. i have been wanting to redo my trunk as well as make my own pods.. the Qforms are just to big for a 4 inch mid and tweet..
 
Old Aug 21, 2006 | 10:43 AM
  #6  
mill$civic's Avatar
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

DONT USE BONDO!!! ..worst stuff ever, but i dont really get what your problem is?, just mix up a little at a time and put it on instead of mixing a hole batch, it only takes 2 seconds to mix and lasts about 5-8 minits or so, in that time you can get alot done, oh ya, and for body filler..use Rage Gold, way easer to work with and its much easer to sand down, then for the pin holes just use a glazing puddy, you can put a little on the end of your finger and put it in the holes


and for the guy who asked about fiberglassing DIY, go to this link

http://web.njit.edu/~cas1383/proj/main/

it looks so easy, but i must worn you..it is ALOT of work to make a box, pods are not to bad..you can get them done in a couple a days..good luck, its messy but fun
 
Old Aug 21, 2006 | 10:53 AM
  #7  
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

Don't use bondo.

I've done a TON of fiberglassing in my boat repair business (it's my side business) and there are 1,000,000,0001 ways to screw up fiberglass.

First of all, what brand of epoxy did you use? I prefer West Systems epoxy. Also, what kind of mat did you use? Chop mat or woven roving?

If you're talking about fairing low spots, you use an epoxy additive. Ussualy I use microbubbles which are small glass beads that you mix with the epoxy to make a light, sandable coating that's easy to work with. If you're talking about just smoothing out the woven roving or chop mat, then your best bet it do go at it with an orbital sander and use the epoxy to fair it.
 
Old Aug 21, 2006 | 01:32 PM
  #8  
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

Thats a pretty good walkthrough.. thanks for the link Mill !!!!
 
Old Aug 21, 2006 | 06:49 PM
  #9  
addiction2bass's Avatar
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Default RE: all you fiberglassers

heres the fiberglass info i learned from..

http://chris.pfharlock.com/glass/index.htm


its definatly a learning experience!!!! and if your doing a preaty big area its not cheap either

i started to make a fiberglass box for my truck. well fiberglass floor that is... the rest was gonna be outta MDF.
i used some chop/matt stuff. hardest part with using it is you REALY had to cram in the resin to penitrate the woven glass!
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...erglass021.flv
my first attempt at glassing... thats after mostly 2 layers and some spots 3layers. still needed one more good layer or maybe two.... tho before i got any further than finaly cuting the mdf frame i decided not to put the bumps in my truck. BUT unfortuantly i still have ruffly 100-150bucks in that alone but i still got quite a bit of fiberglass left and a gallon of resin so maybe only 75-125bucks or so.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...erglass003.jpg

and this is as far as i went for my glassed box.
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...***/?start=all


tho if i even glass again i know ill do alot beter!!!! ill do things alot beter to start out with.LOL like smoothing each layer down smooth by hand or soft brush.... easy on the resin... and last but most important... use more MDF for larger areas and glass over it and build the frame first thing!

and the most important for anyone that tries fiberglassing.... USE ENOUGH TAPE so the resin doesnt go thru onto what evers behind it!!!!! also what i did was tape, and then FOIL..... that way once the resin was dry and thick enough to pop loose i didnt have to FIGHT a war to get the tape to release...... the foil rips right loose from the tape! so much easier to release from the car!

but as long as your glass is thick enough bondo wont hurt anything.... bondos just for fine tuning the cosmetics........ if you can lay down glass and have it just about perfect everytime for not using any bondo... HATS OFF YOU TO!!!!!!!! i wish i had that much skill..........
i try to keep from sanding any glass cause your basicaly fine powdering it and it realy gets into your skin!!!!!!! i tried that once... NEVER AGAIN!


BUT either way you can read all you want!!!!!!! but you realy just gotta do it!!!!!
its a real learning experince!!!!!
but you get comfortable with it preaty quick once you see how it acts....
 
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