Fiberglass Experience?

[Kania2k1]

I was considering covering by sub box with fiberglass and painting it to match the body color.  Does anyone here have experience laying down fiberlass?  How difficult is it to do?  About how much time?  Can it be sanded just like wood (with a resperator obviously)?  I think that's all I got.  Thanks

[MarkD]

Lots of experience!

 

Not that hard to do.

 

Are you going to use it to build the entire box or just to coat the inside/outside of a thinner wooden box?

 

It depends on how thick you want it on how long it will take.  You will have to mix a hardener with a resin.  MIX WELL!  The more hardener, the faster it sets up.  The slower it sets up, the better chance you have of completely drying.  If you use too much hardener on a thick application, the outside will form a shell and the inside will take forever to dry.

 

Work Outside, with plenty of ventilation.  

 

Use plenty of matting.  The resin gives you the hardness, the matting gives you the strength.  

 

Have plenty of turpentine/nail polish remover to clean your hands/arms.

 

Yes is is easily sandable.

[Stepside Z]

A couple of things to add. Round off your edges. 90 degree angles have a tendency to hold air bubbles. Air bubbles are bad so get a bubble roller to help with this.

If you add to much hardner it will cause the resign to be brittle when it sets up. If you buy a kit it should have a table that will give you how much hardner to add based on the air temperature.

A couple of things about the prep work. Sand the box but do not make it smooth. 80 grit should work well. First layer should be mat (the stuff that looks like it is chopped-up). This stuff has a better adhearing quality. Then your next layer should be the woven roven (the stuff that looks like cloth). Then alternate back and forth depending on how thick you want the lay-up to be. Wear gloves when you are working with this stuff. Latex gloves work very well at keeping the resign off your hands.

[Stepside Z]

One more thing. This is really easy stuff to work with so have fun.

[Kania2k1]

Thanks for the responses guys.  The plan in to build the box out of 1/2" MDF instead of the 5/8" stuff, and to subtract about a 1/4" off of the entire outside measurements, to make up for the 'glass work.  I'll probably pick up the box stuff this week after my midterm.  Probably won't start it until sometime after the 14th of August.  

Stepside--I planned on rounding off the edges with a router.  Didn't really want a square box, and not the usual carpet.  I think this way would help.  Thanks alot.

[Stepside Z]

If you have any more questions feel free to ask. I went to boat building school and use to repair fiberglass boats.

[Vortec5.3]

If you have any more questions feel free to ask. I went to boat building school and use to repair fiberglass boats.

Do You Have Any Idea's On What To Use To Repair Smc(Sheet Molded Compound)?

I Have a Jet Ski That Was Involved In A Accident And The Hull Is Made Out Of Smc. I Need Help repairing It I Found A Guy Who Will Do It But I Have To Buy The Materials. What Would I Use I Have Been Told I Can Not Use Regular Fiberglass.

 

Thanks Carl