Fiberglass basics - Ack! Your tips needed

[MisterInnovation]

Weather spotter, polyester resin will eat through styrofoam reducing it to a hard plastic. You need to get fiberglass non polyester resin and apply it to foam.

[Weather Spotter]

well I used blue Dow foam with polyester and it only ate about 1/8 inch into it and stopped. It has been on the car that way for 23 months. It is not the best but it works and is cheaper by at least half.

[Weather Spotter]

If cost was not an issue then I would redo it with real epoxy, but I would have doubled the cost of my tail

[Varn]

If I were in midland I too would find the outlet store for the insulation boards or find someone who has access to the scrap...

I remember reading about your lack of temperature when you doing the layup.

Tomorrow is supposed to be 65 in Missouri. I am going to do some body work on the VW.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

I make my tail from fiberglass and all I had ever done was two patches on a canoe. I had no idea what I was doing as I tried doing it while the daily high temps were 25F out. Polyester resin takes 8-12 hours at that temp to become non tacky and be able to re-coat or sand. I used Dow Blue board foam (I am from Midland MI, home town of Dow) and the polyester only ate about 1/8" into the foam and then stuck to it hard. Here the big box home centers carry 3m brand "epoxy" (polyester) resin for about $35 a gallon.

[bennelson]

Jeez. That's an indoor temperature here, not an outdoor one.

I just made a post about the HEATED JACKET I made, just because I'm sick of being cold!

Heated Coat!

[Weather Spotter]

wait till summer or do it in a heated garage. you will get better results from the materials and you will be more apt to take your time when you are not numbed with cold.

[Varn]

I grew up in Wi My parents lived there till death. I won't live there ever.

If you want a heated jacket get a wood stove and split the wood with a maul. An EPA stove is very efficient.

[bennelson]

I have a wood stove in my house. Works great!

Once, I'm actually ready to do the fiberglass on the flat cover, I'm planning on taking it over to my Dad's. We put a full-size furnace on his garage workshop not too long ago.

Having a heated workspace is a necessity in the winter around here.

[Weather Spotter]

it sure is if you want to work in the winter.

we heat with wood too. its over 78F in my upstairs room The wood had heated us at least twice, once splitting and once burning.