Quote:
Originally Posted by stevey_frac
Fibreglass Questions: Since you guys have worked with it before.
Do i have to wait between applying layers? And how far will one of those kits from Cdn Tire go? Could I make one skirt with one box? or would it take multiple boxes? Do I need to have a core of some sort (i could probably use some thin plywood) or can i just schlep enough fibreglass onto it and it'll work?
Also, i was going to do a kind of raised flat panel, and then i wanted it to have like.. a 1 inch smooth section to rest agains the edge. Can i make the panel large enough to cover the the whole edge, then have a section that angles back to rest against it? It's kinda hard to explain...
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Where the wheel well is 'up' from that, and those flat edges rest against it. The problem is.. How would i get it out of the mold. Or am i going about this all wrong?
-Steve |
A kit might be good just for the education, but I don't know what is in that one. The most common fiberglass cloth is 6oz per sq. yd "boat cloth" and you would want at least five layers, all mushed together while still wet. Cheaper fabric is a felt mat, sold, confusingly, by weight per sq ft. Two layers of 1.5 oz might be OK. Mat winds up with a lower glass content, but the thickness build-up with cheap resin makes it good for non-structural panels. Plus, it is less likely to show a pattern through the gel coat. I wouldn't bother with a core material on a first project. That is a way to get the lightest possible part, not a successful first project.
To get that edge shape, you'd want a two-part mold, and it isn't always easy to lay 'glass in a tight curve. A larger skirt overlapping the fender could have a much slipperier shape.
Polyester resin won't cure on the surface when exposed to air. This is handy when adding layers to get bonding without sanding. The final layer has wax added to float up and seal the surface. So always check for "waxed" or "unwaxed" labels, or buy the resin and wax separately. You would use unwaxed gel coat against a mold (with release wax - a separate issue) and let it cure before adding the cloth, using wax for at least the last layer. You can usually sand wax off easily as you rough up a cured surface for a secondary bond, but gelcoat might break up.