Using Fiberglass

[creeks4me]

Any body out there ever made there own kill box or esky using ply and fiberglass.When you buy the mating is it just a matter of just laying down the mat and paintiing the resin over the top?Also another question is how do they get the smooth finish is it another type of fiberglass.

[bonka]

Hi creeks4m3,

Not in the profession but I do know that to get a great finish, eg boat hulls etc, they use a polished mold. Lot of work for a one off. Glassing is done as you say, lay down a coat of resin then brush the matting in...two or three layers. To get good finish, heaps of snading and spray with Gel coat. My two bobs worth

Cheers,

Brent

[MulletMan]

Grand Marlin is the expert on this mate but I have messed about with the stuff and suggest the following.

1. Leave the ply fairly rough as this will let the glass get a better grip. Make sure it is dry and not "new"

2. Try and work with the matting in a horizontal position rather than vertically

3. Don't try and do it all in one hit, you can do each side seperately

4. When you apply the resin to the matting, it will lose it's "white" appearance and become translucent
Use an old stiff paint brush to just keep dabbing at it until 110% of the matting takes on this
appearance.

5. Air is the enemy of fibre glassing so make sure you have NO air bubbles trapped under the finished
job. You can usually see them quite easily but keep checking the job regularly as it is surprising how
some pieces of the matting will let go and pop up, curl or bend ..... just keep wetting them with resin
and make sure they stay in place.

6. Try to be as neat as possible as it is a lot easier to tidy things up when the job is wet rather than
when it becomes rock hard.

7. When you have finished the matting, get some fibreglass tape (various widths) and apply this over
the corners and top sections directly on top of the wet matting and hit it with some more resin. It
provides a smoother finish than the matting itself.

8. When all is done, take a lot of time to sand back the matting. The smoother you get it the better it
will look. You can even apply more straight resin to the matting in a horizontal position as it will fill up
the irregularities, holes, cracks etc.

9. Flowcoat is the next product you need to get a smooth finish but you will never get the real Gelcoat
finish that you see from the manufacturers or pros. It is critical that you apply this horizontally if
possible as it gets the runs very easily. You can buy tint if you want to make it coloured.

All I have learnt from my feeble atempts at fibreglassing is that the finished product is only as good as the preparation and time you put into it.

PM Grand Marlin I would suggest who will have some more ideas I am sure!

[blaze]

8. When all is done, take a lot of time to sand back the matting. The smoother you get it the better it
will look. You can even apply more straight resin to the matting in a horizontal position as it will fill up
the irregularities, holes, cracks etc.

be carefull how thick your resin is as it can spontainusly combust , it generates a lot of heat
cheers
blaze

[creeks4me]

thanks aheap guys will let you know how i go

[MulletMan]

8. #

be carefull how thick your resin is as it can spontainusly combust , it generates a lot of heat
cheers
blaze

Is that right Blaze? never knew that!

Not Human Spontaneous Combustion as well is it? :-/

[madkeen1973]

cote the ply with resin first and let it go hard , then cote the ply again and use 2-3 layers of csm (chop strand mat) at a time . if hot day back your catalyst of to 1.25 % . if you need it thicker add more csm when then first few layers have hardend and cooled down . if cold day up your catalyst to 2 %. if you need more info reply me . i own a boat building and mobile fiberglass company and am happy to help if needed , . cheers madkeen1973