Fibreglassing

[TheRealPoMo]

This is probably off topic but with all the talk of fibreglass going on...
If I wanted to make a small cowling for the rear of my motorcycle seat, would one of the Protite kits from Bunnings do?
Cheers

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[Dignity]

This is probably off topic but with all the talk of fibreglass going on...
If I wanted to make a small cowling for the rear of my motorcycle seat, would one of the Protite kits from Bunnings do?
Cheers

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I have seen those kits at Bunnings but I thought they were designed for small repairs. I would go to a fibreglass shop as you can buy resin and all other materials in relatively small amounts and you could be guaranteed that their MKEP (Hardener) is fresh, the stuff at Bunnings has probably been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. They would also be able to advise you on which products to use. My local F/G shop on at Warana makes and repairs the SLSC rescue boats and are very helpful.

[EdBerg]

Same as what Dignity said.

[gazza2006au]

Hey Dig it would have to be fresh stock as resins have a limited life span, The epoxy i have is only good for 12 months, i think Poly is good for six or 12 months and vinylester is only good for 3 months, if u get west system epoxy it last many years if stored correctly

TRPM last time i checked those kits only had chopped mat and polyresin you really want epoxy and cloths you should only need 1 meter of cloth and a small amount possibly 300grams of resin, cowlings are tiny so u should be able to make it very easy just make your mold from foam shape it than sand paper it than fair it

What bike is it? i have a Kawasaki ER6N I ordered a cowling a couple months ago for my cousins Kawasaki ZX6R

This is my bike below

[Cox76y]

You'll probably find it cheaper to get it from somewhere other than bunnings. Personally I prefer using either polyester or vinylester resins to epoxy. They are easier to get right for someone, like myself not as skilled in the industry. Just a slight variance in resin/hardener ratios for epoxy can ruin it whereas vinylester and polyester ratios are a lot more forgiving. If you get your resin without wax or styrene then you will not have to sand it between layers if it does happen to go off.. Again not an option with epoxy. Unless the added strength that epoxy gives you is needed then I tend to stay away from it.. Just my thoughts, which others may or may not agree with..

[Dignity]

Hey Dig it would have to be fresh stock as resins have a limited life span, The epoxy i have is only good for 12 months, i think Poly is good for six or 12 months and vinylester is only good for 3 months, if u get west system epoxy it last many years if stored correctly

Gazza, I spend a lot of time in the paint aisles at Bunnings and from what I've seen those kits don't move and are definitely not fresh. All your resins will last a lot longer if kept in a dry cool place ( a fridge is ideal) and you limit the time you have it exposed to air, humidity will reduce its life span, it is the hardener that goes off, if I haven't done any glassing in 6 months I'll go get new hardener as you will find the ratios will change considerably.

[gazza2006au]

Hey Dig i have limited experience with resins but there is a video on youtube the bloke says the day the resin is mixed in the factory is the start of its shelf life not when u first open the resin, i am worried because my resin is 12 months old and i still have 10kg's left it will be an absolute waste to lose that much that's gotta be worth $150 hard to lose that much to an expiry date i have thought about just giving it away tho rather than waste it

[stevej]

Bunnings would not keep an item that did not sell

Shelf space and turnover is how retail makes money that some is valuable

I doubt they sit there for that long

[Dignity]

Stevej, i agree with you but it's on the top shelf virtually out of reach where no supplier is going to subsidise having their product displayed. Only seen them once end up on the discount table.

Gazza, the internet is a great source of knowledge but everyone has their own views on things and not necessarily accurate, as mentioned get fresh hardener and your resins should still be ok unless it hasn't been sealed/stored properly. I've had them 2 years with only a slight thickening in them but MKEP I throw out after 6months of purchase date as it becomes a bit of hit and miss calculating the correct ratios. I have QCells that I have to work out how to get rid of the moisture in them as used to throw what I needed into the oven after the boss finished baking but now she has a fancy u-beauty one she won't let me put anything in.

[Ah Me Ting]

Couple of options re resins etc. for supplies and knowledge:

Shapers: https://shapers.com.au

And

Sanded: https://www.sanded.com.au/

Both supply the surfboard industry and have good knowledge and are happy to provide advice.