Fiberglass

[4Wheelin]

Has anyone ever used fiberglass on an enclosure or know how to use it? Thanks in advance.

 

[RFR2212]

I can't tell ya all about fiberglass, but i think i can help. I've attempted to make a new little cargo section for the rear of the truck in the passenger rear wall(some have premium audio and have a sub here) this was my first attempt and went at it the wrong way and failed. I then ran outta time cause college came around....For Kick pods...I'm going to get floral foam...avilavble at craft stores(stiff foam used to hold fake plants in pots) and carve them to how I want it to fit...I plan on doing this over x-mas break. This is one of the techniques used by the pro installers....I think my problem was the type grille cloth i used...This is a material you can use, but is slightly stiffer than real fiberclass cloth. I also used the bondo brand fiberglass mix. I don't know how good it is for this application, but it worked great for me...It was tough for the few layers I had...Hope this helped.
Pete

 

[JTang]

http://www.teamrocs.com/technical/pages/paintingplastics.htm

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/fibrglas.htm

Hope these links help you guys out a bit!

Jon



[Edited by JTang on 10-21-2000 at 09:28 AM]

 

[QuadCam]

Glass Master Here

when it comes to car audio, I've done just about everything that you can think of with fiberglass.

What kind of stuff are you looking to do?

take a look at my web site. I haven't updated it in a while, but I have some pics of a fiberglass box that I made for my mustang. The box is an exact replica of the back seat cushion in a mustang, but the box holds (4) 8" woofers (down firing).

Andrew

 

[4Wheelin]

Send me the site I would definitly like to see the enclosure. I am not sure exactly yet but I was thinking of adding it to an enclosure I was going to design.

 

[Kyle K.]

hey what do you need to know about fiberglass? i have built fiberglass yachts from 50' to 130' from 1 million to 12 million dollars and have glassed my ass off so what specifically do you want to know.? maybe i can help



dodger

 

[QuadCam]

attn 4wheelin:

click on "user's home page" at the bottom of this post.
On the main page, click on the pic of the mustang.

then, on the next page click on the link for the "fiberglass box"

 

[rock883]

Ok, I have been wanting to make something also. How in the world do you make these things to look exactly like the thing you are molding. What is the process of making somehting with fiberglass? Also, can you make striaght up wall, or a side wall? I am wanting to make a storage compartment for the rear of my 91. I want it to go all the way across my back seat, and mold around the wheel wells, and come out from the back of the seat about a foot, and go up all the way to the back of the rear seat, maybe higher and make some head rests for the rear passengers, well, maybe thats asking too much. But then have a lid that is on hinges and tolts up and can be locked. Also, have the parts going around the wheel wells be little compartments for little stuff like books, and stuff small that I don't want to put in the big part and have them end down at the bottom. How much for parts would I need to buy? And where can I buy this stuff at? And is there a GOOD video on how to make things of this sort? I have heard it would be hard to make a straight wall and have it be sturdy. I wouldn't have to put MDF on there would I, cause that would defeat the whole purpose for me of having something lightweight to pull out easily. Also, how do you put the sheets and resin down on panles (or seats in QuadCams case) and not mess everyhting else up? Thanks for answering any questions.

 

[Kyle K.]

well.... where to begin?! if you want a straight up wall to start with you can lay glass on a piece of formica plywood any shape or size, hell you can do the whole thing and make it 4'x8' if you wanted to, also i am assuming this will be sanded and painted at least if not covered in color matched carpet? you can match the contours of the wheelwells by covering them with thin plastic and lay right over them, you can make this in several pieces and then glass together the joints or put the hinges in convenient locations to make assembly easier.

as far as using it you have to buy resin, hardener ; which is either MEKP or a different kind of resin that is mixed at some ratio. you will need paintbrushes buckets cardboard large enough to wet the glass layers on , the glass itself, at least one roller, acetone to clean tools and area with..... need i go on.

hope i helped some.

dodger

 

[rock883]

Yes, you did shed some light on the subject, but a question or 2 more for ya if you don't mind. On the wheel wells, do you just cut the sheets in little strips, and lay them down to make it conform? Also, about the plastic, do you just lay that down over it and get it in there real good and then after the plastic, do you lay the resin, then the sheets, or do you lay the sheets, and put the resin on top of it? How many layers do you do? And, if I were to just make on big 4'x8' sheet and cut it up, how would I join the peices together? Just sorft of put the resin or sheets down (which ever first) in the corners and then do the second step and do a few layers of this? I hope I am not buggin you with these questions. Oh, do you know if a good video that could show me how to do this? Or could you video tape yourself making something,lol? And, how long does it take for it to set and make it either ready to put another layer on or to peice the peices together, or to use it?

And I would be putting either some vinyl over it, or doing some carpet. And the resin stuff won't eat through the plastic will it? Well, so it wasn't a question or 2, sorry.

Oh I found a link to a website that has all this stuff to make glass stuff. http://www.selectproducts.com Check out the site and tell me if their prices are reasonable. Thanks

 

[QuadCam]

the easiest way to glass over the wheel wells is to cover the wheels wells with a high quaility masking tape. make sure the edges of the tape overlap eachother so that the resin can't leak through. to be exta safe, you could use two layers of tape.

Once you are all taped, then lay you fiberglass mat and resin. The chopped fiberglass cloth is the easiest to conform to curves, but you will need several layers. if you use the chopped cloth, make sure that you rip and tear the cloth to the approximate sizes that you need. It will give you better stength than cutting it into net little rectangles.

have fun and wear gloves,

Andrew

 

[RFR2212]

Quad--I've also been told that foil works well...I've only fiberglassed twice but I used foil and it worked well....Any thoughts? Opinions?
Thanks,
Pete

 

[rock883]

Ok, Quadcam, thanks, you said lay the mat and the resin, is that the order you go in? And on that website I mentioned above, they have a gllaon, and 5 gallon sizes of resin, would a gallon be enough? And about the chopped stuff, how many layers would I need to put on to make it sturdy? And, if you go to that website, tell me what I would need to make this. Like how many of each type of sheet, and any tools I'll need. Thanks once again, and sorry for all the questions. Oh and about the straight wall. Here's what I was thinking I could do, and maybe this is what you were trying to tell me how to do it. I could do the bottom part (on the floor of the cargo area) and around the wheel wells, and maybe up along the sides of the panel. Then after I lay, say, maybe 2 layers down, I could get the shape I needed for the front and rear "walls" and cut the plywood that shape, and lay the fiberglass on that peice of plywood, then after I lay 2 layers down, put it up against the part around the wheel wells, and lay some of the mat in the corner and apply some rein to it, then let it dry and lay another, and maybe do 3 layers to get it good and strong. On to another question, how to make the top, and how to make it look good and make it lockable? And I was also wanting to make little storage sections in it, to put small stuff, would it be hard to make a shelf type thing on each side? Do you think I should buy a video instead of asking you guys all these questions? Where can I find such a video besides the one from that website, which is $50. Thanks for all your help.
Oh, which weights should I use for each part of the storage box? Like the sides(flat parts) and the wheel wells or curved parts. Thanks


[Edited by rock883 on 11-01-2000 at 07:26 PM]

 

[rock883]

Just wondering if anyone would like to help me out here on which weights to use for which area. Also, for the front and rear parts (walls), after I make the temp. for it out of plywood and make the fiberglass part of it, could I put it on there, and put fiberglass tape on the seams, and then laying down some layers of fiberglass to stregthen it? Also, could I use grille cloth instead of fiberglass matting or cloth? Is the grille cloth heavier than the fiberglass cloth? Also, I think I have the proceedure down, well not down, but I know what to do. Oh, for the rear wall up against the seat, could I place plastic over the rear seat, put a peice of cloth down over the rear seat and maybe cut it to fit the area, then sort of tape it down or something, and cover it in resin, and do about 3 layers of this. Would that work? Also, shoudl I use the Polyester resin? It says it is the strongest, and woud I need to mix it with hardener? Thanks for your help guys, please let me know fats though, I am going to order the stuff soon. Please also tell me what I will need, like I said in the post above, for the whole project. Thanks

 

[QuadCam]

for the areas that need the alot of strength (large flat areas), use woven roving. woven roving is a combination of woven mat and chop cloth. it is best for building up areas quickly.

the chopped cloth is best for corners and curved areas.

polyester resin will work very well. it is much cheaper than epoxy resin, and the polyester is easier to mix (proportions are not as critical.)

check out the prices for all the fiberglass stuff at a local boating center (if you have one nearby). they tend to be much cheaper than the fiberglass places that i have found online.

Andrew

 

[Kyle K.]

glass enclosure

so far so good, quad is right you should get polyester, and you will need MEKP hardener. you are better off mixing it light and taking a while to dry than rushing it and getting hot and wasting materials or your project in toto. the higher strength areas should use woven roving or fabmat and the corners ortight spots hairmat or chopmat, you mix the resin in a bucket, lay precut or torn pieces on the carboard, wet with resin with a paintbrush, then layinto position, using the lamination roller, usually a metal roller that is ribbed to allow for rolling out the bubbles which when hardened are weak spots. if you were to do it in pieces you simply lay them together having ground the edges approximately 2-3" on each side of the joint and then lay a couple tabs 3-6" wide strips that overlap each half of the joint can be wrapped around corners if need be. i have seen differnet methods used i still say you cover the rear area in plastic 1, to lay your pieces on and 2, so you don't destroy the rear. if you buy it all fromt he same place make sure it is a plastic that will not dissolve or deteriorate. you won't need more than 2 or 3 layers in any area, and the smoother you roll it out the less grinding you will have to do to make things look nice and go together right.

hope ive helped, dodgerr

 

[rock883]

Hey, me again. A guy on the board offered to help me, identity is kept secret, they didn't want me to tell. Well, haven't heard from him in a few days, but I am sending him drawings soon. But, a friend of mine's dad may be able to help as well, but his dad said that I would need a bunch of chemicals and all? Anyone know about this? Wouldn't I just basically need the mat, the resin, some bowls for mixing, gloves, brushes, roller, and plastic sheeting? I don't know what chemicals he was talking about. I am going to ask his dad (if the guy on this board can't help me out, which he seems to be willing to) about how to do some of the stuff I am wanting to do, but could you guys shed some light on what chemicals I will need? Thanks

 

[Kyle K.]

fiberglass and chemicals

hey glass is really not that man chemicals, it is just resin , hardener, and acetone for cleaning up. because the acetone and mekp hardener are both flammable, folks associate this with lots of dangerous chemicals. , hope this helps.

dodgerr