Anyone good with fiberglass??

[RJ-92]

I was wondering if anyone here had experience with laying fiberglass? I have been researching carbon-fiber for possible hood options, but would need someone who has skillz to work with it. I could even supply a hood to use as a stencil.

This would have to be a summer project. Serious enquiries PM me.

 

[93medusa]

Go to www.fibreglast.com there is a wealth of information on working with composites on there. You'll be suprised how much actually goes into making a part like a hood. The mold alone will probably cost more than materials for the first hood you do.

 

[91taurisho]

93medusa:
Go to www.fibreglast.com there is a wealth of information on working with composites on there. You'll be suprised how much actually goes into making a part like a hood. The mold alone will probably cost more than materials for the first hood you do.

He will probably make the mold... He might even be able touse an old hood as the mold itself too...

<small>[ March 10, 2004, 05:15 AM: Message edited by: 91taurisho ]</small>

 

[Trojan Man]

You can't use a hood itself as the mold because then all the units you pop from it won't be the right size.

First step when creating a mold is to make a plug from which to get your mold. Since you can use an old hood as the plug, that part's done. You do have to prep the plug though. The plug has to be flawless in it's preparation since every single piece pulled from the mold is going to mimic it. It will need to be wet sander, primed, etc to fill any scratches, small dents, etc. Even tiny scratches will show up in the mold. After the plug is prepped with wax and so on, you can take a mold from it. The mold is basically prepared in the same way as a finished part would be except it is built up much higher and is braced using wood or metal for strength purposes. Now you have your mold form which you can pull finished pieces from.

 

[93medusa]

What he said, you can read all sorts of general and advanced information on that website that gets much more indepth on the process and materials. All in all, There's no way it's going to be cheap if it is done right!

 

[91taurisho]

I know all of this... I went to school for autobody for 2 years! I know how to do this When I said "He might even be able to use an old hood as the mold itself too..." I wasn't lying. If he could get the hood to be flawless he could lay the sheet on top of it and put the resin on. The "new" hood would be the same size as the shell of the old hood. I will say, it will be much easier to make a mold for it though. that way he can fold the edges over and have a lip(so the edge doesn't just look like a piece of cut sheet or a really sharp edge).
You sould build the mold out of a special wax and then lay the sheet down and put resin on it. Fold the edges and wait... READ: This is a simple instruction not a how to process!

Scott