fiberglass
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Registered User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,978
From: MI
fiberglass
anyone used fiberglass for appearnce only? i'd like to top of a mdf box with fiberglass so i can custom contour a specific design. i did a search and got a few helpful links but couldn't find much on practicle applications?
any suggestions would be appreciated.
any suggestions would be appreciated.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 497
From: Atlanta, Ga
Sup buddy? LTNHF!! Yea you can lay a custom top, on top of an mdf box. I went to a place a few weks ago and the guy already had one ready to be placed on any box. Unfortunately, the dimensions for the box I built were too big, but it gave me an idea (oh he wanted $125 for the top (3) 12's , not bad!!).
I've been doing ALOT of searching and asking local shops about fiberglass. The local boyz wont tell me s$$t, but I found one camaro site that had a brief descrition of what it takes to work with fiberglass. Actually if you could throw me a few of those links you found it would help me out, and give me a better understanding of it. I know basically here's the breakdown:
take the part your trying to clone, lay "aluminum foil" over the piece, lay the fiberglass cloths over the foil, mold the shapes, sand, and paint!! I know thats a lil vague, but I got the full instructions on my harddrive. My plan is to lay a full "two" piece fiberglass box and amp rack and then....... (cant tell ya on the boards, look for my new thread). Anywayz it can be done and the materials can be bought at places like Walmart, home depot etc... I'm a DIY-er so I have huge plans for my 2000 camaro, but I have to fiberglass the entire rear area first before I can go further (hint). I've missed two Nopi shows because I was only 80% completed on both cars, but 2004 I plan to tear down every major show in the south!!! I'll get the DIY fiberglass links I have and come back.
I've been doing ALOT of searching and asking local shops about fiberglass. The local boyz wont tell me s$$t, but I found one camaro site that had a brief descrition of what it takes to work with fiberglass. Actually if you could throw me a few of those links you found it would help me out, and give me a better understanding of it. I know basically here's the breakdown:
take the part your trying to clone, lay "aluminum foil" over the piece, lay the fiberglass cloths over the foil, mold the shapes, sand, and paint!! I know thats a lil vague, but I got the full instructions on my harddrive. My plan is to lay a full "two" piece fiberglass box and amp rack and then....... (cant tell ya on the boards, look for my new thread). Anywayz it can be done and the materials can be bought at places like Walmart, home depot etc... I'm a DIY-er so I have huge plans for my 2000 camaro, but I have to fiberglass the entire rear area first before I can go further (hint). I've missed two Nopi shows because I was only 80% completed on both cars, but 2004 I plan to tear down every major show in the south!!! I'll get the DIY fiberglass links I have and come back.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 117
From: Atlanta, GA (in a burb)
Dang man, that is one sweet looking thirdgen! Those Billet wheels really dress that car up!
I'm at work now so I don't have time at the monment to type up a response but if I get some time here I'll type one up for you in regards to the fiberglassing a top to the box question you asked.
Ted
I'm at work now so I don't have time at the monment to type up a response but if I get some time here I'll type one up for you in regards to the fiberglassing a top to the box question you asked.
Ted
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 497
From: Atlanta, Ga
LOL nothings wrong with them!! They look so good on that car it hurts lol!! What size are they? I want some 18x10's for my Z since I already have dubz for the 2000. It must have been a long while since I went to your page cause I dont remember the ZO6's, let alone the billets. But anywayz I have a post on the "appearance" board so I'll see what else pops up on the fiberglass, I'll come back later on tonight and post the lil info that I already have (I gotta find where on my hardrive it is). That should give you a better understanding, but your probably like me and want step-by-step fully detailed instructions. So I'll keep searching the net for the rest of the night.
Ted J: any tips would greatly help
Oh yea, Thanks for the comps. I put alot of work into that interior and still have a few parts that I have'nt installed yet (engraved mirror P N D etc.. inlay and my gray and blue flame gauge faces with "stangkilla" on the Tach (bought from accusednormal). The seats are minor right now.
Ted J: any tips would greatly help
Oh yea, Thanks for the comps. I put alot of work into that interior and still have a few parts that I have'nt installed yet (engraved mirror P N D etc.. inlay and my gray and blue flame gauge faces with "stangkilla" on the Tach (bought from accusednormal). The seats are minor right now.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 117
From: Atlanta, GA (in a burb)
Here's some safety tips for starting out:
1. Make sure you get a good mask, 3M charcoal kind and make sure you can NOT smell the resin with the mask on. If you ever do, it's time to get a new mask. Trust me, you'll know if you smell it, that stuff stinks!
2. Make sure you protect your eyes. Getting any spashed into your eyes can have blinding end results so please take the warning seriously. Never tested that and don't want to. Only read about it as a warning and hope to never have to hear about it happening to anybody.
3. Make sure you cover up areas around where you are working if you don't want it to be ruined. It's easy to splash around with it or get it on something you don't want it on and it's hard to get out.
4. Back to #1, IT STINKS! If you use it in the interior of you car it may smell it up for weeks. Try to use it ouside of the car at all costs. I've had some poeple open their cars up to get a smell of the polyester resin and they had been done working on their car for a while.
Now onto some resin tips. You can use the stuff at Home Depot but I personally don't like using it. It's not as runy as I'd like it to be and it's sort of a gel. Maybe the stuff I had wasn't the freshest stuff but still.
US Composites makes some nice resin. Here's the stuff I've used and had good luck with it:
http://www.uscomposites.com/polyesters.html
The 'B-440 Premium Polyester Layup Resin' is the one on the page I've used. Actually, my brother and I have some sitting down in our garage right now. It mixes up nice, lays down the matt nicely and it's not gel like unless it starts to kick. Pardon me if I'm stating something you already know but the resin doesn't dry but rather it cures. A chemical reaction happens and as it starts to cure and get gel like we like to say that it's starting to kick. If that happens while you are working with it it's probably time to start a new batch.
Epoxy resins can be used also and we are personally using those for some of our projects but it's not as popular since it's not as cheap and Polyester resin is the popular one that people have used as you will see it a lot on the internet for sure.
This page may double up on what I have said but I've only gone over some important things I've learned that I thought were worth mentioning. You will see two links on this page worth checking out:
http://www.fbodyaudio.com/tech.php
Hope this helps and if you have any questions of things you's like to know specificly feel free to ask!
Ted
PS - Follow the instuctions on how much hardener to put into the mix. The US Composites stuff comes with a nice mixing cup and such so it makes it easy to measure. If you mix it up too hot (aka putting to much hardener into the mix) it can actually start on fire cause it gets so hot. Granted, sort of an extreme thing but I mentioned it for sometimes the old, ones good then two is better is thought of but it's true in this case. I've heard stories of guys having their little brother mix it up and put the whole tube of hardener into the pot they are mixing and it gets hot enough to start on fire. Not a situation you want to be in.
1. Make sure you get a good mask, 3M charcoal kind and make sure you can NOT smell the resin with the mask on. If you ever do, it's time to get a new mask. Trust me, you'll know if you smell it, that stuff stinks!
2. Make sure you protect your eyes. Getting any spashed into your eyes can have blinding end results so please take the warning seriously. Never tested that and don't want to. Only read about it as a warning and hope to never have to hear about it happening to anybody.
3. Make sure you cover up areas around where you are working if you don't want it to be ruined. It's easy to splash around with it or get it on something you don't want it on and it's hard to get out.
4. Back to #1, IT STINKS! If you use it in the interior of you car it may smell it up for weeks. Try to use it ouside of the car at all costs. I've had some poeple open their cars up to get a smell of the polyester resin and they had been done working on their car for a while.
Now onto some resin tips. You can use the stuff at Home Depot but I personally don't like using it. It's not as runy as I'd like it to be and it's sort of a gel. Maybe the stuff I had wasn't the freshest stuff but still.
US Composites makes some nice resin. Here's the stuff I've used and had good luck with it:
http://www.uscomposites.com/polyesters.html
The 'B-440 Premium Polyester Layup Resin' is the one on the page I've used. Actually, my brother and I have some sitting down in our garage right now. It mixes up nice, lays down the matt nicely and it's not gel like unless it starts to kick. Pardon me if I'm stating something you already know but the resin doesn't dry but rather it cures. A chemical reaction happens and as it starts to cure and get gel like we like to say that it's starting to kick. If that happens while you are working with it it's probably time to start a new batch.
Epoxy resins can be used also and we are personally using those for some of our projects but it's not as popular since it's not as cheap and Polyester resin is the popular one that people have used as you will see it a lot on the internet for sure.
This page may double up on what I have said but I've only gone over some important things I've learned that I thought were worth mentioning. You will see two links on this page worth checking out:
http://www.fbodyaudio.com/tech.php
Hope this helps and if you have any questions of things you's like to know specificly feel free to ask!
Ted
PS - Follow the instuctions on how much hardener to put into the mix. The US Composites stuff comes with a nice mixing cup and such so it makes it easy to measure. If you mix it up too hot (aka putting to much hardener into the mix) it can actually start on fire cause it gets so hot. Granted, sort of an extreme thing but I mentioned it for sometimes the old, ones good then two is better is thought of but it's true in this case. I've heard stories of guys having their little brother mix it up and put the whole tube of hardener into the pot they are mixing and it gets hot enough to start on fire. Not a situation you want to be in.
Last edited by Ted J; Dec 4, 2003 at 10:03 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 117
From: Atlanta, GA (in a burb)
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 497
From: Atlanta, Ga
Dead link!!!
Kandied 91Z: check out my thread in the "appearance" board (page 2). I got a few links from people, but the main one for materials is uscomposites.com and selectproducts.com or net (forgot). we're tryin to do the same thing so keep in touch with me or drop a line in my G-book cause I should have something ready in about 2 more weeks.
Kandied 91Z: check out my thread in the "appearance" board (page 2). I got a few links from people, but the main one for materials is uscomposites.com and selectproducts.com or net (forgot). we're tryin to do the same thing so keep in touch with me or drop a line in my G-book cause I should have something ready in about 2 more weeks.
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