Basicly I'm just getting started on my project... Much behind schedule but now I've got a ton of time.

I've never worked with fiberglass before and I've got a ton of spare time to work on a new project. I'm hoping to start small and just learn the ropes of it, but in the end I want to make my own center consol and sub box... And whatever else my mind can create.

I'm looking for a guide or the idiots how to... Anything.

I've never used Fiberglass at all, and I've only ever seen the after results. Anyone know where I can learn the ins and outs?

I'm hoping to make some molds from existing interior pieces and use fiberglass to recreate the item, and add some xtras of my own. I literally know nothing of fiberglass.

I'm very serious about this project, and I promise progress pics!

Thanks mates

 

I read over this thread:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/car-...-material.html

And I think I'm sorta understanding it...

Fiberglass is basicly like pieces of material that come in strips. And you use these strips with a resin that is sort of like that paper mache my kids make?

You put a wax or a similar non stick material down, then apply the fiberglass strips on top of it. They dry with the resin and such and you pull them off giving you a mold of whatever you put it around...

So for example if I wanted to say make a copy of my center consol... I would cover my center consol in wax and tape and such... put the fiber glass on top of it and then it drys I pull it off...

Then on the inside of that mold, I put more wax and tape... then put more fiberglass inside the first fiberglass mold I made... Then I just shape it and such.

People use cardboard and tin foil to make the design, then fiberglass over top of it.

So I could make what I wanted out of say foam, then I would make the mold and fiberglass that... I get that there is a lot of experience needed, but hey you gotta start somewhere.

 

ill give you a few tips 1. make it as smooth as you can withg the resin so you dont have to use alot of bondo. 2. after you have the strength you need do a few extra coats of just resin so you can smooth out the resin and wont need alot of bondo, 3 use spray adhesive to hold the mat before resin.

 

How thick should I be making these pieces. And if I need to use screws and bolts... Do I just thread the fiberglass, or should i put some inserts in there?

 

Extra resin in the fiberglass mat will make it weak if you can acquire a fiberglass roller than you can roll it down smooth enough so that it won't require alot of sanding and mud work, the roller will also press the numerous layers of mat together and it will disperce all the air out and making the glass really strong.

 

Inserts, definetly.