Fiberglass Tips

[tom-m]

Planning on doing a customer fiberglass instal in the clio. Im making a custom shape box so it sits at an angle in the boot which i have nearly finished.

What im looking at doing is making like a curvy fiberglass shape to cover it all. Does anyone have and tips on what to make the shape out of. been playing with chicken wire and fiber glass. it works but is there anything better and EASIER to use??

Cheers Tom-m

 

[cliosportcraig]

cheap mesh holds its shape better than chicken wire !!

 

[tom-m]

Does it.
Just spent £15 on chicken wire!

 

[Mike Wright]

You can use any shape you like and lay a sheet of tin foil over it. The layer the glass, add the resin and catalyst and there you go. If you use a bit or wax and styrene with the catalyst it will leave a perfect shine and can easily be polished using 180 grit down to the lowest you want..............

 

[tom-m]

thats a good idea. i had a shape out of chicken wire but i was thinking of a good material to use over it. i will give that a go. thanks. well im going to get it all smooth then primer it and when i get the car sparyed i will get it done in the same colour. cheer mate

 

[Lunner]

You could also use the fibreglass matting, its a loose woven matting that you just apply the resin and hardner to

Let me know how you get on, i was thinking of possibly doing something similar in my boot

 

[Mike Wright]

Quote: Originally posted by tom-m on 25 January 2004

thats a good idea. i had a shape out of chicken wire but i was thinking of a good material to use over it. i will give that a go. thanks. well im going to get it all smooth then primer it and when i get the car sparyed i will get it done in the same colour. cheer mate

Thats the way we make custom surfboards and fins........

 

[tom-m]

Yer thats what im using mate. It hard to make the shape though really need a mould or something. Thats what i really want to no! Whats the best material to use to do so!

Yer i will post pics from start to finish! Gunna be a long time though. Only doing it on the weekends sort of thing.

 

[coolspot007007]

If you can find the stuff get some styrofoam i think it comes in 2100x1800mm sheets, easiest thing to use for fibreglass moulds, very quick easy to sand.

 

[tom-m]

Cheers mate. i will have a hunt for it!!

 

[Rick]

Quote: Originally posted by lunner on 25 January 2004


You could also use the fibreglass matting, its a loose woven matting that you just apply the resin and hardner to

Thats the stuff you want to be using. But TBH if your after a smooth finish on the fibreglass then your gonna be in for a looooong job. Especially if your then thinking of painting it, or even just covering it with leather/vinyl. The surface will need to be absolutely smooth, which means using a fair amount of body filler; and then papering it down for a curvy shape is gonna be a real ball ache! If you want to go ahead with it then the results can be fantastic, but its not the easiest way of making a good looking install.

Good Luck with it!

 

[tom-m]

Cheers for the knock back. lol

Im gunna do it coz i like a challenge. i get all the bits at trade price so its not to expensive for materials just looks like a time issue. its just ive done a few installs with carpet / mdf / perspex just fancied going to the next step

 

[coolspot007007]

If you used styrofoam (you have to emulsion paint it or something as the fibreglass melts it) it should be fairly easy to get a good smooth finish if youre using it to actually make a mould, then use fibre glass in the mould. You should be able to get it from a timber merchants or buliding suppliers, but it can be had to find it on its own, as its often prebonded to plasterboard/flooring as they use it for insulation.

 

[tom-m]

yer some one recomened a building supplier. also some stuff like the expandable foam is good apartantly. Expand it all in to a big bin bag and mould it a bit then cut it to the shape u like! Dont think it will be that hard. will try a few differnt ways and see what happens!! A lot of mess probably

 

[Lunner]

If the fibregalss melts the sttrofoam, try shink wrapping (cling film), or sommet, fi you go to a building supplies they do the thick, about 50mm think for insulation in walls

 

[tom-m]

Alright. cheers mate. Think some one said try kicken foil stuff! over the top of it!

I will tel u what way worked out best for me

 

[MaLicE]

also, a good idea is when u have your shape, instead of using body filler to smooth it get some gel coat, u can add your own colour and then also add metal flake.... pour it over the top and it will set, then u can sand it back and polish it very easily ....

 

[ian h]

tescos and sainsburys are gonna be having huge shortages of cling film and tin foil!!

hehe, only kidding matey, if you need any help mate pm me as ive done two or three in fibreglass, and may be able to help, although as most have said quite time consuming! potentially look stunning in the end though!! good luck matey!!

 

[Mike Wright]

Try http://www.seabase.ltd.uk/companyintroduction.asphttp://www.seabase.ltd.uk/companyintroduction.asp there experts in fibreglass and resins etc.................and will tell you all that you need to know!

 

[tom-m]

Cheers people.

Ian. Yer i think they might run out. yer i will prob be sending u loads of PMs them mate.

Malice. Thats a good idea mate. i might have to give that a shot aswell.

I no this is prob gunna turn out crap but at least i can say i tried. All i goota do now is wait for the weekend!!!

 

[White16valver]

I appear to be a woman.

The first thing I thought of when I read "Fibreglass tips" was nail extensions!

 

[tom-m]

That aint good mate!