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Fiber Glassing Tips

Discussion in 'T-Bucket Body Articles' started by Indycars, Aug 5, 2021.

  1. 409T

    409T
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    3M makes the best sandpaper. I used to spend over $500.00 per month on sandpaper, used every type that I could find and always came back to 3M.
     
    choppinczech and rbsWELDER like this.
  2. Neshkoro

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    Damn. You must do a whole lot of sanding!
     
  3. choppinczech

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    I like some of the Norton products too. Like the BlueFire sanding belts. They're a Zirconia Alumina and last forever.
     
  4. choppinczech

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    You can add a surfacing agent to your last layer too. It simply adds wax to the last batch you mix up.

    Pint Can, Surface Agent
     
  5. old round fart

    old round fart
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    Thanks! That will be a good way to go too.
     
  6. choppinczech

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    Consider using Coremat in your layups. It makes parts super stiff.





    I like the 2mm Xi version. It's easy to saturate and turns from blue to white when wetted out.

    Here you can see it sandwiched into the layers of my door skins.

    Core Mat.JPG
     
  7. PotvinGuy

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    Coremat! My body was about as sturdy as the box it came in. Layered it with Coremat and now it's solid.
     
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  8. DonnyRay

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    DSCN0614.JPG I used Coremat when i made my custom dashboard. It's great stuff.
     
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  9. choppinczech

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  10. DonnyRay

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    OMG ! That is way too much 3/4 oz fiberglass mat for an individual garage or backyard shop owner to manage. That large roll of 3/4 oz fiberglass mat , has large industrial manufacturer written all over it.
     
  11. old round fart

    old round fart
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    So does a $10,000 price tag!
     
  12. DonnyRay

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    Si si mi amigo . Es muy grande dolores. Su caro es muy bueno ! Yes my friend. That's alot of money. Your car is great !
     
  13. choppinczech

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    I want to show a couple of examples of using OEM plastic parts to build off of. Ebay is chock full of cheap used stuff.

    Here I used something like this Chrysler insert for my dash. Not the same part but you get the idea.

    5.jpeg

    6.JPG

    And a 96-00 Honda Civic center console to build off of for my console.

    9.jpeg

    10.JPG

    I sliced off the top of my B&M shifter console to use the mounting surface.

    11.JPG

    12.JPG

    This was the finished plug with marked parting lines. So that's the actual original plastic console, some MDF, bondo, cardboard etc. underneath some high build primer.

    13.JPG

    And a mold was made from the plug.

    14.JPG

    Since it's an exact copy of the original, I can use the cup holder/cubby made for the console and mounts in the factory spots.

    15.jpeg

    16.JPG
     
  14. Indycars

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    Very nice and impressive !
     
  15. choppinczech

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    Try some 7725 2X2 Modified Twill for curves and contours. It drapes and conforms really well.

     
  16. choppinczech

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    These empty caulking tubes can be really useful for quickly applying your own recipes like thinned bondo (although you have to work fast). For thickened resins or epoxies that have more working time it's a life saver. If you snip the nozzle to it's widest point you can even push through some resin or epoxy mixed with chopped fibers.

    tube.jpeg
     
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  17. choppinczech

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    I needed to do some of this earlier today. Polyester resin mixed with milled and chopped fibers. It gets the stuff where you need it quickly. So you can spend your time working it.

    mix.jpeg
     
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  18. old round fart

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    I think I ran over some of that on my bike ride around the lake today.
     
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  19. choppinczech

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    I have to share one of my favorite tools for working with glass....

    file.jpeg

    ... a hand file. But not just any hand file. This is cut specifically for use with plastics, laminates and fiberglass.
    McMaster-Carr

    It's my go to hand tool for truing up or rounding over edges and flattening. You won't regret having one of these. They're not the same as a metal file.
     
    #39 choppinczech, Sep 5, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2021
  20. old round fart

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    I’m loving this thread!
     
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