Hey guys
this is my first time building a box for a friend. I'm building Fiberglass back to fit it into a trunk and the front is gonna be MDF board.
I bought pretty much all the supplies i need it. Only problem is i dunno if i bought the right resin. I got it at HOME DEPOT it was a gallon can called: ALL PURPOSE FIBERGLASS RESIN by Bondo
someone tell me if this is the right stuff or no... thanks....
also if any tips you guys can give me that would be great.
The pieces can be as big as you think you can handle. I did about 8 sq inch pieces at a time. Also, remember to tear the mat, not cut with scissors, so the feathered edge blends down better. As for the air bubbles, just push the resin in as well as you can when you lay it. I used disposable paint brushes (.50 cent a piece), and that worked well. Air bubbles after it dries, well... not much you can do but yea, try to fill it with resin.
Work with small batches at a time. I'd start by mixing batches of about 4 ounces. Once you get comfortable with the process and curing times, step up to 10 or 12 ounces in a batch. You dont want to waste a lot of resin by mixing huge batches and having them cure quickly. Larger batches will cure faster because they generate more heat, which speeds the reaction up, which generates MORE heat . .. . it's a snowball process.
Buy the cheap disposable brushes (1.5" or 2" wide ones). DO NOT get the cheap foam brushes, they will melt when used with the resin. You are not trying to use a "painting" stroke to apply the resin; you want to "dab" rapidly or "stiple" the resin into the mat. This helps push the resin through the mat and get good penetration while reducing air bubbles. If you haven't already, look in the FAQ sticky at the top of this forum and read the fiberglass links.
hey guys thanks for all the tips. I've defently used the links in FAQ to get all my suppolies. and for extra info.
some questions...
- Can this project be inside ...or are the fumes really bad.
- should i wear the raspirator even when applying the resin or only if i sand things down.
- will the blue painters tape be enough to release the mold from the carpet or can i just lay all my layers inside there
You definitley need to work in a well ventilated area. At the very least, a garage with the door open and a fan or two. Anywhere inside is going to be bad news.
When you are laying the resin, you should wear a respirator unless you are in a very well ventialted area (outdoors with a good breeze). For sanding, wear long sleeves and a dust mask. The concern with resin is the FUMES and for sanding it's the DUST.
Buy a roll or two of the 2" wide blue (or green) masking tape. Cover everything you want to mold, overlapping the strips by 1/4" or so. I would do a second layer on the bottom surface and any cracks or crevices where resin tends to "pool up". Also, extend outwards from your mold area about 4-6" in all directions. You want to make a mold that is larger than you need, then cut to size. Take a Sharpie marker and draw out the shape you want the mold to have on the tape. After you lay the resin, the ink will tranfer into the mold, and once you remove the tape you will have a nice easy to follow line to cut. Right before you start laying glass, rub two coats of automotive paste wax (same thing you use to wax your car) onto the tape to make pealing it off easier down the road.
what i did was cover everything with aluminum foil first, and then the tape on top of that. A bit overkill, but there was some seepage between the tape, and if it werent for the aluminum... it would've been messy!
If you just use tape, it will still pull out of the car fine. If you put a few coats of wax on, it will just make the job of removing the tape from shell easier. Usually the tape adhesive lets go of the the trunk carpet when you try to pull it out, so then you need to get the tape off the resin. It usually pulls right off, the wax just makes it easier.
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