COMPOSITES: How to fix fiberglass.

[bucket]

First off I am not a pro. I am at best an amateur. So if you saw that I did something wrong tell me so I won’t do it again.

Ok to get started on any project you need to get your area prepped. Working with fiber glass is very messy and sticky. TheSQRL(nick) and I don’t have a shop or a good place to work on a car so we used his spare room at his apartment. Not the best place to work, but it will get the job done.

Note the fan in the window.
First, you want to take the piece off of the car.



Then you need to look at the part. Look at all the cracks. From what it looks to me there are some cracks in the paint and not the glass. So I took a flash light and shined it through the painted side so I can see any cracks in the glass.


This crack does not need to be cut, just body filler and some sanding. I also put some glass on the back to make it stronger.
I marked the parts to cut with a sharpe.

You want to cut the glass that is around the brake so you get back to the good, strong glass. One of the cool things about fiber glass is you can start a part with one layer of glass and leave it off for any amount of time, come back to it, and start working again.



So now that you have nice glass around your brake you want to make a surface to lay the glass on. I use duck tape. Glass does not stick to duck tape. I don’t know why, but it’s just another cool thing that duck tape has going for it.


We did not put any thing hard behind our duck tape. This is a bad move. Body filler is easier to sand than dried resin, so stick some card board back there and make a good flat surface.


Now you want to take some mat and cut it to size. I like to use mat over cloth. Mat is stronger


LUNCH


Now we get to the fun stuff. Laying the glass. So you need resin and hardener (catalyst, or hardener, as known by us non- pros, is dangerous stuff. It will burn your skin, if you get it in your eye it can make you blind, and if you drink it you can die a very painful death so be careful with it and keep it away from animals and kids) . We used bondo brand resin. Now that I know what good resin is like to work with I will stay as far away from this stuff as I can and I suggest you do the same, as it will only make your work harder. You want to mix the hardener and resin to the cart at www.stickystuffsales.com/catalyst%20chart.html It works well if you follow it and your work will setup fast but not too fast.

So this is how I lay glass in hard to reach places. I soak, it then pull the excess resin off and stick it in place, may not be the best looking, but then you’re not going to be looking at it.

You want to put a couple of layers of glass on.




Now on to the body filler or Bondo. (don’t buy Bondo it costs way to much) I like Micro bubbles and Fumed silica mixed with resin. This stuff is really, good it’s cheap, and you can mix it to the consistency that you want. Then you add hardener and slap it on.





And on goes the filler.


And you sand down the filler and you’re as good as new.
We will have some finished pics with it on the car when it’s all painted and done.
Chris

[PHOENIX]

great write-up

[jakobe]

wow i bet your landlord just loves you guys...man if one of my tentants was fiberglassing in his bedroom ...id be pissed....

but a good write up though..thanx for the info

[Raptor13x]

You should definately be wearing a breathing apparatus of some sort, that **** is NOT good for your lungs.

[bucket]

cool my first sticky...

Yea Im sure if the landlord found out they woud be pissed as well, but you do what you gota do. That and its not my place.hehe

chris

[ALLSHOTUP]

Good job - But please use a mask the next time as this stuff will damage your lungs.