very hard to read, need some paragraphs mate.
The first step it to make sure all the holes on the panel, you want to make, are blocked up from the inside (back) of the panel. I used tape to cover the small bolt holes and fiberglassed and bogged the big holes into shape (around the back of the park light on an 86 guard.
Sit back and think when you start glassing is there anywhere the resin will sneak behind the panel so the mold will no be able to be released from the panel and rectify it now. Once all this was done i painted my panels in 2 pak paint so there was no chance of the mold sticking to the panel.
The way i learnt was to use a wax to stop the panel from sticking to the mold but opted not to use it this time. **I just used the mold release agent which is PVA (poly vinyl alcahol) this is thin and is sprayed on lightly(with a spray gun) then left to dry (about 15 mins on a warm day). It is water soluble and leaves only a minimal layer inbetween the mould and the panel and when the mold is released water can be added and the thin layer is disloved and the mold is easily released.
Then comes the CSM (chopped strand matting), fiberglass mat which is not used yet, but it is a good idea to measure up and cut the ammount and shapes you need i would sujest to do 2 layers of 600 gram per SQM (i didnt use this much and my molds are tooo flexible use more if you can)!\
Then comes to the gelcoat, this has to be applied first so the gelcoat will end up on the inside of the mold. I just got 4l of black gelcoat and it easily would do 4 mudguards. The gelcoat needs to be mixed with 2% of MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) (wich is the hardener for gelcoat and fiberglass resin) then i just brushed it on about 1mm thick and dont miss any spots!!!!!!!!. let the gelcoat get touch dry but still leave a thumb print, hot day 20 mins cold day 30-40mins.
The resin needs to be mixed with 1% of mekp for a hot day and 2% for a cold day for one mudguard mix up to 1L but it will probably go hard before you use it all. The resin needs to be brushed on the gelcoat then the csm layed on top then the resin poured (i just pour it on because its quicker) onto the matting and STIPPLED into the matting with a paint brush which is like stabbing the matting till it goes clear and looks like the resin has soaked in.In the flat areas use a metal ribbed roller available from glassing shops this sepeartes the glass fibres and will remove excess resin. Then the process repeated with more layers of matting till the thickness is desired. You will probably have to stop and let the first lot of resin go hard on the panel before you have got as much matting as you want. The resin goes off quickly with 2% of hardener so work very quickly.
Once the panel has been released using water to disolve the PVA then wash off all the pva off the mold.
**Repeat the process from the pva step to make the guard inside the mold.
very hard to read, need some paragraphs mate.
Fibreglass should be left to the professionals, that stuff is dangerous.
Just using a stabbing action will cause the glass to be brittle as the layers wont get optimum bonding. At the very least you need a studded roller to help push some of the top layer into the layer below it. Once the entire panel has been completely rolled you can use a finishing rolles (has very small grooves on the roller) to remove the excess resin as this will also weaken the panel. Too much resin causes the panel to be brittle when twisted. There should be no pools of resin (small or large) and no cloudy white patches (air). The studded roller helps the air escape.
This only takes a few extra minutes and is the difference between a professional job and a back yard job.
Plus be very careful with the chemicals that you are using. Wear good rubber/latex gloves, keep bare skin to a minimum and work in a well ventelated area that isn't in the sun. When trimming always wear a mask and keep away from populated areas. Try to remove the dust as completely as possible.
Be safe and have fun!!!
Run what ya brung...............and make damn sure ya brung enough!!!!
how long does this process take all together?
To do it properly and depending on the products used (different resins have different cureing time etc) the mould should be left for a good 24-48 hours. Also, using 2 layers of 600 is still a little on the thin side.
If you only use 2 layers of 600 it would be a good idea to tighly roll some news paper up and use it as a frame on the back of the mould by incasing it in fibreglass. The paper itself dosen't give the strength but its the fibreglass moulded over the rolled paper that helps reduce the chance of rippling or warping.
Run what ya brung...............and make damn sure ya brung enough!!!!
hey I like your article, thanks for posting it, dont you think you should make it thicker though to prevent flexing of the mould? I heard of some people using wood peices to back it up
D0RIO86: There is no hazzard if a simple mask is used, and thats only during the sanding phase, doing the work outlined has no risk that I know of.
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I second that... the ENTER key is ur friend.
Maybe if you eat it
i want to do this for my fuel tank one day...doesnt seem tooooo hard
fuel tank!? noooo, safety asside fuel tanks are light anyway. Start with these (in this order): bonnet, hatch, gaurds, doors, etc..
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