Fiberglass

stickmurder30 · Post by **stickmurder30** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:53 am

Ok, i think fiberglass molds are often used for moviemaking, so I thought someone here could know any website ( tutorials ) for fiberglass molding.

I'm not gonna use it for a movie production though, i'm only thinking about making a fiberglass mold to hold my subwoofers in my car, something similar to this : http://www.cartunes.com/installs/ford/1 ... ng_sub.jpg ( just forget what i'v just said in order to my post to not be off-topic... )

So if any of you guys know any website that could help meh, you know what to do... that could even help me for futur movie productions....

thanks

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:58 am

there is a company that specialise in that process to cast weaponry for movie props and for the military but they do not give instructions lol

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:14 am

Molding fiberglass is a little dangerous in process, I thought.

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:19 am

Nope, just wear gloves, fiberglass slivers hurt, and you can't see them to pull out. Only problem is, fibreglass materials is expensive, freakishly so. I've worked with it for sailboats, if I have more time I'll post the basics up here.

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:24 am

Oh, alrighty. I must be thinking of another process.

I've gotten a handful of fiberglass slivers before... er yeah, not fun.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 4:03 am

panel repairers use it everyday

Nightingale_zero · Post by **Nightingale_zero** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 4:25 am

fiberglass cloth/ mat isn't dangerous at all. The only thing is dangerous is the fumes from the epoxy and probably the mess it makes. You can can't fiberglass materials at your local walmart or auto store if you just want to dabble with it.

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 5:02 am

Okay, here we go, a shot lesson in fibreglass: There are two types of epoxy used in fibreglass systems, one is actually epoxy, and costs about $25 US for two litres, yipes! Then there's polyester resin, which is just as strong and costs about $5-$10 US, for about six litres, pretty good. To either of these you add a catalyst, in both cases its methel ethyl keytone peroxide (MEKP), this is the stuff thats bad for you, toxic fumes and such. You add the catalyst to as much of the epoxy as you need, then start to work with it, you can add as little or as much as you want, to control how long it takes for the epoxy to harden, as long as two days, or as little as an hour. Now, you have your epoxy mixed up, what do you apply it too? There are three options, fibreglass mat, fibreglass cloth, and fibreglass sheet. Fibreglass mat is made up of many "shreds" of glassfibres, sprayed randomly into a thick, well... mat. It looks a bit like compressed chip plywood. Fibreglass cloth is woven, just like any other cloth, it is a thick weave, like flannel. Fibreglass sheet is also woven, but very fine and tight, it is comparable to silk, you want the final layer of your creation to be sheet. When I say final layer though, thats not really the final layer, beacause the outermost part is gelcoat. Now this is where you run into problems doing your own work, because for a good gelcoat finish you really need a professionally made mold. Gelcoat is made of the same epoxy/resin as you used with the cloth, with the exception of a dye being added. This is the final layer that covers all of the cloth, which doesn't look very appealing when it's dried. The problem with gelcoat is that its runny, and you want a mirror finish on it, but it won't stay in place. This is why it is often sprayed into a mold first, then dried, then the fibreglass is applied on top of it. So you can try your best with it, then sand till your hands bleed afterwards, or simply do without a gelcoat layer, if you plan on painting it anyhow. Only problem is, you fibreglass job will wind up with a crazy, uneven, and rather hideous finish.

Nightingale_zero · Post by **Nightingale_zero** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 6:04 am

You can also use a body filler to smooth out the surface if that part doesn't have to be super durable. I have used bondo and its pretty good stuff, and has decent durability. Once you use body filler to fill in the surface, you sand it all down smooth, prime, and paint. Also you need to use a urethane foam for the core since the epoxy will eat away at regular styrofoam and some other materials(such as styrene plastics).

abodeofthedamned · Post by **abodeofthedamned** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 4:22 pm

This site has a tutorial on making a fiberglass body mold. (Human body)
http://www.bioweapons.com/Fiberglass1.htm
Not quite what you're looking for but the principles are the same.
You can buy polyester resin fiberglass kits from Wal-mart for dirt cheap. We got ours for $18 CAD.

NPMAX · Post by **NPMAX** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 3:25 pm

The acetone and catalyst fumes are pretty rough especiall when used in enclosed spaces. I worked with those materials for a year when I built yatchs. Just be careful with that stuff.

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:09 pm

Epsilon wrote:Molding fiberglass is a little dangerous in process, I thought.

It is, also do it outside just like paint they both give off fumes

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:38 pm

Main rules when working with fibreglass are: Wear gloves. Wear a mask. Protect your eyes. No open flames. (No smoking!)

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:45 pm

Usually working with industrial stuff can be a hazard. I didn't realize before that fiberglass could be conformed by a consumer.

Towels42 · Post by **Towels42** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:36 am

(Bringing up an old thread) Of course it can be used by regular, consumery peoples! I use the stuff all of the time! The fibreglass itself [in a woven cloth form -- like a sheet] is completely harmless [except for those little sliver things if you're not careful]. The resin is a bit more dangerous because it's a chemical -- but all in all, it's no different than regular old epoxy -- because that's exactly what it is. Now for most projects, you don't need the strength of epoxy, so the cheaper polyester resin is a better choice. I'm not sure exactly what you meant by a "fibre glass mold"... usually, for creating poured molded objects, just the resin is used. Now, if you mean creating a box or a structure out of fibreglass, you'd layer sheets of fibreglass [with resin on it]. Now putting fibreglass over something is really easy, just not making an object out of glass by scratch. If you do need to do something like that, it'd be quite difficult. Now, here's some glassing advice: Wax paper is your best friend. Lay it down and you're able to avoid dripping mess and such. Epoxy and resin do not stick to wax paper -- and more important, don't soak through such. If you were to lay down newspaper and you spilled a little bit of resin on it, the glue'd soak through and make a nasty mess underneath. Also, just remember to wear gloves [because each skin exposer to epoxy and resin makes you more likely to have a reaction to the chemicals] and work in a well-vented area. Not only are the fuems bad for you, some epoxies and resins really, really smell...