Fibreglass kit?

Hightower · 09 September 2007, 19:21

OK, full of questions tonight boys

What do I need in a Fibreglass kit, be specific please as fibreglassing is one skill I haven't got.....Yet.

I want to do the whole thing, mixing the resin, flo coating, layups etc.

If anyone can point me in the direction for a local supplier and an online instructions site, that would be absoloutly fantasic.

jwalker · 09 September 2007, 19:33

PM me your address and I'll send you a wee book.

osprey__viper · 09 September 2007, 19:34

Errrrrr, Fibreglass

Sorry couldn't resist. I'll get me coat on the way out

Biggles · 09 September 2007, 20:12

Andy,

Try this place. They even send you a catalogue with instructions.

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS...elcoat_49.html

Nick.

Pete7 · 09 September 2007, 21:38

Andy you could also use Southport Glass supplies who also have a wee booklet to tell you how to etc.

Do buy the little mixing bottles to get the quantity right. From personal experience 2% is quite hot and goes off quick, 1% seemed to give me a little longer pot life before it caught fire.

Pop round and lets see what I have left in the garage which your welcome to borrow.

Pete

Hightower · 09 September 2007, 21:44

Yes, I might well take you up on that Pete. Won't be till Wed or Thurs though, is that OK?

Pete7 · 09 September 2007, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Yes, I might well take you up on that Pete. Won't be till Wed or Thurs though, is that OK?

Yep they are good for me too, will put the kettle on.

Pete

Rogue Wave · 10 September 2007, 06:50

I got loads I don't want come and get it if you want. I don't do catering! I also have some DVD's

Rogue Wave · 10 September 2007, 06:50

of how to laminating

Ian M · 10 September 2007, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Andy you could also use Southport Glass supplies who also have a wee booklet to tell you how to etc.

Do buy the little mixing bottles to get the quantity right. From personal experience 2% is quite hot and goes off quick, 1% seemed to give me a little longer pot life before it caught fire.

Pop round and lets see what I have left in the garage which your welcome to borrow.

Pete

Ditto the 1%, ignore what everyone says about 2%, at least for the UK. What are you doing?
Fibreglassing is relatively simple, just don't forget the rubber gloves

Flowcoating is likewise quite simple, but gelcoating and getting that perfect finish is the difficult bit. Use 1% for gelcoat as well.

Erin · 15 September 2007, 20:59

Get hold of the last two issues of Practical Boat Owner. They've done a small feature on how to make a fibreglass moulding.

AndrewH · 17 September 2007, 20:25

Good tip I was given is not to leave the mixed resin in a cylindrical pot - the self heating accelerates the cure. Instead pour the mixed resin into a flat tray where there is a much larger surface area and it stays cooler therefore giving you a longer pot life. I used this trick when I made the anchor locker cover for "Night Shift" and it works a treat

Good Luck with the laminating Andy

Hightower · 17 September 2007, 22:28

Good tip AndrewH, I'll get my paint tray out then

slimtim · 18 September 2007, 17:49

yeah andy cfsnet, get their catalogue. It has loads of good advice in there and lots of useful details about their products. They'll be about the cheapest too I think. If you phone them up they know what they are on about too.

I would add, it is worth spending a bit on accessories to make it all easier and cleaner for yourself. Get a big box of latex gloves, a box of mixing sticks, a good few mixing tubs (10?), a few small syringes for measuring out the catalyst, a few tubs with a measure scale on the side, a load of acetone and a big role of paper towel (which is unfortunately much more expensive than you would expect)!

Hope that helps.

jwalker · 18 September 2007, 20:45

Not wishing to contradict slimtim but I wouldn't bother faffing with syringes just get a proper squeeze bottle with a measure cylinder on the top. Made for the job and dead easy. A tub of hand cleaner is essential and I can't be doing with gloves sticking to everything. Wipe your hands well with the cleaner rinse them in a bowl or bucket of warm water and have a big old towel hangin on a nail to dry them.

Ian M · 18 September 2007, 22:07

Well, I use syringes and latex gloves - do not have any problems and quite convenient

Biggles · 18 September 2007, 22:19

I back JW with regards the gloves. Absolutely useless once you start to get any sort of chemicals on them. They make the job really hard once they start sticking to everything !

jwalker · 18 September 2007, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian M

Well, I use syringes ...

Have you used a proper dispenser cos I can't imagine how handling a peroxide using a syringe can be considered convenient?

But each to their own...

Hightower · 19 September 2007, 09:31

can't comment on the gloves bit, but after reading your book JW I can't find a referance on how to make flo coat. I guess it's poly resin and a white gel coat pigment.

Am I right?

slimtim · 19 September 2007, 10:07

flo coat is gel coat with a wax additive to make it go off in open air (gel coat normally needs to be shut off from air to set).

If you get the cfsnet catalogue, it explains it in there. You can buy premixed flo coat from them which saves you having to faff about adding wax. It works well and produces a very hard wearing coating however it is a matt finish so its best to apply it using a foam roller to get an orange peel effect.

JW, no idea quite what this dispenser thing is you talk of, but they sound better than the syringes! I use gloves to protect my baby soft hands