Fiberglass Tips & Tricks for Beginners

I'm very new at this, looking for all the help I can get.  I've figured out the basics, but would really appreciate all the tips & tricks y'all have picked up thru experience that would make my life easier on the next few projects.

This started on another thread, I'm going to migrate those posts here.  Feel free to add anything you'd tell a beginner, the sort of thing you wish someone had told you...

A couple questions -

Using the correct amount of MEKP to resin gives me a working time of about 4 minutes before I get clumps.  Partly due to dry Colorado air, I'm sure.  How can I stretch that time?  I'm thinking less MEKP, but not sure it will cure properly.

Next - now that I have sanded resin particles in a couple places on my skin itching like mad, how can I get it off?  Does it just go away?  Showering helped, but not completely.

1.  Definitely less MEKP. 

2.  I've found that imediately following any sanding on fiberglass that washing with hot water too hot to stand for more than half a second works.  Keep it under as long as possible without burning yourself, and wash twice.  This opens up the pores and washes away the particles.  And of course, wear rubber gloves and long sleeves if possible.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Here's some other tips I've picked up along the way.

Cut your brush down to 1" long bristles.  This will allow you to push the air bubbles out better.

Apply a layer of resin to the surface you are about to fiberglass before you lay down your mat.  This will allow the mat to stick in place and not move around on you.  It will also soak up with resin faster.

Tear all the edges of your mat instead of cutting with scissors.  This will allow two pieces of mat to meld together much more smoothly providing a more even surface when done. 

Prepare your mat ahead of time before mixing up the resin.  Lay down the number of layers you want to apply with the batch of resin, then set them aside so they are handy.

One thing I prefer to do when suspending rings is to use backstrap and hot glue.  It holds them in place very nicely, doesn't get in the way of your fiberglassing project, and you can remove them when done. 

For smaller projects, go down to the local Michaels, or other floral store and buy some green foam used to make floral arrangements (it's pretty cheap).  You can glue these foam bricks together, then carve out the shape that you want.  I like to use a long break-away utility knife and sand paper for the forming of my piece.  Then when the shape is carved, just fiberglass over the foam (the fiberglassing won't effect the foams shape) and then use some solvent or gasoline to eat away the foam on the inside.  Now you have a perfect fiberglass mold.

I'll try to add more tips later if I can think of them.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Poormanq45:

It's too thick to work well as polyfill, and probably too light to work as deadening.  But I wasn't really talking about using it for sub enclosures as it would take a LOT of it to do.   Although you could probably use it to provide a form to stretch to in a sub enclosure if you are going for some crazy design.   But I was more thinking of for small objects like what I am working on right now.  I'm building a piece to hold my faceplate, and lighting switches that will mount right in front of my subwoofer on the console.  I will try to get some pics up when I have a chance, which should give you an idea of what I am talking about.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio 

I thought of one other tip to add when fiberglassing.  Try to prep the mat previous to mixing the resin by laying down as many layers as you plan on doing with that batch.  But when you do this, make sure the mat lays down flat.  If you have any curves, make sure it doesn't double over on it'self.  Tear out that piece if you have to so it lays flat.  Also in some convex areas you may have to tear the mat to lay down flat, and apply a small piece of mat in the bald area created by that tear.  I hope that made sense.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio 

Concerning the shower thing, that is 50/50... I'd take a cold shower first to get the good majority off of the body period and not risk getting into the pores. Then take a hot enough one to open them up and get some crap out. I feel the heat thing could be bad for people that are less tolerant to hear(ME). My 2 cents. The rest of his spew, well, I will back that all. I coulda used it BEFORE I started my training projects, but I got them at some point. :) Thanks. Ya know I love ya Steven.

as far as im concerned the most important thing is to not cheap out on the resin. the only time i have ever had a problem with glassing was when i first started, and i was trying to put small amounts of resin on at a time to try to keep from using too much. now i just pour it on and stipple it in. That works mint for me, and as long as you dont use too much, the mat will stay in place.

and also what you might like to remember is to keep the mat from bunching up, try to keep it flat.

Migrating another good posting...