reinforcing box with fiberglass

when reinforcing a box with fiberglass can you use just the resin? and is catalyst necessarry?

You could use just resin, but it will not have something to soak into without the fiberglass. So basically the resin will just be dripping everywhere.


Catalyst is what turns the resin hard. Without it, the resin will never cure and will flow like paint.

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DTS Performance
St Petersburg, FL

ok, and how important is it that the catalyst is added in the exact right amount? what will happen if i add too much? or too little?

If you add too much it will set really quickly with alot of heat or might even catch fire (havent seen it myself but have been told), if you add too little it wont set and will remain runny.

I recommend using the fibrglass matt/ clothe to reinforce, the resin itself is quite brittle, a few bumps in your car and i reckon it would break. use a thin one like 250gm to save weight if thats your concern.

no sir, weight is not a concern. but thank you very much for your help! and also ive seen guys pour resin into an enclosure and set it on a 45 degree angle to 45 the corners. should you add matt after that? or before? thank you again

I'm confused as to why you're doing it in the first place, i dont think it will have any structural benefit and if its on the inside - no cosmetic benefit, but if i was to put pure resin in the corners it would depend on the corners.... 

If the corners are at a sharp bend (say more than 30degrees) you should definately apply the matt after because the matt wont bend around sharp corners by itself - you'll get air bubbles. If your particularly keen to do it before use a piece of angled metal/ plastic coated with wax and clamp over the wet matt.

If the corners are rounded, you could choose to do it before or after, putting the pure resin on after would give you a smooth finish, if it was me, i'd apply the matt on after the resin to add some strength to the resin and hold it in place/ minimise cracking.

fiberglass the inside for strength, but im not as concerned with cosmetics, so i could do the outside, or not. doesnt matter as much how it looks