Fiberglass Dash with Custom Molded Screen
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Fiberglass, Fabrication, and Interiors
Forum Discription: Fiberglass Kick Panels, Subwoofer Enclosures, Plexiglas, Fabrics, Materials, Finishes, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=17548
Printed Date: May 21, 2024 at 4:07 AM
Topic: Fiberglass Dash with Custom Molded Screen
Posted By: lil_mikey
Subject: Fiberglass Dash with Custom Molded Screen
Date Posted: August 13, 2003 at 3:20 PM
Best way to do this would be?? I have not done a foberglass dash.. I bought his dash from his 2000 neon as the project dash. Any suggestions on how ot make it look real good? I'll have it in Black fiberglass..
Replies:
Posted By: Lebult
Date Posted: August 14, 2003 at 12:07 AM
good luck with that, its really tricky, time consuming and expensive, but go nuts look at the Alpine RSX and what they did. It should give you some good ideas.
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: August 14, 2003 at 1:01 PM
Well time i got as it's during the winter. Expensive u say?? Hrmm much u figure i'm looking at? I got the screen and everything ready.. just need the resin and fiberglass.. Yah both the Acura and the Honda are sooo sik from Alpine.. i love those rides so much. -------------
Posted By: seven
Date Posted: August 17, 2003 at 2:41 AM
sand down the dash with 40 grit paper then lay down Dura-Glass (fiberglass but its like body filler) then mold the screen in by a wood backing and some flexible metal (the kind were it has circles that connected to each other) mold that around the monitor then hot glue the metal mold it to the wood backing.. fleece it then f/g mat w/ resin. then sand and body fill, sand, prime, paint, clearcoat, etc.. this is one way of doing it.... wait for someone else to respond with a better way..... - Seven
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: August 18, 2003 at 9:11 AM
That's pretty much the way i was going to do it.. Thanks alot. -------------
Posted By: JamesRH
Date Posted: August 18, 2003 at 9:25 AM
thats a large project, you will be spending alot of your money on the actual fiberglass/resin its price adds up fast, as for the actual project, just take your time and dont be shy about experimenting with it, you can do alot with that stuff. GOOD LUCK
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: August 18, 2003 at 9:37 AM
Thanks alot buddy.. I just got my pay which was oveer $5g'z so i'm settled for cash.. It's gonna be fun as hell! -------------
Posted By: seven
Date Posted: August 18, 2003 at 2:18 PM
to be honest... when f/g a dash no matter what u do it will turn out fine.. becuase the only way to remove f/g is by sanding.. so if u fuk up then u sand it down.. expect to work on this for 2-5 weeks... Sanding is the harderst ... - Seven
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: August 20, 2003 at 1:29 PM
Not to worry... It's over the winter.. well start next month andworking all thorugh the winter plus on my kick panels as well. -------------
Posted By: seven
Date Posted: August 21, 2003 at 11:36 AM
theres another way of doing the f/g dash.. not the molding but to coat the dash.. at a body shop i work at they call it Gel Coat its not paint.. its 3 chemicals that are mixed together... the guy i work with mix's it for me so i can never see what chems they use... anyone know what i am talking about... - Seven
Posted By: imprtfightr
Date Posted: August 21, 2003 at 7:04 PM
I molded a monitor into the dash of my 95 neon. It costed me like $10 plus the TV. I molded it in with bodoglass resin, then feathered it into the dash, which I sanded and primed until it was completely smooth.
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: August 31, 2003 at 5:11 PM
Ok got a lil prob.. I have the dash now.. And it was painted silver.. What type of grid sand paper should i use to smooth it up a bit before i start to use the resin? -------------
Posted By: imprtfightr
Date Posted: September 01, 2003 at 9:34 AM
my guess would be 200. This will easily remove the paint, and give a good scoring to make the resin stick to, but not be too rough to rip the plastic up to the point where it would be a PITA to cover up. Make sure to clean it really well also, and possibbly spray an adhesion promotor to help the glass stick,or the glass will seperate from the plastic easily.
Posted By: Lebult
Date Posted: September 01, 2003 at 6:00 PM
I'm guessing you'll be doing this in your garage??
Just a couple of pointers from my exp. Make sure you get a good respirator, cause 5 minutes of exposure to those fumes and you'll be on the ground, out cold.
I have no idea what the weather is like where you live, but if its too cold when the FG is settling, the resin may take a really long time to cure, warp, or may not even fully cure at all/
Its not fun having to peel off a semi hardened slab of fiberglass and have to start all over again. Good luck, and make sure you post pics when ur done ;)
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: September 01, 2003 at 6:43 PM
Hey i started the fiberglass process today.. My buddy is doing his trunk as i am doing my dash.. The fumes are strong but didn't bug us at all.. HIGH!! woohoo it was a bit rainy here so i just did it all in my garage.. Going good so far! I'll keep you all posted! -------------
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: September 02, 2003 at 12:32 PM
So i don't start college till January so i am pretty much working on my ride all day as well as looking for work.. I got up this morning to check out the dash and wow it looks great so far.. I'm doing 2 more coats of resin on it then sanding it for aboout 3 hrs. Then cuttin out the dash part where my screen will be molded into.. Looks hella tight so far. Pics will come soon once i remember where i left my digi cam. -------------
Posted By: lil_mikey
Date Posted: September 04, 2003 at 9:33 AM
So the damn resin is eating away at the dash and bubbling the plastic now..So i gotta sand, sand, sand then spray paint remover and let it sit then sand, sand, sand, add more resin, sand, sand, sand then make the cut out for the screen to be molded.. Soo much fun! -------------
Posted By: deadguido
Date Posted: October 30, 2003 at 2:27 AM
seven] wrote:
heres another way of doing the f/g dash.. not the molding but to coat the dash.. at a body shop i work at they call it Gel Coat its not paint.. its 3 chemicals that are mixed together... the guy i work with mix's it for me so i can never see what chems they use... anyone know what i am talking about...
Gel coat is just fiberglass resin you spray like paint, except it's usually colored. The chemicals are polyester resin, same stuff as f/g resin, MEKP (hardener), and probably a reducer. I've never done it before, but its not hard with the right gun (which is cheap).
Posted By: deadguido
Date Posted: October 30, 2003 at 2:30 AM
lil_mikey wrote:
So the damn resin is eating away at the dash and bubbling the plastic now..So i gotta sand, sand, sand then spray paint remover and let it sit then sand, sand, sand, add more resin, sand, sand, sand then make the cut out for the screen to be molded..
Try adding more hardener and more heat maybe so it sets up fast, leave less time to eat the dash
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: October 31, 2003 at 8:35 AM
A little late now, but I would have stripped off all the vinyl off the dash first and then fiberglass the dash. This would have given you better adhesion to the dash as well as it would not have bubbled the dash .
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
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