Originally posted by FMXhellraiser
This is a bit off subject or topic here but you guy's were mentioning it a bit ago so I am going to ask this question... Can someone please either post a thread up or put it in here and tell me the exact steps in how to do the fiberglass and what to use, etc, etc? I read something on it before but didn't get exactly what they meant. Also when you do the fiberglass and make the wooden thing then do you keep the wooden thing on or pull it away from the fiberglass? Any and all info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
You make the plug out of wood, metal, anything that will hold the shape of the final part. Make the plug look exactly how you want the final part to look, every detail. Spray it with a release agent. When you buy the fiberglass , ask for release agent and they will show you what it is. You spray it on the plug so the fiberglass won't stick to the plug. I was lucky enough to live relatively close to a plant that built fiberglass shower stalls, etc. They sold me the materials in bulk so it was way cheaper. I think the guy gave me a deal cuz' he new what I was in for and felt sorry for me. HE HE HE You mix fiberglass resin and a hardener. Soak fiberglass matting in the resin and lay it on the plug. You have to be fast cuz' it sets up about as fast as bondo, same chemical process. I mixed up small batches so it wouldn't get away from me. Once you get the entire plug covered and it has cured, pull the fiberglass off the plug and that is your mould. Then you clean up the mould and fix any imperfections with bondo, fix it just like you would bodywork. Once your satisfied with the moulds quality. You again spray it with release agent. Then you spray it with gel coat. Then you lay up fiberglass the same way you did on the plug. When it's just setting up trim the overhanging fiberglass even with the edge of the mould. When cured, pull the final part out of the mould and finish it like you would any other part.
Now that's the down N' Dirty method for the economy glasser.
That's the simplified explanation. It is very time consuming if you do it this way with no special tools. At the Street Rod Nationals I had the ONLY fiberglass dash and tilt front end for a 40 chevy tho.