Thread: Cutting into painted fiberglass, need a few suggestions

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

When I cut the hole in the front clip for my blower scoop on my corvette, I used a die grinder with a cut off disc. I then used a carbide bit in a die grinder to make the rounded curves. I'm guessing a dremel tool with a fine toothed bit will work just fine. I like you, was very nervous about wrecking the whole deal.

haha Im glad I am not the only one that feels like that, the satisfaction in the end is worth it though.

I cut a lot of fiberglass but rarely a painted part. I use a pneumatic air saw. You can get one from Harbor Freight for about $20 and an extra package of blades is about $7. I would tape off the area where you are going to cut. Make the layout on the tape and cut though it. It should help to keep the paint from breaking and peeling back. Make some test cuts in the scrap to see how it does. I use a uni bit to make the start hole, if you need one. Be carful and do not hurry. You do not want the blade to catch and jump out of the kerf. If you go slow and do not bind the blade, you wil not have a problem. If you want to go further, just to be safe, cut inside your line and carefully file the fiberglass to your line. File only on the push stroke so that it will not catch the paint and peel it.

John