invertmast
Posts: 4705
Score: 153
Joined: 12/11/2003
Last Login: 5/21/2012
From: Harrisonburg,
VA, USA
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I know most of us REALLY hate when we get to the fiber-glassing part of building our models. Its time consuming, dust, itchy (if not wearing long sleeved clothing) and down right a pain in the butt! Through the years i've tried everything from sanding sealer and water base polyurethane, oil-base polyurethane, Z-poxy, etc and all have their pro's and con's.
In this thread, Its my intentions to show how I go about fiber-glassing my models. I have eliminated a vast majority of the sanding, and your typical 1/5th scale model can be ready to paint in 1 to 3 days once you get use to the technique. So, lets get to work.
First thing up is the materials you will need.
1. A quality epoxy laminate resin system. This can be west systems, Pacer's Finishing resin, whatever you prefer. I typically use Pacers finishing resin, or here more recently US Composites 635 THIN epoxy system w/ the 3:1 medium hardener.
2. Some plastic disposable cups.
3. Mixing Stick
3. Fiber-glass cloth (the weight depends on what you are doing).
5. A soft bristle brush. I'm using 1" Chip brush's from Harbor freight
6. 100% PURE Polyester cloth. it doesn't matter the color, but it MUST MUST MUST be 100% PURE polyester cloth. If it is not, it will not come off the part. You will need just as much Poly cloth as Fiberglass, I suggest getting more poly cloth than you think you will need.
7. A part ready for fiber-glassing. I am using a flap, but this method can be used for just about anything needing fiberglassing.
8. A plastic "spreader" I use a tuper-ware bowl cut to shape and the edges smoothed.
The process (If a step does not dictate a large or small part, that step is for all size parts):
1. using your part as a template, cut the fiberglass cloth to size leaving about 2" of overhang on all the edges.
2. Repeat the process for the 100% Polyester Cloth.
3. Set your fiberglass and Poly cloth "pieces" to the side.
4. Mix up your resin according to the directions.
5. Brush a coat of resin on the side of your part you are planning to fiberglass. If you have a Large part (like the bottom of the wing) Brush a long "+" shaped resin trail w/ the "+" at the center of the wing.
6. Lay your fiberglass cloth over the part.
7a. For smaller parts: Using your spreader, smooth any wrinkles or bubbles out of the fiberglass cloth, place to the side for the cloth to soak up the resin
7b. For Larger parts: Pour a small puddle of resin onto the glass cloth and use your spreader to spread the resin around on the cloth. you should not see any puddles of resin sitting anywhere on the cloth and the weave of the cloth should still be slightly visible.
8a. For smaller parts: repeat the process for the other part if applicable
8b. For Larger Parts: Continue along the part until all of the fiber-glass cloth is covered
9a. For smaller parts: Using your brush, dab some resin onto the part, then use your spreader to spread that resin around on the part to fully saturate the cltoh. Remove any Large buildups of excess resin.
9b. For Larger Parts: Continue to step 10.
10. Take your 100% polyester cloth and drape it over the part. Use your spreader to remove any bubbles,wrinkles,etc so the cloth lays down completely flat. If your resin ratio was correct, the poly cloth should soak up the excess resin, but still maintain a slightly "cloudy" look. If the poly cloth does not soak up any resin in a particular area, you need more resin in that area. If the cloth is completely saturated and appears nearly clear, you have to much resin, so take another piece of polyester cloth and lay it over the areas with to much resin.
11. Look around the edges of the part, if you notice any excess "blobs" of resin, take a balled up paper-towel and "blotch" the excess resin away.
12. Put the part aside and allow to cure.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=330Zh7vUc6k
Over-all, it took me about 20 minutes to fiberglass a pair of flaps that are 3" in chord and 19" long and that includes taking photo's and making the video. So if you remove the time to prep for the video and make it, I could of had those 2 flaps done in 10 minutes including cutting the cloth to size.
I will continue this tutorial in the 2nd post in this thread. I also will post up the link to the you-tube video of this part of the tutorial when it completes its upload. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Photos:
The Flaps, 3/4oz fiberglass flap cloth, and the 100% polyester peel-ply
The Flaps fiber-glassed and covered with the 100% polyester peel-ply
_____________________________
Thomas W.
Euro-sport Evo, Scratch built 1/7 F-14D Tomcat, 26.5% Gee Bee R2
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Warbirds and Warplanes >> Invert's Fiberglassing Technique 101 
Invert's Fiberglassing Technique 101 - 
and that video tutorial was the icing on the cake. looking foward to part 2.
