fiberglassing??
 

Hello, its my first time fiberglassing. Anything I should know? Anything I should be carefull of? I have the basics, just need some help. Thanks

RE: fiberglassing??
 

What basics, there are a bunch of ways to glass. I started using 1/2 oz glass and two coats of sanding sealer. First thing is the sealer and sand then I use the glass and deft Sanding Lacquer, about three coats of the deft, sand then I mix a 50/50 blend of the deft and baby powder and coat and sand with that blend until all the weave is filled and the plane is smooth, about two coats, sometimes only one needed. Then I prime and paint. Very easy but the fumes of the deft require you to be in an open area. Other people like the water based poly-U and some use the finishing resin or epoxy. Lot of ways to do the same thing.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

hint; lay down a very light coat of 3M'77 contact spray; it will hold the glass in position while you add the resin...

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Fiberglassing? Hmmm... Polyester or epoxy? Making a plug or mold? Making a part ie. cowl or wheel pants? or "Glassing" a wing or fuselage?

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Dont use too much reson. A roll of toilet paper does a good job soaking up excess. Then squeegy it smooth again. Several years back I had to strip the glass work off a swapmeet corsair wing and reglass it. Wasnt as good a purchase as I thought.
Edwin

RE: fiberglassing??
 

On the assumption that you're talking about covering with glass tissue and finishing resin:
My golden rules.
<ul>[*]Don't do it in the cold. But you need ventilation.[*]Sand the surfaces to perfection, use sanding sealer and get rid of any dust. Fill indentations and joins. The epoxy will find them otherwise.[*]Have plenty of elbow room. Have room to hang up the covered item and prepare the hangers FIRST. (pins and string work for me)[*]Use plastic drip mats and bench covers. (Builders polythene works great) I use digital kitchen scales for measuring. Wrap them in a clear plastic bag. Glass jars, Paper or polythene cups for mixing. Beware styrene cups...they dissolve in most resins. You will also know what weight you have added to the model.[*]Estimate the area to be covered, add 25% and use the resin manufacturers recommendation for area to be covered. Don't mix enough for the whole plane at one go![*]Have some general purpose thinners from an auto-factors ready in a jam (jelly?) jar. This stuff contains alcohol, xylene and toluene in some ratio or other (at least the stuff from CarPlan (Tetrasyl) does) and will thin epoxy. It will save your applicator brush and scissors. Short bristled brushes are better than long. A good quality applicator is a boon because it won't shed bristles so easily. I don't like foam pads.[*]Have a supply of latex gloves.[*]Use a credit card or similar to squeegee the surface after you've brushed on the epoxy, before you lay the glass. Catch the surplus. If you lay the glass and the weave is saturated immediately, there's too much resin. If you lay the glass and are not happy, take it off again and put a new piece on. have a spare piece ready "just in case". Don't fanny around because lumps and bumps will be a major pain once the epoxy's gone off.[*]I have a set of nail scissors that I use for trimming into corners. I've had them for years and they live in my toolkit. Essential addition to the shears used for bulk cutting.[*]Thin the epoxy, either with thinners or warmth for stippling in the top coat of resin. Most finishing resins are very thin anyway, so room heat is often sufficient. A combination of brush and card will keep the resin volume to that JUST required to fill the weave. You can tell when the weave is filled by the way it changes from matte to gloss.[*]Don't keep fiddling with it trying to find perfection whilst the epoxy is wet. You'll know what I mean if you try it.[*]Allow the stuff to go off completely before wet and dry rubbing down.[*]Paint to perfection[/list]Hope this was helpful

RE: fiberglassing??
 

I know it sounds crazy but use a 4" foam roller cut down to 2" to apply the resin. I usually use zpoxy finishing resin because it is quite thin and has a working time of almost 25 minutes. The foam roller puts an incredibly thin amount of resin on and it is uniform. With my p47 I did 3 coats on my wing. It JUST filled the weave and I sanded for 2 mintes with 100 grit then for 10 minutes with 220 then another 10 minutes with 400, ready for paint. IF you use a squeege you will be sanding for hours trying to make it look uniform and possibly going right though the glass in places, i did in early attempts...

With this method DON'T thin the zpoxy. I know others have had good results but everytime I thinned the resin, it cured rubbery. Thinning works but the climate in your given area affects the curing plus the thinning agent has to be able to evaporate from the resin before it cures or it stays in forever...

Use the 3m spray on glue to hold the glass to the plane, especially on the fusalage. Helps a lot.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

If you go to west systems epoxy you will love life and flush all the zpoxy you ever owned down the toilet.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

I found these tutorials about fiberglassing there are more but its a good start.
http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform...nish/index.htm
http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform..._panels/04.htm
http://www.pldaniels.com/flying/bals...yurethane.html

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Nice wing! P47?

What you say about thinners is oh so true, and it applies to paint finishes too.

I have a little roller that's meant for sealing the join in wallpaper (somehow). It's great for rolling down the glass and squidging the resin through the weave.

I also have a big resin roller for stippling. It's never worked, even on big jobs like my boat. But I can't bring myself to bin it!

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Thanks! yes, topflite 60 size p47. I sold the plane and i'm kickin myself for it. I'm thinking about another one. [8D]

RE: fiberglassing??
 

hi - what's the best weight of cloth for glassing wings and fus on a .90 64" wingspan model?

RE: fiberglassing??
 

I use 1/2oz but I have seen more people using 3/4oz. Either one works very well so it's more of a choice thing.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Same here. If I cant find 1/2oz then I'll use the 3/4oz.
Edwin

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Tom ,I have a giant scale T.F. p47 waiting on me after I finish my cessna. I like the finished product glassing does.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

TWN,

I like the sounds of your roller method. Can you give me some more details on how you do it, such as how you actually apply the resin to the roller, etc. Thanks,

Jeff

RE: fiberglassing??
 

That was a very very very nice P-47! I was shocked when you packed that in Lester's van and told me it was sold! It was perfect, to my eyes!

I followed twn's advice on 'glassing and had very good results the first time I did it. I have yet to paint my Byron Cap 21, but am very happy. I used West Systems resins, 3/4 oz and a 4" foam roller and tray set that Home Depot sell.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Yeah, that wing looked great. Did you thin the epoxy any? I was thinking of using Zpoxy finishing resin, and I have heard that you really don't need to thin it any.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

I did not need to thin it at all. If you take yer time, and the West System allows for it, you can spread (roll) it very efficiently. A little goes along way.;)

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Looks great! Once you try West you will never ever think about zpoxy again.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

Vic, why is West so much better than ZPoxy?

Thanks!
George

RE: fiberglassing??
 

This is my personal experience... With the pumper system I get 100% perfect mix with the same consistancy cure everytime. No more sometimes it hardens-sometimes it's rubbery. Perfect every mix. If I didn't get quite enough mixed, no big deal pump another squirt in the bowel and keep on trucking like nothing happened. It sands like a dream without getting all wadded up in the paper, it comes off like flour and very easily. I like the long pot/cure time so I'm not running crazily to get everything lined up perfectly the first time, I can get all my cloth and bag equipment lined up with plenty of time to get it the way I want.

RE: fiberglassing??
 

thanks for a great thread - another question - does the surface need priming? & i've read about some people using water based polyurethane products instead of the reasons - is this a good method? - thanks

RE: fiberglassing??
 

I hate that stuff!
I don't use any primer just put it on the fiber and squeegie it with a credit card over either the backing material for bagging a wing/tail like you see in the pics or directly onto the fuse.