Once fiberglassed, what are the steps to get it really smooth and shiny?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
From: KW, ON Canada
Once fiberglassed, what are the steps to get it really smooth and shiny?
I have worked very little with fiberglass and never in a car audio application. I am thinking of attacking a custom fiberglass project soon and have been reading up on the installs. My question is how to go from the fully glassed (not sanded) state to the smooth perfect finish I see with some setups?
What are the sanding tools and grits you guys use?
Do you use any stuff like rage gold or something?
How do you get that wickedly shiny finish with no blemishes?
What are the sanding tools and grits you guys use?
Do you use any stuff like rage gold or something?
How do you get that wickedly shiny finish with no blemishes?
New User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA, USA
Re: Once fiberglassed, what are the steps to get it really smooth and shiny? (92BlackSi)
There's lots of ways to do it....this is just one way, and how I do it
Generally, all of my glass pieces start with a frame of mdf. Then I stretch a material (something with polyester in it) over the frame and staple - giving me the shape that I want. Then resin the fleece/grille cloth, etc. Make sure you get the resin all the way through the material - compeletely soaked. MAterial like fleece will eat TONS of resin.
After that has been left to cure for one full day, I start reinforcing it with knytex from the non show side. If necessary, you can add to the front side, but it will increase your sanding significantly.
Then, if you want, you can add a fiver reinforced filler like dynaglas (steve brown and chris yato of alpine do this a lot) to the top of the fleece. An angle grinder and 36 grit paper is used to do some initial shaping.
On top of that, you can use body filler, rage gold is excellent and is much better then any bondo brand filler IMO. Now you sand your brains out working your way up in grit.
I would suggest you also pick up a putty. I use cake icing from USC. This will help to fill your pin holes - it sands very easily.
You can skip the above step if you have a gun and a compressor - then you can shoot some poly primer like slick sand. Goes on real thick and is very sandable.
Then sand you primer to what is required by your paint. I actually shoot out of rattle cans, and have gotten pretty good results. I use DupliColor exclusively, and it has worked well for me. I get a lot some orange peel, but you can either leave it, or wetsand it out, then come back with a cut polish to clean things up. You can add clear too if you so desire.
Two additional things to keep in mind. Mix some straight resin, then add cab-o-sil or a similar filler until you get the consistancy of a milkshake. Use that to coat your fleece as a final coat or plain glassed surfaces to smooth things out a bit. It sands well, and creates a pretty smooth surface, filling any of the rough surfaces fairly well.
Make sure you wear proper protection, especially if you are sanding glass fibers. Also, the use of a roller when you lay down your fiberglass will help greatly by smoothing any air bubbles or stray fibers.
Now, that's just how I do things, I'm sure that there is more then one way to skin the cat. Just remember when you sand to ALWAYS use a sanding block if you want it to be straight. Sanding with your hands will give you a wavy surface finish. Also, remember to be patient.
That should get you started, I'm in no way an expert, but that's one way to do it.
Generally, all of my glass pieces start with a frame of mdf. Then I stretch a material (something with polyester in it) over the frame and staple - giving me the shape that I want. Then resin the fleece/grille cloth, etc. Make sure you get the resin all the way through the material - compeletely soaked. MAterial like fleece will eat TONS of resin.
After that has been left to cure for one full day, I start reinforcing it with knytex from the non show side. If necessary, you can add to the front side, but it will increase your sanding significantly.
Then, if you want, you can add a fiver reinforced filler like dynaglas (steve brown and chris yato of alpine do this a lot) to the top of the fleece. An angle grinder and 36 grit paper is used to do some initial shaping.
On top of that, you can use body filler, rage gold is excellent and is much better then any bondo brand filler IMO. Now you sand your brains out working your way up in grit.
I would suggest you also pick up a putty. I use cake icing from USC. This will help to fill your pin holes - it sands very easily.
You can skip the above step if you have a gun and a compressor - then you can shoot some poly primer like slick sand. Goes on real thick and is very sandable.
Then sand you primer to what is required by your paint. I actually shoot out of rattle cans, and have gotten pretty good results. I use DupliColor exclusively, and it has worked well for me. I get a lot some orange peel, but you can either leave it, or wetsand it out, then come back with a cut polish to clean things up. You can add clear too if you so desire.
Two additional things to keep in mind. Mix some straight resin, then add cab-o-sil or a similar filler until you get the consistancy of a milkshake. Use that to coat your fleece as a final coat or plain glassed surfaces to smooth things out a bit. It sands well, and creates a pretty smooth surface, filling any of the rough surfaces fairly well.
Make sure you wear proper protection, especially if you are sanding glass fibers. Also, the use of a roller when you lay down your fiberglass will help greatly by smoothing any air bubbles or stray fibers.
Now, that's just how I do things, I'm sure that there is more then one way to skin the cat. Just remember when you sand to ALWAYS use a sanding block if you want it to be straight. Sanding with your hands will give you a wavy surface finish. Also, remember to be patient.
That should get you started, I'm in no way an expert, but that's one way to do it.
Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,210
Likes: 0
From: sacramento, ca, USA
I have always used "kittyhair" when i do my f.g. stuff. i dunno if that is the actual name of it, but what it is, is hardining paste with small strands for fiber, or hair, not too sure, but when the paste gets hard so do the fibers, plus its VERY easy to sand, and helps with strenth.
Re: Once fiberglassed, what are the steps to get it really smooth and shiny? (rcurley55)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rcurley55 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There's lots of ways to do it....this is just one way, and how I do it
Generally, all of my glass pieces start with a frame of mdf. Then I stretch a material (something with polyester in it) over the frame and staple - giving me the shape that I want. Then resin the fleece/grille cloth, etc. Make sure you get the resin all the way through the material - compeletely soaked. MAterial like fleece will eat TONS of resin.
After that has been left to cure for one full day, I start reinforcing it with knytex from the non show side. If necessary, you can add to the front side, but it will increase your sanding significantly.
Then, if you want, you can add a fiver reinforced filler like dynaglas (steve brown and chris yato of alpine do this a lot) to the top of the fleece. An angle grinder and 36 grit paper is used to do some initial shaping.
On top of that, you can use body filler, rage gold is excellent and is much better then any bondo brand filler IMO. Now you sand your brains out working your way up in grit.
I would suggest you also pick up a putty. I use cake icing from USC. This will help to fill your pin holes - it sands very easily.
You can skip the above step if you have a gun and a compressor - then you can shoot some poly primer like slick sand. Goes on real thick and is very sandable.
Then sand you primer to what is required by your paint. I actually shoot out of rattle cans, and have gotten pretty good results. I use DupliColor exclusively, and it has worked well for me. I get a lot some orange peel, but you can either leave it, or wetsand it out, then come back with a cut polish to clean things up. You can add clear too if you so desire.
Two additional things to keep in mind. Mix some straight resin, then add cab-o-sil or a similar filler until you get the consistancy of a milkshake. Use that to coat your fleece as a final coat or plain glassed surfaces to smooth things out a bit. It sands well, and creates a pretty smooth surface, filling any of the rough surfaces fairly well.
Make sure you wear proper protection, especially if you are sanding glass fibers. Also, the use of a roller when you lay down your fiberglass will help greatly by smoothing any air bubbles or stray fibers.
Now, that's just how I do things, I'm sure that there is more then one way to skin the cat. Just remember when you sand to ALWAYS use a sanding block if you want it to be straight. Sanding with your hands will give you a wavy surface finish. Also, remember to be patient.
That should get you started, I'm in no way an expert, but that's one way to do it.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
nice write up. got any pics?
Generally, all of my glass pieces start with a frame of mdf. Then I stretch a material (something with polyester in it) over the frame and staple - giving me the shape that I want. Then resin the fleece/grille cloth, etc. Make sure you get the resin all the way through the material - compeletely soaked. MAterial like fleece will eat TONS of resin.
After that has been left to cure for one full day, I start reinforcing it with knytex from the non show side. If necessary, you can add to the front side, but it will increase your sanding significantly.
Then, if you want, you can add a fiver reinforced filler like dynaglas (steve brown and chris yato of alpine do this a lot) to the top of the fleece. An angle grinder and 36 grit paper is used to do some initial shaping.
On top of that, you can use body filler, rage gold is excellent and is much better then any bondo brand filler IMO. Now you sand your brains out working your way up in grit.
I would suggest you also pick up a putty. I use cake icing from USC. This will help to fill your pin holes - it sands very easily.
You can skip the above step if you have a gun and a compressor - then you can shoot some poly primer like slick sand. Goes on real thick and is very sandable.
Then sand you primer to what is required by your paint. I actually shoot out of rattle cans, and have gotten pretty good results. I use DupliColor exclusively, and it has worked well for me. I get a lot some orange peel, but you can either leave it, or wetsand it out, then come back with a cut polish to clean things up. You can add clear too if you so desire.
Two additional things to keep in mind. Mix some straight resin, then add cab-o-sil or a similar filler until you get the consistancy of a milkshake. Use that to coat your fleece as a final coat or plain glassed surfaces to smooth things out a bit. It sands well, and creates a pretty smooth surface, filling any of the rough surfaces fairly well.
Make sure you wear proper protection, especially if you are sanding glass fibers. Also, the use of a roller when you lay down your fiberglass will help greatly by smoothing any air bubbles or stray fibers.
Now, that's just how I do things, I'm sure that there is more then one way to skin the cat. Just remember when you sand to ALWAYS use a sanding block if you want it to be straight. Sanding with your hands will give you a wavy surface finish. Also, remember to be patient.
That should get you started, I'm in no way an expert, but that's one way to do it.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
nice write up. got any pics?
New User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA, USA
Re: Once fiberglassed, what are the steps to get it really smooth and shiny? (Split Image Prez)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Split Image Prez »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">nice write up. got any pics?</TD></TR></TABLE>
wow, back from the dead.
well, I don't really use painted fiberglass in my installs, but you can see some fiberglass work at these two sites of mine:
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/sq_e46_m3 - that's my current project
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/rcurley - that's my brother's car with some additional projects
wow, back from the dead.
well, I don't really use painted fiberglass in my installs, but you can see some fiberglass work at these two sites of mine:
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/sq_e46_m3 - that's my current project
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/rcurley - that's my brother's car with some additional projects
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
drkblue_civic
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
3
Sep 13, 2002 03:45 PM
