This is the FIBERGLASS THREAD! It is to be used to post custom fibreglass installations, DIY & step by step processes for building custom installations, and general techniques used when working with fibreglass. You can ask fiberglass related questions here as well, and we'll try to answer them to the best of our abilities.
Hopefully this thread will provide enough information for any of you guys to go ahead and build a fibreglass enclosure.
PRE-WARNING!! Do NOT bring your fiberglassed pieces into your house for hardening/drying. It will STINK UP YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE! Also, when working with fiberglass, work in a well ventilated area and wear gloves because fiberglass resin does NOT come off with soap and water, only ACETONE seems to work.
Happy fiberglassin :pface
The FIBERGLASS THREAD!
First things first... this is a generic list of materials that you'll need in order to build a fiberglass enclosure. keep in mind that there is no ONE way to build your enclosure, so you can get somewhat creative and substitute certain materials for other cheaper or more accessible ones. All of these supplies can be bought from a local fiberglass supplier and hardware store.
THE FIBERGLASS:
There are two types of fiberglass that you can use for building a fiberglass enclosure, both with their advantages and disadvantages.
MATTE: Fiberglass matte is the most commonly used fiberglass for enclosures due to its strength and cost. You can get it in varying thicknesses, but the best seems to be the 1 oz matte. It is quite cheap ($3 per square yard) however because it is composed of fiberglass strands strewn together it requires much more resin than fiberglass cloth (about 3x more). The benifits of it is that because it absorbs more resin than the cloth, it builds up to be quite a bit stronger. The downfall is that it is not as easy to work with as the cloth and it will cost you more money in the long run because of the extreme amount of resin that is required. (You'd need about 6 yards of it to do a full custom trunk enclosure in a 240sx HB.)
CLOTH: Fiberglass cloth is less commonly used (than matte) to build custom enclosures because it's not as strong. It is composed of fiberglass strands which have been weaved together like a checker board and holds together much better than the matte. Downfall is that you'd need almost double the amount of layers to build up to the same level of strength as the matte. It's advantages are that it is much easier to work with and it requires a 1/3 of the amount of resin that the matte would require. It is good to use for small enclosures that do not need much strength such as kickpods or other small enclosures for speakers. It costs about $5 per square yard for the 6 oz cloth (most common thickness).
FLEECE: Fleece is required in order to form the initial shape of your enclosure. You wrap fleece around the rings/structure of the enclosure so that you get the form that you want, staple/hotglue it in place, and mix up a large batch of fiberglass resin and paint it on the fleece until it is completely soaked in resin. once the resin dries the fleece will become really hard and provides a solid foundation to add your fiberglass layers to, which provides the real strenght of the box. In some cases you won't even need to apply fiberglass after resining the fleece, because the enclosure is small enough that it does not need as much structural rigidity (kickpods, or other non-sub enclosures). Fleece is a little pricey, and you can buy it at almost any fabric store for around $12 per yard. You'll only need one layer of the fleece which is good, but make sure that the stuff you do buy is stretchy, because it allows you to form the curves of your enclosure more easily.
RESIN & CATALYST When purchasing your fiberglassing supplies you'll soon realize that the actual fiberglass is cheap, and that it's the RESIN that is expensive. Fiberglass resin is basically a really sticky type of glue and will not harden without being mixed with CATALYST. When the two are mixed together, a chemical reaction occurs and the it will cure to a rock solid form in a certain amount of time (10 min - 2 days) depending on the amount of catalyst that is mixed in with the resin, and as well as the temperature that you are working with it in. Since it is a chemical reaction that occurs between the two substances, the curing time will be much faster in hot weather than it will be in near zero temperatures. Therefore you need to compensate for the weather when calculating the amount of catalyst that you'll need to mix in with the resin in order for it to cure within your desired timeframe.
CATALYST: Catalyst typically comes in a small bottle (50mL) and is quite generic. In order for the resin to cure, you need to add a specific number of drops to it depending on the temperature that you are workin on it in. For example at 75 F you'd need 10 drops of catalyst for every ounce of resin in order for it to cure in 30 minutes. At 45 F, you'd need about 30 drops in order for the same amount to cure in 3 hours. That is why it is much better to do fiberglassing in warm weather, for both faster curing times and less amounts of catalyst required. It's about $8 for an 80mL bottle which is PLENTY for any fiberglass enclosure.
RESIN: Resin is the most expensive part of any fiberglass project. When mixed with catalyst it cures to form an extremely hard/strong bond. While in the curing process, you apply it with either a paint brush or a roller to the fiberglass which you have layed down on the surface you are working on. The fiberglass matte will require loads of resin in order for it to be fully absorbed whereas the cloth will easily absorb it and the resin will go a long way. There are different types of resin as well that you can buy. There is WAXED and NON-WAXED forms of generic resin. WAXED is the best way to go as it does not clog up sand paper as much as NON-WAXED resin and is the same price. For 1L of it, it costs around $10, however to put things into perspective you need about 1 L for every sq.yd of fiberglass matte you want to lay down (or 1L for every 3 sq.yd of cloth). Typically you'd want to do about 3-6 layers of fiberglass matte depending on the size of the enclosure and the amound of strength that you're going for, so you can see how the resin can add up. Another type of resin you can buy is SURFBOARD resin. It has the same strength as standard resin however it is more expensive, but it dries CLEAR. Why would you want to see the ugly fiberglass? Well, the exact same techniques for applying fiberglass can be used to apply to CARBON FIBER, CARBON KEVLAR, and KEVLAR cloths where you'd want to see the weaves. Once you apply 3 or 4 layers of the resin, it builds depth to the weaves and acts like a thick clearcoat.
Other Misc. Supplies:
-GREEN PAINTERS TAPE: this tape seems to work best when prepping a surface to be fiberglassed on. comes in a variety of thicknesses, and 2" wide is a nice common use one. About $3 for a roll.
-MDF (medium density fiberboard): used to build the initial structure (rings, braces, etc.) of the enclosure. Do not go any less than 1/2" thickness (1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" are pretty good thicknesses) it is pretty cheap wood and you can buy a large sheet, 4x8', for around $20.
-HOT GLUE (is your friend!): believe it or not, hot glue is one of the best ways to build the internal structure of your enclosure since the braces/supports & rings will eventually be supported by the fiberglass itself. You'll need to buy a pack of it ($3 for 20 sticks) to glue everything in place to form the internals of the enclosure.
-BONDO: once you're done fiberglassin, you'll need to bondo over the entire surface that you want people to see in order to get the smooth surface you'd want to paint... can use almost any type of bondo you want, but keep in mind that you'll need to be able to easily sand it smooth, as some bondos are much harder to sand than others. wherever you buy the bondo just ask one of the employees to point out the type that's suitable for your application. Costs about $30 for a 1 gallon pail w/ hardener which should be enough for any enclosure.
-SAND PAPER 60, 120, 220, 400 & 600 grit are needed to sand the bondo into a smooth surface. Don't get cheap on the sandpaper because you'll do more sanding than you have ever done in your lifetime in order to get the finish you want, and you don't want it ripping up into peices every 20 minutes. Good sandpaper is about $1.50 per sheet and has a nice thick backing and it's worth every penny.
-MASKS & GLOVES: masks are kindof a necessity. not that i'm a wimp or anything and i can't handle dust,it's the fact that even though the dust might not make you cough/sneeze or whatever, MDF dust is poisinous and Bondo dust has been known to cause CANCER. So ya... enough said :pface. Standard throwout masks are good enough protection (3M makes some nice ones) and they shouldn't cost you any more than $6 for 3 of them, and they can be re-used for multiple sanding sessions.
Standard throwaway rubber gloves (typically green) are good to use when working with fiberglass resin, and when you need to sand fiberglass itself (fiberglass flakes can get into your skin). However you'll need to change your gloves after every fiberglass session as they will get covered in sticky resin which makes it a pain to pick up stuff and work with the fiberglass itself. So unless you can't get a hold of a large box of throwaway rubber gloves, i suggest you invest in a pair of gloves which won't break apart when cleaned off with ACETONE. Acetone will remove non hardened resin, and is quite corrosive, so standard rubber gloves will pretty much dissolve in it. You can also dip your hands in acetone to remove resin, however the warning label says that prolonged skin contact is not recommended. So wash your hands off everytime you clean your hands off with acetone. Throwaway gloves package of 50 are around $15, and non throwaways (acetone proof) are around $8. Acetone costs around $15 for a gallon jug of it.
I THINK THAT IS IT FOR SUPPLIES!!
THE FIBERGLASS:
There are two types of fiberglass that you can use for building a fiberglass enclosure, both with their advantages and disadvantages.
MATTE: Fiberglass matte is the most commonly used fiberglass for enclosures due to its strength and cost. You can get it in varying thicknesses, but the best seems to be the 1 oz matte. It is quite cheap ($3 per square yard) however because it is composed of fiberglass strands strewn together it requires much more resin than fiberglass cloth (about 3x more). The benifits of it is that because it absorbs more resin than the cloth, it builds up to be quite a bit stronger. The downfall is that it is not as easy to work with as the cloth and it will cost you more money in the long run because of the extreme amount of resin that is required. (You'd need about 6 yards of it to do a full custom trunk enclosure in a 240sx HB.)
CLOTH: Fiberglass cloth is less commonly used (than matte) to build custom enclosures because it's not as strong. It is composed of fiberglass strands which have been weaved together like a checker board and holds together much better than the matte. Downfall is that you'd need almost double the amount of layers to build up to the same level of strength as the matte. It's advantages are that it is much easier to work with and it requires a 1/3 of the amount of resin that the matte would require. It is good to use for small enclosures that do not need much strength such as kickpods or other small enclosures for speakers. It costs about $5 per square yard for the 6 oz cloth (most common thickness).
FLEECE: Fleece is required in order to form the initial shape of your enclosure. You wrap fleece around the rings/structure of the enclosure so that you get the form that you want, staple/hotglue it in place, and mix up a large batch of fiberglass resin and paint it on the fleece until it is completely soaked in resin. once the resin dries the fleece will become really hard and provides a solid foundation to add your fiberglass layers to, which provides the real strenght of the box. In some cases you won't even need to apply fiberglass after resining the fleece, because the enclosure is small enough that it does not need as much structural rigidity (kickpods, or other non-sub enclosures). Fleece is a little pricey, and you can buy it at almost any fabric store for around $12 per yard. You'll only need one layer of the fleece which is good, but make sure that the stuff you do buy is stretchy, because it allows you to form the curves of your enclosure more easily.
RESIN & CATALYST When purchasing your fiberglassing supplies you'll soon realize that the actual fiberglass is cheap, and that it's the RESIN that is expensive. Fiberglass resin is basically a really sticky type of glue and will not harden without being mixed with CATALYST. When the two are mixed together, a chemical reaction occurs and the it will cure to a rock solid form in a certain amount of time (10 min - 2 days) depending on the amount of catalyst that is mixed in with the resin, and as well as the temperature that you are working with it in. Since it is a chemical reaction that occurs between the two substances, the curing time will be much faster in hot weather than it will be in near zero temperatures. Therefore you need to compensate for the weather when calculating the amount of catalyst that you'll need to mix in with the resin in order for it to cure within your desired timeframe.
CATALYST: Catalyst typically comes in a small bottle (50mL) and is quite generic. In order for the resin to cure, you need to add a specific number of drops to it depending on the temperature that you are workin on it in. For example at 75 F you'd need 10 drops of catalyst for every ounce of resin in order for it to cure in 30 minutes. At 45 F, you'd need about 30 drops in order for the same amount to cure in 3 hours. That is why it is much better to do fiberglassing in warm weather, for both faster curing times and less amounts of catalyst required. It's about $8 for an 80mL bottle which is PLENTY for any fiberglass enclosure.
RESIN: Resin is the most expensive part of any fiberglass project. When mixed with catalyst it cures to form an extremely hard/strong bond. While in the curing process, you apply it with either a paint brush or a roller to the fiberglass which you have layed down on the surface you are working on. The fiberglass matte will require loads of resin in order for it to be fully absorbed whereas the cloth will easily absorb it and the resin will go a long way. There are different types of resin as well that you can buy. There is WAXED and NON-WAXED forms of generic resin. WAXED is the best way to go as it does not clog up sand paper as much as NON-WAXED resin and is the same price. For 1L of it, it costs around $10, however to put things into perspective you need about 1 L for every sq.yd of fiberglass matte you want to lay down (or 1L for every 3 sq.yd of cloth). Typically you'd want to do about 3-6 layers of fiberglass matte depending on the size of the enclosure and the amound of strength that you're going for, so you can see how the resin can add up. Another type of resin you can buy is SURFBOARD resin. It has the same strength as standard resin however it is more expensive, but it dries CLEAR. Why would you want to see the ugly fiberglass? Well, the exact same techniques for applying fiberglass can be used to apply to CARBON FIBER, CARBON KEVLAR, and KEVLAR cloths where you'd want to see the weaves. Once you apply 3 or 4 layers of the resin, it builds depth to the weaves and acts like a thick clearcoat.
Other Misc. Supplies:
-GREEN PAINTERS TAPE: this tape seems to work best when prepping a surface to be fiberglassed on. comes in a variety of thicknesses, and 2" wide is a nice common use one. About $3 for a roll.
-MDF (medium density fiberboard): used to build the initial structure (rings, braces, etc.) of the enclosure. Do not go any less than 1/2" thickness (1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" are pretty good thicknesses) it is pretty cheap wood and you can buy a large sheet, 4x8', for around $20.
-HOT GLUE (is your friend!): believe it or not, hot glue is one of the best ways to build the internal structure of your enclosure since the braces/supports & rings will eventually be supported by the fiberglass itself. You'll need to buy a pack of it ($3 for 20 sticks) to glue everything in place to form the internals of the enclosure.
-BONDO: once you're done fiberglassin, you'll need to bondo over the entire surface that you want people to see in order to get the smooth surface you'd want to paint... can use almost any type of bondo you want, but keep in mind that you'll need to be able to easily sand it smooth, as some bondos are much harder to sand than others. wherever you buy the bondo just ask one of the employees to point out the type that's suitable for your application. Costs about $30 for a 1 gallon pail w/ hardener which should be enough for any enclosure.
-SAND PAPER 60, 120, 220, 400 & 600 grit are needed to sand the bondo into a smooth surface. Don't get cheap on the sandpaper because you'll do more sanding than you have ever done in your lifetime in order to get the finish you want, and you don't want it ripping up into peices every 20 minutes. Good sandpaper is about $1.50 per sheet and has a nice thick backing and it's worth every penny.
-MASKS & GLOVES: masks are kindof a necessity. not that i'm a wimp or anything and i can't handle dust,it's the fact that even though the dust might not make you cough/sneeze or whatever, MDF dust is poisinous and Bondo dust has been known to cause CANCER. So ya... enough said :pface. Standard throwout masks are good enough protection (3M makes some nice ones) and they shouldn't cost you any more than $6 for 3 of them, and they can be re-used for multiple sanding sessions.
Standard throwaway rubber gloves (typically green) are good to use when working with fiberglass resin, and when you need to sand fiberglass itself (fiberglass flakes can get into your skin). However you'll need to change your gloves after every fiberglass session as they will get covered in sticky resin which makes it a pain to pick up stuff and work with the fiberglass itself. So unless you can't get a hold of a large box of throwaway rubber gloves, i suggest you invest in a pair of gloves which won't break apart when cleaned off with ACETONE. Acetone will remove non hardened resin, and is quite corrosive, so standard rubber gloves will pretty much dissolve in it. You can also dip your hands in acetone to remove resin, however the warning label says that prolonged skin contact is not recommended. So wash your hands off everytime you clean your hands off with acetone. Throwaway gloves package of 50 are around $15, and non throwaways (acetone proof) are around $8. Acetone costs around $15 for a gallon jug of it.
I THINK THAT IS IT FOR SUPPLIES!!
well here's the first step by step process on how to build simple kickpods...
supplies needed:-5/8" mdf (for rings/supports)-fiberglass matte & resin/catalyst (for building initial mold)-green painters tape (for covering area you want to build the mold on)-hot glue (for gluing stuff quickly/easily :fpace)-fleece (for forming the walls of the kickpod)
anyways the pics & process:
tape area that you want your kick pod with multiple layers of Green Painters Tape... seems to work the best
next step is to apply resin to the specific area on the tape where you want your kickpod to be, then place small strips (2" width) of your 1oz fibreglass matte on the wet resin, painting resin on each individual strip before applying the next one. when you place the strips put them at overlapping angles to build strength... one you get about 3 layers of the matte layed down, let the resin harden, and then.......
you can pop it right out!! AMAZING!!!!! :rolleyes
next you wanna figure out what angle you want the speaker to be positioned at so you just build small little wood supports to hold the speaker ring in place... in his case he is puttin the 4's in the kicks so he's aiming them up to the dome light in the middle of his roof...
next, get some nice thick stretchy fleece from a fabric store, and wrap it as tightly as you can around the ring and hot glue it to the fibreglass mold... once it's all nicely stretched around and glued on, dose it with resin until it looks as if it's all been soaked... once it hardens the fleece is like a rock, and you can start bondoing it smooth... cover it with any type of vinyl you want or paint it and mount it in place with a few screws through the back "wall" of the pod... should be simple enough from there! hope this helps some people out!
supplies needed:-5/8" mdf (for rings/supports)-fiberglass matte & resin/catalyst (for building initial mold)-green painters tape (for covering area you want to build the mold on)-hot glue (for gluing stuff quickly/easily :fpace)-fleece (for forming the walls of the kickpod)
anyways the pics & process:
tape area that you want your kick pod with multiple layers of Green Painters Tape... seems to work the best
next step is to apply resin to the specific area on the tape where you want your kickpod to be, then place small strips (2" width) of your 1oz fibreglass matte on the wet resin, painting resin on each individual strip before applying the next one. when you place the strips put them at overlapping angles to build strength... one you get about 3 layers of the matte layed down, let the resin harden, and then.......
you can pop it right out!! AMAZING!!!!! :rolleyes
next you wanna figure out what angle you want the speaker to be positioned at so you just build small little wood supports to hold the speaker ring in place... in his case he is puttin the 4's in the kicks so he's aiming them up to the dome light in the middle of his roof...
next, get some nice thick stretchy fleece from a fabric store, and wrap it as tightly as you can around the ring and hot glue it to the fibreglass mold... once it's all nicely stretched around and glued on, dose it with resin until it looks as if it's all been soaked... once it hardens the fleece is like a rock, and you can start bondoing it smooth... cover it with any type of vinyl you want or paint it and mount it in place with a few screws through the back "wall" of the pod... should be simple enough from there! hope this helps some people out!
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whiterps13
- Posts: 4217
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2003 9:45 am
- Car: white LE hatch
whiterps13 wrote:are you gonna do a write up on HOW to fiberglass a custom s13 hatch enclosure? id really like that....
will do man... i'm in the process of building it right now, but school is gettin in the way, and the weather hasn't really been that great... i'll post pics/steps as soon as i make some progress..
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
Huge fiberglassing tutorial have to check out
first off to sled if you wanna move this to the fiberglassing sticky go ahead just wasn't sure if you wanted it all on there I just got done typing out part of one of my training manuals i've recieved while take an installer course at mobile dynamics in toronto. this is roughly 12 pages of info i just typed from my book to a text document and includes basic info on materials and a step by step install of a spare tire well box i'll type up the rest tomarrow hope this helps some of you out WORKING WITH FIBERGLASSVirtually any part can be molded, cast or formed using composite technology. Since you can control the actual makeup of the matrix, you can dictate the structural or cosmetic characteristics of the part being fabricated. Molding allows you to produce multiple, identical parts in an original negative assembly. Forming or laminating involves producing structures that are reinforced and shaped to fit a specific need. Forming is most often used for high strength speaker and subwoofer enclosures. It is also ideally suited for single objects that are not likely to be repeated. Casting is the method of pouring catalyzed resin into a shaped object that you wish to copy. Often there is no reinforcing material used. Casting is generally used for making small soild parts.
Composite Materials There are two main types of plastic materials. Thermoplastics (like PVC) hod their shape but can be reshaped if reheated. Thermoset materials rely on a chemical reaction to solidify and cannot be reshaped by any means. This is a desireable wuality in the high temperatures found in a vehicle(car sitting in a summer noon sun..very hot inside)
Resins Thermosetting resin comes in many forms. Laminating resin is meant for building up consecutive layers, where the new layer must bond to the previous layer. The resin is "air inhibited" which means that the resin will cure fully except for the surface that is exposed to open air. This allows the next layer to connect to the partially cured previous layer. The most logical product for autosound use is General Purpose Polyester Resin. This is a finisheing resin, which is usually the least expensive and exhibits the best qualities for automotive and autosound uses. It is catalyzed using methyl-ethyl-ketone-peroxide or M.E.K.P, often called "hardner" Finishing resin has a wax mixed into the liquid to allow the surface of the cured resin to dry. In use, the wax will float to the top and keep air away from the surface. Installers can choose to stock a laminating resin and a quantity of "air dry additive", which can be added to resin to convert it to finishing resin. These laminating and finishing resins are known by the chemical term "orthophthalic" or "isophthalic". Ortho resins are the basic general purpose resins, and the Iso resins have greater flexibility and strength for use in molds and more specific applications. Tooling resin is often used for making high volume production molds due to its purity and is not justifiable for retail autosound projects. Since resin is genreally liquikd, it will collect in lower areas fo the project. If work with certical or overhead surfaces is required, a thixotropic agent can be added to increase the viscosity(thickness) of the resin. This type of resin when prethickened is often called "gelled resin". To convert a laminating resin to a gelled resin, you sould add an amount of "Cab O Sil" which is a very light weight, low density fumed silica powder. In the event that you expect to do alot of sanding, "Glass Bubbles" can replace Cab O Sil. This is a hollow silicon dioxide powder that will mex well with polyester resins. Any fiberglass object placed in the vincinity of heat high enough to ignite plywood (near exhuast systems or under the hood) should be formed out of fire resistant resin. This resin appears cloudy white when cured and maintains all the same characteristics.
Gel Coat Gel coat is the outer surface we find on most fiberglass boats. It is usually colored for cosmetic reasons since paint would wear off in time. For autosound purposes, gel coat is intended to protect the mold for multiple "pulls" of duplicate prodcuts. Gel coats have no reinforcing so it should be applied thinly to avoid cracking. After the gel coat is dry, the addition of regular fiberglass mixtures will add the required strength to the part. Ortho based gel coat is suitable for most autosound uses, except where repeated contact with water dictates the use of an Iso gelcoat.
Catalyst Polyester resin is catalysed with Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide, MEKP. When a very small volume of catalyst is added to the resin, the molecules polymerize which calles them to join together. During this process heat is given off promoting the curing of the resin. The amount of hardener used is based on the amount of resin, the ambient room temperature, and the desired time to cure. For example, 1/2% of hardener will cause the resin to gell after about 45 minutes under a 70 degree room temperature. A standard rule of them is Add 2% Mekp to the Resin. Catalyst must be accurately mixed to prevent problems ranging from minor to severe. In colder temperatures, more catalyst will be needed for the same amount of resin. Too much hardner, however, can cause a violent exothermic reaction that could cause cracking or even fire. Wordking in direct sunlight can supply enough heat to rapidly accellerate the curing process so the volume of catalyst must be reduced. Another method of increasin the speed of the cure is by adding Cobalt Promoter to the resin. If you wish to speek the gel time but not the cure time you would use a DMA Promoter. Note: Promoters are mixed with the resin NEVER with the catalyst.
Cleaning & Thinning Uncured resin and other chemicals can be cleaned from brushes and parts with Actone. Do not use acetone on plastic parts as it will rapidly decompose the part. It should never be used to clean plexiglass, car bodies, or any synthetic fabric. Acetone is also highly flammable and evaporates rapidly (No Smoking!) If you need to reduce or thin out a resin, Use styrene instead of acetone since acetone evaporates quickly and will not participate in the curing process. The most common problem when using Acetone as a thinner is cracking of the part. It would most often be used for thinning gelcoat prior to applying it with a spray gun.
ColoringPigments are used to color the resin prior to apllication if desired. IT is highly concentrated and can be mixed to create other colors. Ond drop of this paste like substance will give a distinct hue to a full quart of resin.
Working MaterialsWorking with fiberlass is a relatively expensive method of installation. While the materials used are petrochemicals that have naturally high processing costs, part of the expense is in the disposable material need to preform the work. The following is a list of materials needed to preform work.
Container - Keep on hand a large quantity of half quart containers usually made of paper or plastic. These are often disposed of after containing catalyzed. you can also flex the container after the resin is hardened and it should snap out. Empty coffee cans are best suited for acetone and cleaning containers.
Mixing Sticks - Tonge depressors, popsicle sticks or general paint mixing sticaks are ideal for mixing resins. These are disposable after use and very cheap
Paint Brushes - Very cheap one or two inch paintbrushes are the best choice for apllying resins. Throughout a large project you are likely to throw away 10-30 brushes since they can't be cleaned effectivily ( Acetone will melt plastic paint brushes
)
Scissors - A good quality pair of industiral scissors is required to cut the cloth and matt. Avoid plastic handles since they will dissolve in acetone as you try to keep them clean.
Plastic drop cloth- Used for sealing resins or to mask off protected areas
Masking Tape - protecting areas from fiberglass resin layer it up over 2 layers for full protection.
Rubber Gloves - Surgical style thin rubber or latex gloves are essential to prevent skin contact with resin and sanding dust.
Wax - Paste style floor or car wax is used to prevent catalyzed resin from bonding to a smooth part(plastic trim panels). PVA or ply vinyl alcohold is used as a spray on mold relase and wax protector and is preferred for intricate parts where it is difficult to rub on wax.
Urethane Foam - This two part liquid foam is mixed 50/50 to produce a hard piece of foam suitable for carving into a shaped model. At a density of 2 pounds per cu. ft. this foam will expand to over 20 times its volume. It is often called "floataion foam" Styrofoam is not useable with fiberglass resin, the resin will melt the styrofoam (Gas melts styrofoam and you call it NAPALM:) )
Mixing Resins A specific amount of catalyst is required for a given amount of resin. While this amount varies based on working temperature, speed, and humidity, this guideline will give you a standard until you develop your own feel for the mix
# of drops of Catalyst By % (at 75* F) 1/2% 1% 2% 4%1oz 2 4 8 162 oz 4 8 16 324oz 8 16 32 648oz 16 32 64 128Gel Time 50min 30min 15min 7minCure Time 75min 35min 17min 8min
Thermoset Types To apply tensile and torional strength, the thermoset resin is combined with a fabric before it hardens. Fiberglass in either matt or cloth form provides this strength. Fiberglass cloth is woven much like ordinary cloth or burlap, when hardened by resin it will have excellent strength characteristics in two directions and will maintain a small amount of flexibility. It can be purchased in weights from 2oz/ sq.yd. to 20oz/ sq.yd. It would take nearly 50 layers of 10 oz cloth to form a one inch this laminate. Coth is best suited to flat surfaces and simple curves since it does not lake to adapt to wild curves.(its prude) Fiberglass matt is a sheet of material made up of small fibers layed in a random pattern and is held together with a powder that will dissolve when saturated with resin. Due to the short strand nature of the matt, it will adapt to complex curves easily, unlike cloth. Fiberglass matt is sold in weights of up to 2oz sq. ft. Thicker material allows for faster buildup of your work, but requires greater care and skill. It will take less than 20 layers of 1.5oz/ sq.ft. matt to produce a one inch thick laminate. Woven Roving is a large version of fiberglass cloth, and is meant to build up bulk quickly. A combination of roving and matt can be purchased as a single unit call "Fabmat" Regular fiberglasscloth and matt is suitable for nearly any autosound application. When certain conditions dictate, other more complex materials may be substituted. Kevlar is a Dupont Chemicals product that gives greater tensile strength with high impact resilience. It is also lighter in weight and very difficult to cut with scissors. Use new scissors only and do not use them on anything other than cutting kevlar. Carbon Fiber is the lightest and most advanced reinforcing material and is used with epoxy resins. Despite its high cose, it offers the most advantage in high performance vehicles where weight and balance is a concern. When used with epoxy resin, the object will bond to metal, glass, wood, and other materials, unlike polyester resins. Epoxy resins are also quite reactive with skin and extra precautions must be taken to prevent skin irritation. Carbon fiber is also far more expensive than kevlar or fiberglass.
Using Composites Certain precautions must be observed when working with fiberglass materials both in the raw material stage and fully cured stage. Chemical reactions to the resins and catalysts are possible. If you are planning to use fiberglassing materials, you should ask your doctor if there is any reason why you might be at risk. Although this is very rare, it never hurts to ask. Ventilation is important where you are working when chemicals in large quantities of for prolonged periods. In addition to proper ventilation a charcoal filtered respirator is benificial. Working outdoors poses no problems if you stand upwind of the vapors. Smoking and open fames are highly dangerous when vapors are allowed to accumulate. Ensure that heaters due not have open flames that could ignite high concentrations of fumes. Rubber gloves should be worn at all times when working with fluid chemicals as some people have allergic reactions. Avoid skin or especially eye contact with any fiberglassing matrials. Once fully cured the fiberglass is inert and becomes very safe. Sanding dust however can cause resperatory reactions and particle mask should be worn during sanding or grinding. Do not store catalyst(MEKP) in metal containers as the may cause spontaneous explosion(This is very important dont need a fire in your garage when your sleeping or not around.)
Alternative Enclosures The non planar cabinet is named due to its shape which results in no sides or walls that are uniform plane surfaces (flat). This type of cabinet is very difficult to build using conventional materials like wood but is easily achieved with the use of composite materials such as Fiberglass, Kevlar, PVC , Carbon Fiber and others. This cabinet will haev very uneven or perhaps curved walls. The benefits of the non planar cabinet are as follows:-Absolute rigidity and strength since irregular surfaces contribute greatly to strength while using far less material. The need for any kind of structural reinforcement is drastically reduced.-Volume is maximized since every cubic inch of space can be utilized in the forming area. The reduction of material also contributes greatly to maximizing enclosure volume and cabinet tuning.-The non parallel and irregular walls reduce or eliminate problematic internal reflections that cause serious problems with bass performance.-Significant weight reduction over other materials.-Increased application of creative shapes and designs.
Fiberglass Subwoofer Cabinets With the great weights that can be imposed on a vehicle by using Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) for a typical subwoofer cabinet, this reason alone is enough to warrant the use of fiberglass for an enclosure Add the advantage of enhanced internal colume and superior sound quality with the reduced need for space and the fiberglass cabinet would appear to be the only logical choice for any vehicle. Before you commit to producing nothing but glass cabinets, let's consider the stipulations to this typle of cabinet. Fiberglass cabinets are far lighter than any standard wood cabinet. it doesn't macke much sense to build a large cabinest into a Porsche or Ferarrie using wood due to degraded vehicle performance and handling coupled with a gross waste of precious space. A fiberglass cabinet will use available space more efficiently. The unusual shape of the cabinet will reduce or eliminate internal cabinet resonance and dramatically increase bass resolution. The downside to using fibergalss is primarily cost and labor. The materials used for a fiberglass cabinet will be about 4 times the cost of a wood cabinet with quivalent volume. Fortunately the superior sonic performance and unique nature of the cabinet will offset the added cost in the customers mind( Sounds better, looks better) Fiberglass is not suitable as a replacement for flat sided cabinet. Fiberglass gets stronger as there are more curves and irregularities build into the layer. When fiberglass is laid out in a perfect flat manner, the thickness required will be almost the same as MDF yielding no real benifit. Quite simply, if you are working on a sedan with a real trunk make a standard cabinet out of MDF and do just a fiberglass front. One of the most common cabinet styles is the "spare tire well cabinet". By removing the spare tire in the vehicle, a perfect fit, lightweight and easily removable cabinet can occupy the space. This results in the cabinet that is stronger, lighter and better sounding that the equivalent volume wooden cabinet.
Preparing the Vehicle Begin by remocing the interior panels surrounding the spare tire well. At this point you would already know how much volume is required for the subwoofers you intend to use. Now is the time to confirm that the spare tire well will deliver the same volume or more. A simple and accurate method of measuring volume involves pouring measured amounts of water into the spare tire well until the area is about the overflow. Once you know the cubic folume of the water you also know the air volume. If you come up short for necessary colume, it is an easy task to ectend the floor height to gain the remainder. It is better to have too much available colume which allows you to cut the cabinter down later as you find your net volume after constuction. Cabinet colume has a nasty way of coming up short, so it is always best to overcolume the cabinet initially. After removing the water you are ready to prepare the surface to prevent the fiberglass from adhering permanently. Ensure that any objects that protrude into the opening have been covered with duct table and plastic to provide an unbostructed path when the cabinet is removed. Then apply about 5 coats of wax to the entire surface where you intend to apply resin. Mask off the surrounding area with plastic drop cloth to protect the vehicle. Prepare your matt, resin, coloring, and catalyst and have everything on hand and close to the work area.
Step by step1. Mix your resin based on the temperature, gel time and quantity and go to work. You will be applying the first layber of matt, covering all surfaces with a one inch overlap between pieces. Using 2 oz. matt, only one layer is required to produce the "first skin." This will be left to cure for at least 4 hours before it is removed.2. By prying at the edges with screwdrivers or panel removers, the laminate will realease from the spare tire well giving an occasional unnerving cracking sound. The laminate is still flexible since it is quite thin so don't be afraid of bending it to remove it from the vehicle.3. After the laminate has been successfullyremoved from the vehicle try to reinsert it into the spare tire well. If it doesn't not drop right in find where it is catching and grind off fiberglass to allow a very smooth insertion into the tire well and repatch the area to clear the obstruction.4. Now that the cabinet slides easily into place you can licken the cabinet to the appropriate size. Place the cabinet back into the vehicle and applay acouple of largerer pieces of matt and resin to the weaker areas of the cabinet. Once this hardens the cabinet will be stiff enough to allow you to continue working outside the vehicle.5 Set your cabinet on the plastic covered workbench and slip wood shims underneath to prevent the cabinet from warping as you apply more matt. A good trick is to change the color of your resin to all for fast visual confirmation of where you have missed an area. Add matt and resin until the desired thickness is reached and the recheck the volume with measured amounts of water6. The next step is to add a baffle for the subwoofer(s). Lay the cabinet upside down on a piece of cardboard and trace the ouside of the cabinet. Cut the cardboard and trim the edge until it fits inside the rim of the cabinet. Then trace the cardboard onto a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch MDF and cut both the perimeter and the speaker hole. 7. Place the baffle into the cabinet rim and secure it temporarily with afew screws. To seal the baffle into place cut a bunch of 1inch by 4inch strips of matt. dip the drips one at a time into some resin then reach into the speaker hole to place the wet strip into the gap between the baffle and fiberglass wall. This will permanently wond the baffle to the cabinet. As you will be working blind during this process a small mirror will allow you to check your work.8. There will be some excess fiberglass hanging over the edge of the baffle. This is called "flashing" and can be cut off later with a jigsaw. For now leave the flashing attached and pour some catalyzed resin into the gap between the baffle and the flashing to ensure a positive seal.9. Once the resin is fully cured and the complete cabinet is dry, trim of thee flashing and grind down any sharp protrusions. Adisc grinder is the best choice for the task, and be sure to wear a dust mask10. You can finish the cabinet in anyway you like. Since the outside is a perfect fit to the vehicle don't apply anthing except paint or the cabinet will no longer fit the spare tire well. The inside of the cabinet can be damped, filled, or in the case of the plexiglass baffle cosmetically treated.
Stronger than MDF
- 1/4" fiberglass = 5/8" MDF-3/8" fiberglass= 7/8" MDF-1/2" fiberglass= 1 1/4" MDF-1 1/4" MDF weighs a ton
Power Ratings-1/4" good to about 150 watts-3/8" from 150-300 watts-1/2 from 300 and up
Composite Materials There are two main types of plastic materials. Thermoplastics (like PVC) hod their shape but can be reshaped if reheated. Thermoset materials rely on a chemical reaction to solidify and cannot be reshaped by any means. This is a desireable wuality in the high temperatures found in a vehicle(car sitting in a summer noon sun..very hot inside)
Resins Thermosetting resin comes in many forms. Laminating resin is meant for building up consecutive layers, where the new layer must bond to the previous layer. The resin is "air inhibited" which means that the resin will cure fully except for the surface that is exposed to open air. This allows the next layer to connect to the partially cured previous layer. The most logical product for autosound use is General Purpose Polyester Resin. This is a finisheing resin, which is usually the least expensive and exhibits the best qualities for automotive and autosound uses. It is catalyzed using methyl-ethyl-ketone-peroxide or M.E.K.P, often called "hardner" Finishing resin has a wax mixed into the liquid to allow the surface of the cured resin to dry. In use, the wax will float to the top and keep air away from the surface. Installers can choose to stock a laminating resin and a quantity of "air dry additive", which can be added to resin to convert it to finishing resin. These laminating and finishing resins are known by the chemical term "orthophthalic" or "isophthalic". Ortho resins are the basic general purpose resins, and the Iso resins have greater flexibility and strength for use in molds and more specific applications. Tooling resin is often used for making high volume production molds due to its purity and is not justifiable for retail autosound projects. Since resin is genreally liquikd, it will collect in lower areas fo the project. If work with certical or overhead surfaces is required, a thixotropic agent can be added to increase the viscosity(thickness) of the resin. This type of resin when prethickened is often called "gelled resin". To convert a laminating resin to a gelled resin, you sould add an amount of "Cab O Sil" which is a very light weight, low density fumed silica powder. In the event that you expect to do alot of sanding, "Glass Bubbles" can replace Cab O Sil. This is a hollow silicon dioxide powder that will mex well with polyester resins. Any fiberglass object placed in the vincinity of heat high enough to ignite plywood (near exhuast systems or under the hood) should be formed out of fire resistant resin. This resin appears cloudy white when cured and maintains all the same characteristics.
Gel Coat Gel coat is the outer surface we find on most fiberglass boats. It is usually colored for cosmetic reasons since paint would wear off in time. For autosound purposes, gel coat is intended to protect the mold for multiple "pulls" of duplicate prodcuts. Gel coats have no reinforcing so it should be applied thinly to avoid cracking. After the gel coat is dry, the addition of regular fiberglass mixtures will add the required strength to the part. Ortho based gel coat is suitable for most autosound uses, except where repeated contact with water dictates the use of an Iso gelcoat.
Catalyst Polyester resin is catalysed with Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide, MEKP. When a very small volume of catalyst is added to the resin, the molecules polymerize which calles them to join together. During this process heat is given off promoting the curing of the resin. The amount of hardener used is based on the amount of resin, the ambient room temperature, and the desired time to cure. For example, 1/2% of hardener will cause the resin to gell after about 45 minutes under a 70 degree room temperature. A standard rule of them is Add 2% Mekp to the Resin. Catalyst must be accurately mixed to prevent problems ranging from minor to severe. In colder temperatures, more catalyst will be needed for the same amount of resin. Too much hardner, however, can cause a violent exothermic reaction that could cause cracking or even fire. Wordking in direct sunlight can supply enough heat to rapidly accellerate the curing process so the volume of catalyst must be reduced. Another method of increasin the speed of the cure is by adding Cobalt Promoter to the resin. If you wish to speek the gel time but not the cure time you would use a DMA Promoter. Note: Promoters are mixed with the resin NEVER with the catalyst.
Cleaning & Thinning Uncured resin and other chemicals can be cleaned from brushes and parts with Actone. Do not use acetone on plastic parts as it will rapidly decompose the part. It should never be used to clean plexiglass, car bodies, or any synthetic fabric. Acetone is also highly flammable and evaporates rapidly (No Smoking!) If you need to reduce or thin out a resin, Use styrene instead of acetone since acetone evaporates quickly and will not participate in the curing process. The most common problem when using Acetone as a thinner is cracking of the part. It would most often be used for thinning gelcoat prior to applying it with a spray gun.
ColoringPigments are used to color the resin prior to apllication if desired. IT is highly concentrated and can be mixed to create other colors. Ond drop of this paste like substance will give a distinct hue to a full quart of resin.
Working MaterialsWorking with fiberlass is a relatively expensive method of installation. While the materials used are petrochemicals that have naturally high processing costs, part of the expense is in the disposable material need to preform the work. The following is a list of materials needed to preform work.
Container - Keep on hand a large quantity of half quart containers usually made of paper or plastic. These are often disposed of after containing catalyzed. you can also flex the container after the resin is hardened and it should snap out. Empty coffee cans are best suited for acetone and cleaning containers.
Mixing Sticks - Tonge depressors, popsicle sticks or general paint mixing sticaks are ideal for mixing resins. These are disposable after use and very cheap
Paint Brushes - Very cheap one or two inch paintbrushes are the best choice for apllying resins. Throughout a large project you are likely to throw away 10-30 brushes since they can't be cleaned effectivily ( Acetone will melt plastic paint brushes
)Scissors - A good quality pair of industiral scissors is required to cut the cloth and matt. Avoid plastic handles since they will dissolve in acetone as you try to keep them clean.
Plastic drop cloth- Used for sealing resins or to mask off protected areas
Masking Tape - protecting areas from fiberglass resin layer it up over 2 layers for full protection.
Rubber Gloves - Surgical style thin rubber or latex gloves are essential to prevent skin contact with resin and sanding dust.
Wax - Paste style floor or car wax is used to prevent catalyzed resin from bonding to a smooth part(plastic trim panels). PVA or ply vinyl alcohold is used as a spray on mold relase and wax protector and is preferred for intricate parts where it is difficult to rub on wax.
Urethane Foam - This two part liquid foam is mixed 50/50 to produce a hard piece of foam suitable for carving into a shaped model. At a density of 2 pounds per cu. ft. this foam will expand to over 20 times its volume. It is often called "floataion foam" Styrofoam is not useable with fiberglass resin, the resin will melt the styrofoam (Gas melts styrofoam and you call it NAPALM:) )
Mixing Resins A specific amount of catalyst is required for a given amount of resin. While this amount varies based on working temperature, speed, and humidity, this guideline will give you a standard until you develop your own feel for the mix
# of drops of Catalyst By % (at 75* F) 1/2% 1% 2% 4%1oz 2 4 8 162 oz 4 8 16 324oz 8 16 32 648oz 16 32 64 128Gel Time 50min 30min 15min 7minCure Time 75min 35min 17min 8min
Thermoset Types To apply tensile and torional strength, the thermoset resin is combined with a fabric before it hardens. Fiberglass in either matt or cloth form provides this strength. Fiberglass cloth is woven much like ordinary cloth or burlap, when hardened by resin it will have excellent strength characteristics in two directions and will maintain a small amount of flexibility. It can be purchased in weights from 2oz/ sq.yd. to 20oz/ sq.yd. It would take nearly 50 layers of 10 oz cloth to form a one inch this laminate. Coth is best suited to flat surfaces and simple curves since it does not lake to adapt to wild curves.(its prude) Fiberglass matt is a sheet of material made up of small fibers layed in a random pattern and is held together with a powder that will dissolve when saturated with resin. Due to the short strand nature of the matt, it will adapt to complex curves easily, unlike cloth. Fiberglass matt is sold in weights of up to 2oz sq. ft. Thicker material allows for faster buildup of your work, but requires greater care and skill. It will take less than 20 layers of 1.5oz/ sq.ft. matt to produce a one inch thick laminate. Woven Roving is a large version of fiberglass cloth, and is meant to build up bulk quickly. A combination of roving and matt can be purchased as a single unit call "Fabmat" Regular fiberglasscloth and matt is suitable for nearly any autosound application. When certain conditions dictate, other more complex materials may be substituted. Kevlar is a Dupont Chemicals product that gives greater tensile strength with high impact resilience. It is also lighter in weight and very difficult to cut with scissors. Use new scissors only and do not use them on anything other than cutting kevlar. Carbon Fiber is the lightest and most advanced reinforcing material and is used with epoxy resins. Despite its high cose, it offers the most advantage in high performance vehicles where weight and balance is a concern. When used with epoxy resin, the object will bond to metal, glass, wood, and other materials, unlike polyester resins. Epoxy resins are also quite reactive with skin and extra precautions must be taken to prevent skin irritation. Carbon fiber is also far more expensive than kevlar or fiberglass.
Using Composites Certain precautions must be observed when working with fiberglass materials both in the raw material stage and fully cured stage. Chemical reactions to the resins and catalysts are possible. If you are planning to use fiberglassing materials, you should ask your doctor if there is any reason why you might be at risk. Although this is very rare, it never hurts to ask. Ventilation is important where you are working when chemicals in large quantities of for prolonged periods. In addition to proper ventilation a charcoal filtered respirator is benificial. Working outdoors poses no problems if you stand upwind of the vapors. Smoking and open fames are highly dangerous when vapors are allowed to accumulate. Ensure that heaters due not have open flames that could ignite high concentrations of fumes. Rubber gloves should be worn at all times when working with fluid chemicals as some people have allergic reactions. Avoid skin or especially eye contact with any fiberglassing matrials. Once fully cured the fiberglass is inert and becomes very safe. Sanding dust however can cause resperatory reactions and particle mask should be worn during sanding or grinding. Do not store catalyst(MEKP) in metal containers as the may cause spontaneous explosion(This is very important dont need a fire in your garage when your sleeping or not around.)
Alternative Enclosures The non planar cabinet is named due to its shape which results in no sides or walls that are uniform plane surfaces (flat). This type of cabinet is very difficult to build using conventional materials like wood but is easily achieved with the use of composite materials such as Fiberglass, Kevlar, PVC , Carbon Fiber and others. This cabinet will haev very uneven or perhaps curved walls. The benefits of the non planar cabinet are as follows:-Absolute rigidity and strength since irregular surfaces contribute greatly to strength while using far less material. The need for any kind of structural reinforcement is drastically reduced.-Volume is maximized since every cubic inch of space can be utilized in the forming area. The reduction of material also contributes greatly to maximizing enclosure volume and cabinet tuning.-The non parallel and irregular walls reduce or eliminate problematic internal reflections that cause serious problems with bass performance.-Significant weight reduction over other materials.-Increased application of creative shapes and designs.
Fiberglass Subwoofer Cabinets With the great weights that can be imposed on a vehicle by using Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) for a typical subwoofer cabinet, this reason alone is enough to warrant the use of fiberglass for an enclosure Add the advantage of enhanced internal colume and superior sound quality with the reduced need for space and the fiberglass cabinet would appear to be the only logical choice for any vehicle. Before you commit to producing nothing but glass cabinets, let's consider the stipulations to this typle of cabinet. Fiberglass cabinets are far lighter than any standard wood cabinet. it doesn't macke much sense to build a large cabinest into a Porsche or Ferarrie using wood due to degraded vehicle performance and handling coupled with a gross waste of precious space. A fiberglass cabinet will use available space more efficiently. The unusual shape of the cabinet will reduce or eliminate internal cabinet resonance and dramatically increase bass resolution. The downside to using fibergalss is primarily cost and labor. The materials used for a fiberglass cabinet will be about 4 times the cost of a wood cabinet with quivalent volume. Fortunately the superior sonic performance and unique nature of the cabinet will offset the added cost in the customers mind( Sounds better, looks better) Fiberglass is not suitable as a replacement for flat sided cabinet. Fiberglass gets stronger as there are more curves and irregularities build into the layer. When fiberglass is laid out in a perfect flat manner, the thickness required will be almost the same as MDF yielding no real benifit. Quite simply, if you are working on a sedan with a real trunk make a standard cabinet out of MDF and do just a fiberglass front. One of the most common cabinet styles is the "spare tire well cabinet". By removing the spare tire in the vehicle, a perfect fit, lightweight and easily removable cabinet can occupy the space. This results in the cabinet that is stronger, lighter and better sounding that the equivalent volume wooden cabinet.
Preparing the Vehicle Begin by remocing the interior panels surrounding the spare tire well. At this point you would already know how much volume is required for the subwoofers you intend to use. Now is the time to confirm that the spare tire well will deliver the same volume or more. A simple and accurate method of measuring volume involves pouring measured amounts of water into the spare tire well until the area is about the overflow. Once you know the cubic folume of the water you also know the air volume. If you come up short for necessary colume, it is an easy task to ectend the floor height to gain the remainder. It is better to have too much available colume which allows you to cut the cabinter down later as you find your net volume after constuction. Cabinet colume has a nasty way of coming up short, so it is always best to overcolume the cabinet initially. After removing the water you are ready to prepare the surface to prevent the fiberglass from adhering permanently. Ensure that any objects that protrude into the opening have been covered with duct table and plastic to provide an unbostructed path when the cabinet is removed. Then apply about 5 coats of wax to the entire surface where you intend to apply resin. Mask off the surrounding area with plastic drop cloth to protect the vehicle. Prepare your matt, resin, coloring, and catalyst and have everything on hand and close to the work area.
Step by step1. Mix your resin based on the temperature, gel time and quantity and go to work. You will be applying the first layber of matt, covering all surfaces with a one inch overlap between pieces. Using 2 oz. matt, only one layer is required to produce the "first skin." This will be left to cure for at least 4 hours before it is removed.2. By prying at the edges with screwdrivers or panel removers, the laminate will realease from the spare tire well giving an occasional unnerving cracking sound. The laminate is still flexible since it is quite thin so don't be afraid of bending it to remove it from the vehicle.3. After the laminate has been successfullyremoved from the vehicle try to reinsert it into the spare tire well. If it doesn't not drop right in find where it is catching and grind off fiberglass to allow a very smooth insertion into the tire well and repatch the area to clear the obstruction.4. Now that the cabinet slides easily into place you can licken the cabinet to the appropriate size. Place the cabinet back into the vehicle and applay acouple of largerer pieces of matt and resin to the weaker areas of the cabinet. Once this hardens the cabinet will be stiff enough to allow you to continue working outside the vehicle.5 Set your cabinet on the plastic covered workbench and slip wood shims underneath to prevent the cabinet from warping as you apply more matt. A good trick is to change the color of your resin to all for fast visual confirmation of where you have missed an area. Add matt and resin until the desired thickness is reached and the recheck the volume with measured amounts of water6. The next step is to add a baffle for the subwoofer(s). Lay the cabinet upside down on a piece of cardboard and trace the ouside of the cabinet. Cut the cardboard and trim the edge until it fits inside the rim of the cabinet. Then trace the cardboard onto a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch MDF and cut both the perimeter and the speaker hole. 7. Place the baffle into the cabinet rim and secure it temporarily with afew screws. To seal the baffle into place cut a bunch of 1inch by 4inch strips of matt. dip the drips one at a time into some resin then reach into the speaker hole to place the wet strip into the gap between the baffle and fiberglass wall. This will permanently wond the baffle to the cabinet. As you will be working blind during this process a small mirror will allow you to check your work.8. There will be some excess fiberglass hanging over the edge of the baffle. This is called "flashing" and can be cut off later with a jigsaw. For now leave the flashing attached and pour some catalyzed resin into the gap between the baffle and the flashing to ensure a positive seal.9. Once the resin is fully cured and the complete cabinet is dry, trim of thee flashing and grind down any sharp protrusions. Adisc grinder is the best choice for the task, and be sure to wear a dust mask10. You can finish the cabinet in anyway you like. Since the outside is a perfect fit to the vehicle don't apply anthing except paint or the cabinet will no longer fit the spare tire well. The inside of the cabinet can be damped, filled, or in the case of the plexiglass baffle cosmetically treated.
Stronger than MDF
- 1/4" fiberglass = 5/8" MDF-3/8" fiberglass= 7/8" MDF-1/2" fiberglass= 1 1/4" MDF-1 1/4" MDF weighs a ton
Power Ratings-1/4" good to about 150 watts-3/8" from 150-300 watts-1/2 from 300 and up
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
-
MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
some of the stuff is worded weird it was from a canadian school what can you expect from dem kooky kanucks:) if your serious about your car audio like wanting to do it as a living i would definatly check into taking some of the training courses at mobile dynamics conviently located in arizona and ontario
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
i myself don't really follow the chart but its a sets good standard you just get a sense of how much to use and i make little batches at a time using the lid off a gallon of resin however much it is i do 3 short squirts of hardner into a full lid and it give me about 12-20 minutes to work with the resin before it jells i just keep refilling the lid as i need more normally go through 4-8 lids per session
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
by the way where do you get your resin and matt from and for how much right now i use autozone 24.95 for a gallon of resin and 2 tubes a hardner and 3.99 a package of 8 sq. ft. of matt or cloth and then there's homedepot 21 a gallon and 4.99 for 9sq ft of matt or cloth i'm trying to find somewhere cheaper like maybe 15-18 a gallon and somewhere i can get full rolls of fiberglass
well i pick up all my stuff from a place called Fiber-Tek... they specialize in fibreglassing supplies... they carry everything from sand paper to Carbon-Kevlar Twillweave (mmmmmmmm)...
but just to give you an idea of how much this stuff was... keep in mind these prices are all in Canadian...
-1 yard x 46" wide of 1 oz matte it's $3.99 (CDN)
-10L pail of resin (2.5 gallons) it's $68
-200mL of catalyst is $11
for my carbon fiber twillweave it was $52 per yard x 46" width and for the carbon-kevlar twillweave which my buddy got for his setup was $65, but it looks insane!!
so i dunno i think it's pretty even in price....
but just to give you an idea of how much this stuff was... keep in mind these prices are all in Canadian...
-1 yard x 46" wide of 1 oz matte it's $3.99 (CDN)
-10L pail of resin (2.5 gallons) it's $68
-200mL of catalyst is $11
for my carbon fiber twillweave it was $52 per yard x 46" width and for the carbon-kevlar twillweave which my buddy got for his setup was $65, but it looks insane!!
so i dunno i think it's pretty even in price....
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
damn those sound like pretty decent pricesneed to break out the currency conveter when i was up in toronto for 7 weeks i was starting to get good at converting but all that damn hydro up ther e made me forget it all that roll of carbon makes me drool lol how is it compared to using fiberglass cloth i m ight be intrested in using it i need to do something when i fleece my pods and amp rack was going to paint but the carbon and kevlar are starting to get more and more appealing
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MECPInstaller
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:49 am
- Car: installing stereo systems and minor performance upgrades
ya man... the skinnier bottle in front of the plastic cups (200mL of catalyst) was $11 
workin with carbon fiber is just as easy as workin with fiberglass cloth... it's about equivalent to 6oz fiberglass cloth in terms of thickness but it weighs about 1/3 the weight, it's crazy!! the only thing that really makes it difficult is that in the back of your mind you are thinking "wow this stuff is really expensive and if i don't do this right the first time then i've just wasted a ****load of money..." you also gotta be very delicate with it because you want the weaves to remain as tight as possible (for looks) but it's slippery stuff and the weaves don't hold together quite as well as fiberglass cloth does...
workin with carbon fiber is just as easy as workin with fiberglass cloth... it's about equivalent to 6oz fiberglass cloth in terms of thickness but it weighs about 1/3 the weight, it's crazy!! the only thing that really makes it difficult is that in the back of your mind you are thinking "wow this stuff is really expensive and if i don't do this right the first time then i've just wasted a ****load of money..." you also gotta be very delicate with it because you want the weaves to remain as tight as possible (for looks) but it's slippery stuff and the weaves don't hold together quite as well as fiberglass cloth does...
the toughest part of working with carbon fiber is layering the resin on... you need to put on about 3-4 layers of surfboard resin (dries completely clear), letting each layer harden after applying the next... then you gotta sand like a mofo... it's just like sanding bondo, but clogs up the sandpaper a bit faster... then you need to buy special buffing compound specifically made for resin (you can see in the pic, beside the 1L container of surfboard resin)... it looks pretty damn tight though after all is said and done
oh and i would stick to working with flat surfaces when doing carbon fiber... kinda like vinyling, but you can't really stretch this stuff without seperating the weaves...
oh and i would stick to working with flat surfaces when doing carbon fiber... kinda like vinyling, but you can't really stretch this stuff without seperating the weaves...
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MECPInstaller
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Simmsled thanks for grouping them together. Sorry about the sloppy format the document was in it was fine when i typed in Word then i tried cut and pasting it to the the quick reply and it sorta screwed up i was getting alil nervy after 2 hours of straight typing thanks again and i'm happy to contribute to the fiberglassing cause
thanks again and i'm happy to contribute to the fiberglassing cause-
mattlord42
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A thread in the B/S/T forum made me think of this, why don't we list some online retailers that sell fiber glass supplies? Here were two that popped up in that thread:
This one was recommended by Andrave as having great customer service:
http://www.tapplastics.com/
Here is another one that somebody found:
http://www.uscomposites.com/
A list like this could be helpful to people like myself who live in tiny towns that don't have a local place to pick this stuff up.
Matt
This one was recommended by Andrave as having great customer service:
http://www.tapplastics.com/
Here is another one that somebody found:
http://www.uscomposites.com/
A list like this could be helpful to people like myself who live in tiny towns that don't have a local place to pick this stuff up.
Matt
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MECPInstaller
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http://www.selectproducts.com carbon fiber fiberglass plexi (up to 3" thick wtf do you use that for:) ) its basically a custominstallers wet dream to bad they charge a hazmat fee for shipping resins
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com carbon fiber epoxies once again another wet dream:)
Oh Sh*t this is waybeyond a dream you guys might like this a link loaded with lots and lots and lots of resin distributors i think my heart skipped a beat lol http://www.globalspec.com/Prod...=ggka
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com carbon fiber epoxies once again another wet dream:)
Oh Sh*t this is waybeyond a dream you guys might like this a link loaded with lots and lots and lots of resin distributors i think my heart skipped a beat lol http://www.globalspec.com/Prod...=ggka
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MECPInstaller
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mattlord42
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MECPInstaller
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usually if somewhere sells resin they sell matte in like a 6" by 6" clear and blue package made by bondo the best place i've found was home depot at like 20 a gallon of resin and 4.99 for either 9 ft of matte or cloth next would be autozone at 24.99 a gallon and 3.99 for 8 sq ft of matte or cloth haven't really tried any online places cause of the whole hazmat fee select products charges like 25 a gallon for resin but then its another 20 to ship it kinda stupid if you ask me
CRAZY!! they DO have a website! umm i think you guys will be a little envious of me, but this is the local place that i go to... they got MAD amounts of supplies, check em out:
http://www.fiber-tek.com/
http://www.fiber-tek.com/
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audtatious
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If interested, I did a writeup a number of years ago concerning easy quasi-fiberglass door enclosures. Unfortunately, there were no digital cameras at that time (appx 10 years ago tho I did not do a page until '97) so it is text-based....
http://www.win.net/audtatious/audio/nclosure.html
http://www.win.net/audtatious/audio/nclosure.html
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Hellion240sx
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question
how can i make a mould without using the original piece? ok i dont think that made sense lemme try again.ok i took out most of the plastic pieces from the inside of my car, rear quarter panel, rear shelf the whol;e thing! and i was wondering if i can make a mold out of it with out haveing to glass the actual plastic? does that sound better? i was thinking of putting like something over it like a tshirt, stapling it so it would fit TIGHTLY around the piece and put tape over the shirt. once that is done tape aluminun foil strips on top so it wont seep thru to the actual plastic. then throw resin and the mat on top about 1 layer take it off and work on it from there. about another layer of glass. then bondo sand paint! so how does that sound?
how can i make a mould without using the original piece? ok i dont think that made sense lemme try again.ok i took out most of the plastic pieces from the inside of my car, rear quarter panel, rear shelf the whol;e thing! and i was wondering if i can make a mold out of it with out haveing to glass the actual plastic? does that sound better? i was thinking of putting like something over it like a tshirt, stapling it so it would fit TIGHTLY around the piece and put tape over the shirt. once that is done tape aluminun foil strips on top so it wont seep thru to the actual plastic. then throw resin and the mat on top about 1 layer take it off and work on it from there. about another layer of glass. then bondo sand paint! so how does that sound?
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