does fiberglass stick to metal?

[martins_240sx]

Just what the title ask^

[Zippy69]

With the right surface prep, anything is possible. Fiberglass will stick to metal but after time it will release. But you can use adhesive on dry fiberglass, but it sounds like you are talking about putting wet fiberglass on top of metal. If this is so, then it won't last long unless you give it some to grab on to. ruff the area really well, at least 60 grit, and it will stick pretty good. Pick up a book on bodywork at your local library and you should find all the info there if you can't find it here. Good luck!!!

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^ I don't know what the hell this guy is talking about... fiberglass DEFINATELY sticks to metal. I've had spots of fiberglass on my car for over 5 years, still sticking strong.

It might actually work better if the surface was nice and smooth. Being a sticky substance... the more surface area the better (kinda like tires, that is why wide slicks are better than skinny knobbies...)

The thing you have to worry about is: will this section be seeing any stresses? Fiberglass and metal bend, expand, and contract all at different rates. If it is a high heat area, or high stress area, it might crack off in time. (This is the same reason you can pry it off of a plastic container or whatever, the plastic bends, the fiberglass doesn't).

Any more questions?

[AllShowNoGo2.8]

yes it does, i used fine mat fiberglass to seal the backsides of the lower n upper moldings on the doors of my audi and then bondo the front of them in and it came out awesome.

[AllShowNoGo2.8]

just make sure that when you do fiberglass work it is in a warm area. like 65 degrees and higher

[tonynalli]

Papasmurf you are pretty much right except for the smooth surface hypothesis. You WILL want to rough up the surface because the groves and scratches that gets embeded in the metal ultimatly means more surface area for the resin to adhere properly to.

[martins_240sx]

thanks for all the input...im actually trying to do this on my rear quarter panels. molding my overfenders ive tried bondo...crack.....tiger hair, current....it seperated....so i figure since the tiger hair has fiber glass in it I could lay it over that?

[Fla240sx]

try this:

get fiberglass resin mix it up with harderner

take fiberglass chop mat

cut it up so its all hairs, mix it up with fiberglass

the ideal mixture of material to resin is 45% resin paiste it on there

let dry sandsmooth with bonda/puttyprime paint

theres a reason why it keeps cracking though.. how is it secure to the car, the more secure you can make the fender, the less chance of it moving, the less chance of fiberglass breaking... fix the problem so it doesn't create other problems.....

also your theory of a race slick is flawed, thats comming into contact with a smooth surface and the tire is a solid... so it will only has a certain contact patch as we call it...

with fiberglass, roughing it up use 36 grit, creates more areas to grab onto, not only does it have the surface, but now it has a 3d texture to adhere to.......

also something to think about, Kevlar reduces cracking

so if u want to put kevlar on it, do the chop mat idea I have, let it dry

rough it up with 80 or 36 or something, then put one layer of kevlar down FIRST, then put two layers of E-glass.. the woven **** on top of the kevlar... then sand, bondo, prime etc.....

Kevlar is strong, but it needs to be covered, if u sand through it, it will just get like hair that you will never be able to cut off/remove completely, like a fringe, it will just take more and more out... so you have to cover it with another material that you can sand/smooth etc....

let me know if u need any other ideas or such, I'm almost good at fiberglassing/kevlar/Carbon Fiber haha....

[Fla240sx]

you could also use carbon fiber... just like fiberglass etc... I would take say a 2" strip and a 4" strip, putting the smaller sized strip down first and covering it with the 4" strip... it needs to be pushed down and tucked against the metal without any air under it... use a paintbrush or such

let me know if u need a hook-up on any carbon/Kevlar I gatz some....

my carbon supplies are kinda low tho.. I like to keep it for myself

[PapaSmurf2k3]

also your theory of a race slick is flawed, thats comming into contact with a smooth surface and the tire is a solid... so it will only has a certain contact patch as we call it...

meh, it was early when I typed that... even still I doubt it would make too much of a difference. The strength is in the fibers, NOT the resin. The fibers won't get down into the cracks and crevices... and they might actually cause air bubbles if they are too deep, and as we all know... air bubbles are baaad mmmkay?

[Kataki_]

Air bubbles bad. no bubbles good even goes for window tint >>

[burntricer]

buddy...im gunna tell again

P-A-N-E-L B-O-N-D-E-R!!

my buddy used it to stick his fiberglass front end to his firewall, and that **** aint never cracked after 3 years.



even something like this

google is your friend

http://www.tcpglobal.com/3m/duramixfiberglass.aspx

[tonynalli]

How many of you people actually work with this stuff. I run a jet ski company down in teh keys and repair fiberglass ALL day long. It's not difficult to do what you are wanting to do, some people have a tendancy to make it appear that way. Fill in the gaps all around the edges and lay a LONG strip of 2inch wide glass matt that runs all along the entire length of the flair. There is a prooduct called Caboseal(sp?) its a fiberglass filler that works great for filling in small places. You need to allow a lengthy amount to drying time bewteen each step*insert smoke/drink breaks*If you want some real tips with actual experience behind them email me.

Dude, let these girls wine about what they want. Just sand the surface down like you would with ANY adhesive, and you'll be fine. Good luck with the project, take LOTS of pictures and keep us posted.

[Robsx_se]

^^i think i love you.

[burntricer]

How many of you people actually work with this stuff. I run a jet ski company down in teh keys and repair fiberglass ALL day long. It's not difficult to do what you are wanting to do, some people have a tendancy to make it appear that way. Fill in the gaps all around the edges and lay a LONG strip of 2inch wide glass matt that runs all along the entire length of the flair. There is a prooduct called Caboseal(sp?) its a fiberglass filler that works great for filling in small places. You need to allow a lengthy amount to drying time bewteen each step*insert smoke/drink breaks*If you want some real tips with actual experience behind them email me.

Dude, let these girls wine about what they want. Just sand the surface down like you would with ANY adhesive, and you'll be fine. Good luck with the project, take LOTS of pictures and keep us posted.

i agree with using glass, but still the panel bonder, its 2 part epoxy, and it glues it down to the regular fender, and it WILL not crack, why you may ask...cuz it has a flex agent in it.

step one - take it down with some 80 grit, right down to the over fender

step two - drill out all your rivets

step three - Remove panel, and weld holes from rivets shut except one every 8 inches

step four - use panel bonder to glue the fender in place, and rivet every corner inches to keep it even.

Step five - once panel bonder is holding the fender in place, you can you can take out the rivets again.

Step 6 - take sandpaper (probably around 100 grit and sand smooth. once smooth (line between panel bonder and over fender, and stock fender and panel bonder) feather where the bonder meets stock steel so there are no ridges

step 7 - use very minimal bondo on the edge where the two panels meet

step 8 - sand until it just fills the low spots, fill pits with glazing putty, prime/paint

problem fixed, ill bet money that if you did it this way you would have a 100 better looking finished product then the waves of your current fenders, and you would also have a product that will never crack

we did this on my buddys 240, we did this on my dads van (for his flares) we did this on my friends 63 apache, to put the drag front end on to the mounts...

TRUST ME IT WORKS

[tonynalli]

and it WILL not crack, why you may ask...cuz it has a flex agent in it.

Never asked. Why waste your time with two-part, if you are going to use a flexable material then think about using 5200 or 5300. We use them for gluing on bumpers down to the sides of jet skis. If they can endure the rigorous kind of riding I do, then your flair will be able to withstand any road driving. Burn ricers way will also work great too. So now you have no reason to mess this up, haha.

Either way you need to secure the overfenders no matter what. So use the free thoughts of your own and get-er-done.

[Fla240sx]

How many of you people actually work with this stuff. I run a jet ski company down in teh keys and repair fiberglass ALL day long.

wanna give me a job? haha

I used to build parts out of E-glass, Kevlar, Carbon Fiber for Mosler Automotive, I worked there for 10 months.. too political

we build the MT900 supercar, I built things like doors, bumpers, splitters.....

[tonynalli]

Ha, if you have the balls to move down to Key West, then im sure you dont need my help getting a yob...We dont need a fiberglass repairman because thats what I do. No matter what you do here, the lifestyle is unlike anything else in the United States. Thats neither here nor there.

Lets hope the Op, has had some gool luck with glasswork.

[Fla240sx]

yeah I don't think I could make it down there, too small and no where for me to go beat on the car........

[PapaSmurf2k3]

How many of you people actually work with this stuff.

I do. I mostly use the "west system" epoxy resin, although I have used others numerous times.

[burntricer]

I do. I mostly use the "west system" epoxy resin, although I have used others numerous times.

i have used that, we used it to build my dads sail boat, good ****, but expensive!