bump don`t know enough to be of any value . it was like a century ago that i last used that stuff. hope you get some answers .
fiberglass
Does anyone know how to use fiberglass to make stuff, like say make your own hood, or if anyone knows a good resource, just for reading material?
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Don´t you get thin sheets of it and you basically have to glue it together like a piece of plywood, and then fill in the bumps and holes, sand smooth and put fasteners on it?
I got another question, don´t you make hoods out of carbon fiber? or is it fiberglass that you use to make carbon fiber? :-?
If I can make myself a fiberglass hood and it be as light as a carbon fiber hood then hell yeah i´d make one and put on striking pins to hold it down. that´d be "dope" as these youngsters call it :-]
If I can make myself a fiberglass hood and it be as light as a carbon fiber hood then hell yeah i´d make one and put on striking pins to hold it down. that´d be "dope" as these youngsters call it :-]
a fiberglass won´t be as tough as a carbon fiber hood and not as light, but it will still be ALOT lighter than stock. Some hoods are carbon fiber and the supports made out of fiberglass. I think fiberglass is probably alot easier to work with than carbon fiber.
Carbonfiber is at least 2-3 times the cost. If you have never used fiberglass I recommend playing with it first. Carbonfiber hoods are made from fiberglass molds.
To make a hood you´ll have to wetsand and polish it smooth and apply several coats of mold release wax. Any mods can be made prior to the mold using a stock hood but it still has to be the final shape and super smooth.
Spray the hood with gel coat, apply many, many coats of fiberglass for a mold and use wood supports or bracing to help maintain the shape and durability of the mold so it doesnt break while removing hoods. Once the fiberglass is dry, remove the hood from the mold. The mold will then need all imperfections removed and be polished to perfection. Coat with several layers of some type of mold release wax.
Apply gel coat, fiberglass (remember to add support, hood latch stuff and hinge area reinforcement with some sort of steel backing to bolt to). The bracing and such can also be added later but recommended before removing from the mold. Removing from the mold can be tough, usually alittle prying while pressurizing it with an air hose between the layer is most affective.
Without a mold to start from it would be nearly impossible to get the proper shape to fit the vehicle. The cost of making a hood can be much more costly than buying an existing carbonfiber hood. If the design is good and people are interested the cost can be offset by selling to others. But make sure the hoods will hold up if sold, it would´nt be good if hoods are breaking or flying off. Liability sucks.
To make a hood you´ll have to wetsand and polish it smooth and apply several coats of mold release wax. Any mods can be made prior to the mold using a stock hood but it still has to be the final shape and super smooth.
Spray the hood with gel coat, apply many, many coats of fiberglass for a mold and use wood supports or bracing to help maintain the shape and durability of the mold so it doesnt break while removing hoods. Once the fiberglass is dry, remove the hood from the mold. The mold will then need all imperfections removed and be polished to perfection. Coat with several layers of some type of mold release wax.
Apply gel coat, fiberglass (remember to add support, hood latch stuff and hinge area reinforcement with some sort of steel backing to bolt to). The bracing and such can also be added later but recommended before removing from the mold. Removing from the mold can be tough, usually alittle prying while pressurizing it with an air hose between the layer is most affective.
Without a mold to start from it would be nearly impossible to get the proper shape to fit the vehicle. The cost of making a hood can be much more costly than buying an existing carbonfiber hood. If the design is good and people are interested the cost can be offset by selling to others. But make sure the hoods will hold up if sold, it would´nt be good if hoods are breaking or flying off. Liability sucks.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
FEOA Forums
A forum community dedicated to Ford Escort owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
