door panel help

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

Im going to start my first fiberglass project soon which is my door panels. How should I secure the fleece? Should I use hot glue? staples or adhesive? and if I am to use staples, are the air staplers the only ones powerful enough to go through the plastic? Also, should the fabric wrap around the back of the door panel? I have other questions as well, but ill wait to see what you guys say about these.

Thanks

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[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I use a hot glue gun and usually end up gluing to the back side of the panel. Really depends upon if you're doing pods for full build outs.

I use an electric stapler to attach the fabric to the rings or baffles after doing a rabbet...

 

[mklett33 10+ year member]

Im going to start my first fiberglass project soon which is my door panels. How should I secure the fleece? Should I use hot glue? staples or adhesive? and if I am to use staples, are the air staplers the only ones powerful enough to go through the plastic? Also, should the fabric wrap around the back of the door panel? I have other questions as well, but ill wait to see what you guys say about these. Thanks

If you are going to be learning glassing you are definitely going to want to check out my youtube channel. I have been working on a series of tutorials teaching all that I know about glassing. Although I am currently doing an amp rack build there are many lessons that will carry over to dorr panels. Take a look at this thread:

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/enclosure-design-construction-help/560250-how-make-flawless-fiberglass-insert-template-shapes-scratch-%2A%2Avideos%2A%2A.html

I never attach fleece directly to plastic, I have had much more success making a wooden "frame" and bonding it to the plastic, and then stapling all the fleece to that wooden frame. Much cleaner in my opinion. Plus if you plan on wrapping the panel with any sort of material the more removable pieces the better. Give you somewhere to hide your gaps. Draw us a picture of what you are planning and I would love to give you some suggestions!

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

If you are going to be learning glassing you are definitely going to want to check out my youtube channel. I have been working on a series of tutorials teaching all that I know about glassing. Although I am currently doing an amp rack build there are many lessons that will carry over to dorr panels. Take a look at this thread:
http://www.caraudio.com/forums/enclosure-design-construction-help/560250-how-make-flawless-fiberglass-insert-template-shapes-scratch-%2A%2Avideos%2A%2A.html

I never attach fleece directly to plastic, I have had much more success making a wooden "frame" and bonding it to the plastic, and then stapling all the fleece to that wooden frame. Much cleaner in my opinion. Plus if you plan on wrapping the panel with any sort of material the more removable pieces the better. Give you somewhere to hide your gaps. Draw us a picture of what you are planning and I would love to give you some suggestions!

awsome thanks man, and ill try to upload a picture of my thoughts. its gonna be tough to fit what I want on the door panel. Im doing two 6.5"s and one super tweet in each door, and its in a jeep cherokee. There is no room for them between the seat and the door panel, so it all has to be in front. But I will try to upload a picture, and when you say not attatching the fleece directly to the plastic but a wooden frame rather, is that attatched to the panel, or does it replace the panel?

 

[mklett33 10+ year member]

The wooden frame is then attached to the panel. You coud do all out wood and start fresh, but thats pretty advanced stuff, I would say adhere the wooden panel to the plastic.

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

The wooden frame is then attached to the panel. You coud do all out wood and start fresh, but thats pretty advanced stuff, I would say adhere the wooden panel to the plastic.

awesome, thanks man. yeah today I picked up my 3m adhesive and I got the rings ready for the first door panel, now I jut have to find my hot glue gun. also, for the stapling do you use an air stapler or a manuel one?

 

[Kingstroker 10+ year member]

I've done a lot of upholstery work and am partial to air guns. You need to be able to adjust air pressure, with too much you will cut through the fabric. Practice on something else using the same materials. Pull on the fleece after stapling to make sure it is not held just by the staple legs only.

 

[mklett33 10+ year member]

awesome, thanks man. yeah today I picked up my 3m adhesive and I got the rings ready for the first door panel, now I jut have to find my hot glue gun. also, for the stapling do you use an air stapler or a manuel one?

I have never had any trouble with my electronic one, but I am only using 1/8 inch staples.

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

I've done a lot of upholstery work and am partial to air guns. You need to be able to adjust air pressure, with too much you will cut through the fabric. Practice on something else using the same materials. Pull on the fleece after stapling to make sure it is not held just by the staple legs only.

what do you mean not just held by just the legs of the staple? like if the staple is not all the way into the plastic? and also, I got type 77 3m adhesive for the fleece as well. Should I just staple one end, then spray it and stretch it tight and staple the other side?

 

[Kingstroker 10+ year member]

the stapling part of the statement would be more for and wood or MDF, you want the piece between the staple legs to be tight against the material without cutting through it. As far as plastic, of course you would fold the legs flat. Test your adhesive out on samples and follow the directions. Spray adhesives can soak through some materials if applied too thick or if the material is too thin. If what you are covering is flat sometimes you can apply your adhesive on the back side around the edges and you won't have to worry about it soaking through. If you get good adhesion you won't need staples. Take the time to test everything before you work on the final product. Pictures are priceless when seeking advice.

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

the stapling part of the statement would be more for and wood or MDF, you want the piece between the staple legs to be tight against the material without cutting through it. As far as plastic, of course you would fold the legs flat. Test your adhesive out on samples and follow the directions. Spray adhesives can soak through some materials if applied too thick or if the material is too thin. If what you are covering is flat sometimes you can apply your adhesive on the back side around the edges and you won't have to worry about it soaking through. If you get good adhesion you won't need staples. Take the time to test everything before you work on the final product. Pictures are priceless when seeking advice.

ok, yeah Im gonna post some pictures tonight hopefully

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

These are pictures of what the mounting rings look like and where there gonna sit

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

These are pictures of what the mounting rings look like and where there gonna sit

oh, and as you might have figured the masking tape is where the dash comes to

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

What do you intend to do with the door pocket?

 

[knotdrummer88 10+ year member]

What do you intend to do with the door pocket?

It will be cut out