Fiberglass.....how do you make a bottom?!?!

[swimfreak26 10+ year member]

Allright, I'm ready to move into fiberglass but I can't figure something out. I see all of the tutorials molding fiberglass into specific areas, but none on how to create a free standing box.

Basically I am planning on building a frame out of MDF, and stretching out fleece over that, and beginning the process, but as I think about it...I have no idea how to make the bottom of the box. I mean I see covering the sides and top, but how will the bottom be on...do I just wait for everything else to cure and then do the bottom, and sand out later?

Thanks for your help

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[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Where are you planning on building this box? Generally, the bottom will be the mold you make, which will fit the contours of whatever you are molding it to. The mounting ring/baffle will be the top, and the fleece will be the sides.

 

[swimfreak26 10+ year member]

That's the conventional way to do it I know, but I am looking to build a "freestanding" box. In otherwords I am going for non-custom (as the word pertains to vehicle specifics) enclosure, that could be transfered into a new car if need be.

So I will be building the box outside of the car completely....as I think about it though, if you do the "mold-to-the-car" thing then you're basically creating one side and then joining it with others (as the fleece is added) so would I just use the same concept?

lay out a flat bottom

glue frame to bottom

fleece

Continue on glassing

obviously I'm leaving out some steps, but that's just to show the general idea I'm getting, does that make sense or would it not work? Also, how would I join the sides together without having unequalities?

Again, thanks for any help

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Well, for what you want to do, why don't you leave the base flat? If you have some weird-shaped curved base, it's going to have trouble standing on it's own, much less be able to switch between vehicles. Build a basic frame out of MDF, be it a bottom and top, bottom and sides, bottom top and sides, or whatever. Then mount the baffle with dowels, add whatever shapes you want using wire mesh, chicken wire, pipe cleaners, etc. etc, stretch the fleece to fit around the baffle and curved areas, and then fiberglass it.

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

why dont u clear out your garage, lay some tape down on a flat part of your garage floor but alluminum foil over that, and take the edges down of the alluminum foil, spray some pam on the area u will be putting resin, resin that, let it harden, take it up, place your doyls, and do the "traditional" way

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Making a completely flat section out of fiberglass sort of defeats the purpose of fiberglass.

 

[swimfreak26 10+ year member]

I'm going to have a completely flat section, but that will only be the bottom. My main question now I guess before I get started, is how do I join the bottom and the rest of the box when they will have to be glassed at different times?

 

[williams22 10+ year member]

I dont understand why you wouldnt just use mdf for this box?

 

[swimfreak26 10+ year member]

because MDF is boring...I've been there, and I want something much more clean looking, plus I just want the experience. Can anyone help with the issue though, how do you join, cleanly, two edges being glassed at different times?

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Just so you know, fiberglass is strongest in curved areas, so it's a big waste of time and money to do a flat area in fiberglass. As far as joining edges, just use fleece as you normally would. The clean look you desire is achieved through lots and lots of time spent on applying body filler and sanding it.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

Using Fglass is a waste of time and money for flat panels. But if you really want to the best way is to find an old piece of glass ( window ) spray it down with pam. Then get to glassin, Make sure you smooth it out real well, Then after one or two layers glass in some poly rope for strength. Then another couple layers of mat. Viola perfectly flat really strong fglass panels //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[TPABlazer 10+ year member]

im going with mdf..it may be boring, but nobody will see the bottom anyways... my box has 2 mdf sides just for keeping it flat

 

[Hondaluv 10+ year member]

Jesus, mdf bottom, sides and back, mount your rings and glass the front over, universal but interesting.

 

[jellyfish420 10+ year member]

make the bottom first, stretch the fleece over the frame and mdf rings, staple it on the bottom. then go to town w/ the glass. silicone it from the inside when your done.

 

[Acidburn 5,000+ posts]

guys, this threads over 3 months old...