Will resin soaked fleece be enough for my application?

[PolishDude 10+ year member]

Okay I am thinking about building a custom enclosure. The actual part of the enclosure that creates airspace for the sub will all be out of mdf. I just want to use some fleece to create an outside shape for the box. It will not be holding up any weight or anything like that, just creating a shape. Will just resin soaked fleece be enough? How sturdy is that? Or should I put a couple layers of matt? The reason I ask is because I plan on covering the box in carbon fiber fabric vinyl, which actually hides small imperfections since its textured unlike normal vinyl, so that way I could probably put it right on top of the fleece without worrying about bondo/sanding/etc. If I use matt I will def have to use some body filler to get it back to decently smooth again. I dont have to worry about small pits or anything like that since it is not getting painted.

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[req 5,000+ posts]

if your fleece\resin will be open to the internal area of the box, then yes. if not, then if you soak it well enough you might be fine. i would put 2 or 3 layers of it on there anyway. because if something hits it, it still might crack.

as far as the cf stuff, id still sand\fill the fleece. it gets real rough and has lots of bad imperfections after you resin it. you will most likely be able to see the lumps and **** thru the cf stuff.

 

[htownplaya456 10+ year member]

yeah just do the fleece and mix the resin at 2% MEKP. once it gets done drying give it a little sanding and then apply a very light skim coat of bondo then sand smooth.

oh yeah like he said soak it very good

 

[W8 a minute 10+ year member]

Fleece has almost no structural merits on its own. You'll have to use some fiberglass mat for strength.

http://www.fiberglassforums.com/index.php

 

[htownplaya456 10+ year member]

hes only using it to create a shape

 

[LUV2BHATED 10+ year member]

put at least 2 layers, better safe then sorry

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

hes only using it to create a shape

create shape or not, if it gets hit or handeld rouhgly by anything it will crack.

 

[PolishDude 10+ year member]

if i was to put a couple layers, could I just use mat instead of cloth? When I built my fiberglass box for my last car I had MUCH better success in making matt nice and smooth then cloth

 

[Thieroff 10+ year member]

I say put mat down too man, resin+fleece alone isn't very strong.

CT

 

[W8 a minute 10+ year member]

You can soak fleece in resin and when it hardens you can break it like a cracker.

If its a large enough area you can poke through it with your finger.

I wouldn't trust fleece to hold any shape without putting some fiberglass on it.

I quit using fleece all together and now use something that's very close to grill cloth. 100% polyester with a definite weave and a 3 way stretch. Why add a layer of anything if it's not going to have at least SOME structural strength to it?? IMHO fleece is a waste of time and money.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

i dont know what kind of fleece you use, but the stuff i use gives some strength. i most definatly could crack it if i tried, but theres no way i could put my finger thru it, much less a hammer without a few whacks to it. but it would definatly crack the **** out of it.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

I'd put AT LEAST 1 layer of chop mat on... if not two.

Then go over with bondo... it will add to the structural intergrity... but it'll still fracture if hit hard...

nG

 

[PolishDude 10+ year member]

If i do one, at that point I can do 2 or 3. I much rather use mat though then fiberglass cloth

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

matt is stronger than cloth anyway.

so have fun with the matt lol.

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

I'd put AT LEAST 1 layer of chop mat on... if not two.
Then go over with bondo... it will add to the structural intergrity... but it'll still fracture if hit hard...

nG

bondo //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

I thought you were a RAGE kinda guy