Make a fiberglass fan shroud
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[[Image:20wax and PVA.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:20wax and PVA.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
| − | + | ===Laminating the part=== | |
| − | Cut strips of 1 1/2 oz fiberglass mat on a peice of cardboard, ready to be wetted out. | + | Cut strips of 1 1/2 oz fiberglass mat on a peice of cardboard, ready to be wetted out. 3 layers of 1 1/2 oz mat will make a part that is about 0.120" thick, as each layer contributes about .040" to the laminate. There will be an extra layer laminated around all of the edges to make the final part about 0.160" thick. |
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[[Image:21mat strips.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:21mat strips.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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Pick up the material from the wet out board and apply it to the part. Don't try to push it ito any inside corners or stretch it over any outside corners just yet. | Pick up the material from the wet out board and apply it to the part. Don't try to push it ito any inside corners or stretch it over any outside corners just yet. | ||
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| + | [[Image:Even 29more applying material.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
[[Image:26applying material.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:26applying material.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| − | Stretch the material over any outside corners, don't try to fold it, it will only spring back. | + | |
| + | Stretch the material over any outside corners, don't try to fold it, it will only spring back. Push the material into inside corners, stretching it as you go. If it gets thin, more material can be added. I usually stretch the material, and wind up with a section of mat that I can reapply to the stretched, thinned out aresa. | ||
[[Image:28stretching over corner.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:28stretching over corner.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| − | I made a roller out of some threaded rod, a file handle and some 1/4 rod. It works extremely well for rolling out air bubbles in fiberglass. Move slowly,applying enough pressure to roll the air out, but not so much pressure that you move the mat around of push all of the | + | |
| − | You can use a brush, foam roller or your fingers to manipulate the air out. Squeegees don't work on mat. | + | I made a roller out of some threaded rod, a file handle and some 1/4 rod. It works extremely well for rolling out air bubbles in fiberglass. Move slowly, applying enough pressure to roll the air out, but not so much pressure that you move the mat around of push all of the air bubbles out. Air bubbles look like clear voids, they are easily spotted when you put pressure on them as you can move them around."Dry" spots will show up as white strands of fiberglass that spring up out of the resin. |
| + | You can use a brush, foam roller or your fingers to manipulate the air out. Squeegees don't work well on mat. | ||
[[Image:30rolling out the air.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:30rolling out the air.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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[[Image:31rolling out some more air.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:31rolling out some more air.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
| − | + | When you roll into a corner, dwell there with the roller for a second. This will allow the air to come out of the corner. | |
[[Image:32dwell in the corners.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:32dwell in the corners.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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[[Image:40all laid up.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:40all laid up.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | Here is a couple of troubleshooting pictures. The white streaks and crosses are the result of a slightly stressed part, this one was from the laminate being in the sun and curing too fast in that spot. It is the resin shrinking and pulling the fibers apart that causes that appearance. | ||
[[Image:41slightly stressed from shrinking too fast.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:41slightly stressed from shrinking too fast.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | Here are some air bubbles, center right of the pic, and a resin rich area. The fibers are almost floating on the resin, and the appearance is one of shiny, glossy pure resin,with a very low reinforcement ratio. The air shows up as misshapen, somewhat opaque objects in the laminate. | ||
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| + | This would not be acceptable to me on an exterior body part, in this case it is the underside of a fan shroud, and will work just fine. The air bubbles can be ground out, and filled. | ||
[[Image:42close up of resin rich and air bubbles.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:42close up of resin rich and air bubbles.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | Resin rich, again. | ||
[[Image:43resin rich.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:43resin rich.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
| − | [[Image:44good resin glass ratio.JPG|center|600px]] | + | An indication of a good resin/reinforcement ratio is shown in this picture, the laminate has a dull finish, with the fibers at the surface, but with no dry areas. The fibers should have a somewhat "flattened" appearance, this indicates a tight rollout. |
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| + | [[Image:44good resin glass ratio.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | ===Trimming the part=== | ||
| + | I use a diamond saw on a die grinder to trim parts, you can use a grinder with a 24 grit disc or sawzall just as easily. | ||
[[Image:44trimming the excess.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:44trimming the excess.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | All trimmed, ground and ready for some body filler. | ||
[[Image:45trimmed part.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:45trimmed part.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
| + | Fiberglass is very messy, and the dust is quite a nuisance, as shown by the dust that has accumulated on our test dummy. Use of a minimum N95 dust mask, and proper eye and body protection is a must. Don't do this in your house, or anywhere without adequate ventilation. | ||
| + | The dust will migrate everywhere if you don't exhaust it, or collect it. | ||
| + | It is considered by some to be harmful, take appropriate measures to keep it safe. | ||
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[[Image:46trimmed part with a fat boy.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:46trimmed part with a fat boy.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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| + | ===Finishing the part=== | ||
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| + | [[Image:49even more bondo.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
[[Image:47skim coat of bondo.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:47skim coat of bondo.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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[[Image:48more bondo.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:48more bondo.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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[[Image:50after sanding.JPG|center|600px]] | [[Image:50after sanding.JPG|center|600px]] | ||
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