fiberglass fab

[bikenutt1980]

Anyone know of a good resource how-to on fiberglass?

[DiverRay]

Check your local library! I've been able to find books on about anything.

[79XS11F]

search the Internet and I am sure you will find a pile of stuff on fiberglass fab.
Rob

[bikenutt1980]

Ive searched all over the net, No really how-to just a bunch of companies.

[79XS11F]

Do a "goggle" search for fiberglass how to loads of places come up from making your own molds to how to paint the stuff
Rob

[firecrackerboom]

whatcha gonna make?

[81xsproject]

I bet he wants sidecovers

[fredintoon]

Breathing the fumes will rot your liver.
Inhaling the glass fibers will give you emphysema of you don't smoke and lung cancer if you do. Google "breathing masks" and "Scott air packs" before you even start.

[mro]

"Scott air packs"

A little XSive...
I just use a fan or two to keep fumes dust going out and away from the work area. Have only done a few small jobs, mostly repairs.

Have used Scott air and a chem suit. Not recommended when it's 85 degrees and you have to work in the sun


mro
btw, ever heard of a chem called H2S (used in refineries)

[trukleon]

h2s

MRO,, its found in oil deposits n such and obviously the smell gives it away until it burns you out then you become ??????

[xschop]

fiby glass

if your doing small pieces once in a while, then no wory. Don't mix apply the resin/ ketone in a garage or closed area where there's no ventilation. a square window fan will suffice. Make the sidecovers/seat pan one piece-you won't regret it. hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, that's when it's at a low enough conc. that it is not damaging your olfactory nerve and you are able to smell it. when you can't smell it is when you are in trouble...

[bikenutt1980]

the fender i bought from chop will need a new seat for the bike. Still trying to find a seat that will be close to what i need but looks like i might need to do some fab work.

[fredintoon]

Hi Bikenutt,
building a custom FRP seat base is easy.
The hard part with FRP is getting a good surface finish on the side that people see and a seat base won't have one, right?
Make yourself the base you need from cardboard and masking tape. You are going to glass over this on both sides. The resin will soak the cardboard and stiffen it to make the core of your laminate. If you want the stock mounting studs in your new base, build them in too. Put the mounting bolt heads through a strip of that perforated steel heating duct strapping you can get at any builders supply store, clamp in place with a nut and braze the joint solid. The perforated strip goes on top of the cardboard and the threads stick through. Be sure they are in the right place before you start glassing.
The tongue at the front had better be steel and bolted on afterwards with a steel backing plate on top.
You will need polyester resin & catalyst,
Both woven glass cloth and random mat glass cloth, as much acetone for cleanup as you have resin, a real bristle paintbrush you are prepared to throw away and lotsa margerine tubs & wooden stir sticks.
You will need to wear a good breathing mask with cartridges that say "organic vapors" fit new cartridges every day if not sooner. Disposable vinyl gloves and a tyvek suit are also advisable.
Mix the resin & catalyst according to the recipe. Mix no more than you will need at the time. The resin will set up in the pot faster than it will on the work so don't overcatalize.
Paint the cardboard core with resin and spread a layer of random mat cloth over it. Apply resin to the glass and dab at it until the glass turns from silvery colour to transparent then chase all the bubbles out. With the resin still wet put on a layer of woven cloth and wet it out and chase the bubbles out.
That's one side done.
Let it completely set up before doing the other side the exact same way. Put extra layers of woven cloth around anywhere a bolt or fastener is going to be. When it's all completely cured trim it with a sanding disc on an angle grinder.
Wear all your protective gear when sanding, too. The dust is just as hazardous as the fumes.
Note that acetone only dissolves wet resin. Once it's set the acetone won't touch it.
Good luck.

[Pat Kelly]

I made a kayak that way (cardboard/fiberglass) and a solo cafe seat for my Honda Hawk.

[bikenutt1980]

Thanks for all the help. I took the bike to a few HD shops today to see if I could find a seat that fit better. I did find a Mustang seat that fit perfect its a aftermarket seat for a sporty HD. the price 300.00 ouch. So I left and went to look on ebay and didnt find anything, but tonight I was talking to my father and he said to call this guy we know dave. So I did, long story short he had a seat he used years ago on his sporty looks just like the Mustang seat. He just gave it to me!! just have to take it in and have some gel or foam put into it because its so hard its like sitting on cardboard. I figured I could afford to do that. but who dosent like FREE stuff.

jason