Fib. Repair

[bakergtt]

Just wondering how many of you have repair your own fiberglass before?? is it hard and amess to deal with? Any particular place I should go to get a repair package??

[fibuz]

I've messed with fiberglass on several occasions.

I wanted to get into fiberglassing enough to make a customer subwoofer box...and then custom body parts.

I've had little success so far, though. I started with little projects like fiberglassing little boxes and such.

It is a huge mess, and I think its difficult to work with because you have to work fast before the hardener sets in. Peeling fiberglass off of your hands for weeks after is always fun though ... or not. The mixture eats through rubber gloves btw, heh ... and polyurathane foam.

Depending on cost of repair, I'd probably get it professionally done. Also, if the imperfection is small enough, I'd consider simply bondo'ing it.

fibuz

[bakergtt]

No its a big break in my bumper. it was just a crack but i became a break after i modified it to fit a fmic

[fibuz]

I'd lean towards bondo personally...back the section with some sort of solid sheet(metal or plastic) and then fill her in...wait for dry, and sand.

[illusi0ns2]

My father is 52 this year and he's been doing body work for years.. some I have seen him do. Generally when he has a plastic bumper or headlight assembly to fix a crack or actual tear in, he'll use Apoxy from what I gathered, maybe I'm mistaken but I'll speak with him in regards to that and see what he says. Of course the man's been doing body work for about 30 years now, so I assume he has some tricks up his sleeve, he'll be doing the work on my 96 Legacy pictured here www.geocities.com/littleduckie628/subaru (http://www.geocities.com/littleduckie628/subaru) after it was wrecked last Saturday. I'll post pictures of the car once it's finished.

[fibuz]

jebus, that looks like it was fun :shock:

[badbasser98]

damn... Good luck with the body work.

-BB98

[2deadlegs]

Fiber glass is easy to work with if you get used to working with it. Get the stuff from walmart or you local hardware stuff in the blue buvket made by bondo. It has a picture of a boat on the front. You are going to want to get an extra tube of hardner and some plastic, flexible bondo spreaders.

Just like any other kind of repair you want to clean the area real well and if at all possible brace the area you are working on so it doesn't move on you.

Just remember that any FG you have on after the repair is made can simply be sanded off just like bondo.

You gotta start somewhere. Do the work yourself and be pleased with the results so you will know what to do in the future.

We all had to start somewhere. I don't have any body men in my family and I have used tubs of that stuff. I've used it to shave door handles, tailgate handles, grill inserts, I've made Subwoofer boxes with it...you name it.

[Reason]

I hear that fiber glassing is a bitch but it looks easy. I guess some people are good with their hands and some aren't.

[2deadlegs]

That would explain why I have so many kids...LOL

If you are worried about making your car a test specimen...DON'T. Were you a wiz at installing FMIC's? If you like the way your work comes out then give FB a shot.

I have faith in you brother.

[bakergtt]

Thanks Guys

Im a BIG do it yourselfer cuz i just want to know how to do it all. Now i just need time which is hard to come by these days.

[ddctd2AWD]

'glassing, huh? Got some experience w/ it, in fact, a lot of it... Jou just have to give it a go, and see how it turns out for you. You can see step-by-step guide of what I've been doing on http://www.cardomain.com/ride/732524 . If you got any questions please ask, I'll be glad to help out...

[bakergtt]

So by your pics it looks like you wrap it if the fiber then you just brush on the resin, is that right?

cuz i read the instuctions and it said to bush on the resin first then apply fiber then more resin.

Well i did some work to it my self. took me for ever to remove the paint and crap to get to the fiber cuz i didnt have the right equipment to do it. but anyways i have taken the bumper in and hopefully my painter will get it all nice a pretty.

If i have any questions i will for sure come back and ask.

[ddctd2AWD]

Yes, that is the way I did it, but for only one reason: I 'm making NEW bumper, not modifying old one. First I wrapped old bumper in aluminum foil, then wrapped it w/ stretch foil, cause aluminum foil tends to tear off. All of this was done in order for resin NOT to get in touch with old bumper, which is on the car untill new one is finished.

[bakergtt]

so your using it as a mold? thats cool

[ddctd2AWD]

Yes, I use i use it to get the rough shape out of which will be made all modifications. I'll post pics when it's done. :)