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does everybody hate fiberglass?

P

prkaye

Well Known Member
Everybody I've heared speak or write about fiberglass does so with disdain. From watching the Orndoff finsih kit video, I actully think it looks fun. I'm abotu to do my first fiberglass job (aft slider skirt).
Is there anybody out there who actually enjoys fiberglassing? I guess composite builers must at least tolerate it...
 
Tell us later

Let us know how you like after your project.

I rank working with fiberglass right up there with a colonoscopy.
 
Love/Hate....

I have always told people that I have a love/hate relationship with fiberglass. I love the flexibility and the things that you can do with it (imagine the effort in building metal wheel pants!), but I hate the mess - sticky stuff everywhere, and the sanding dust fills the workshop.

How I feel about it any any point in time depends what part of the fiberglass process I am currently involved in....;)

Paul
 
I guess composite builers must at least tolerate it...
__________________
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It's like Paul said. Some parts I really love but right now I'm in the 100 degree heat and humidity and sanding phase and it truly is worse than a colonoscopy without sedation.
 
The first 10% of fiberglass work isn't bad - laying up a custom part, drilling stuff to fit, etc. But, it is the 90% portion - endless sanding/filling that gets really old. I have no doubt that the quantity of work involved would drop significantly with additional experience - but that isn't something likely to happen unless you are a serious repeat RV builder. Someone with tons of body shop experience can probably nail the stuff quickly also. It is easy to get sort of lumpy final finish - kind of like the autobody work we may have done as a teenager! The smooth flowing curves are what is tough.
 
prkaye said:
I'm about to do my first fiberglass job (aft slider skirt).
Click to expand...

....and I'm guessing that's why you still think it sounds like fun.


To be fair, it's not all that terribly bad with a little practice, but it IS messy, it IS sticky, the resin gets everywhere (travels autonomously through air to contaminate all clean surfaces, just like proseal), and there is a good bit of cleanup and sanding/filling involved.

I used to work on fiberglass boats in a previous life - that's why I'm building a metal airplane.
 
fiberglass skirt cracking?

One warning I've had against doing a fiberglass rear slider canopy skirt is the possibility of cracking. Has anybody who has done this experienced cracking? Is this a big risk?
 
Ummm the smell....

Having built a Long-EZ I know fiberglass..... all too well...

Like Paul says, it's a love-hate experience. I love the flexibility... and I tolerate the mess.

But then, so it is with all the tiny metal shards on the garage floor that gets tracked everywhere!
 
I've always said, to anyone who would listen, that I would rather get whipped in a bar fight than do fiberglass work.
You see, a bar fight and fiberglass work are very closely related.
Going in, it seems to be the thing to do at the time, but towards the end it's just a **** of a mess.
Now if you are on the loosing team, and don't mind..........then you are a perfect candidate for an avocation in fiberglass work.
 
I might be weird (know I am) but I am kinda enjoying this glass work. Welcome break from the metal work and millions of rivets.

As far as sanding.... Thats what they make power tools for! :p
 
Hating fiberglass

Absolutely not! I do not hate fiberglass, actually I like it a lot, but it hates me!
 
I really like doing glass, specificially where it entails making plugs and moulds. As a part of my RC hobby, I use to make plugs & moulds for pylon racers using .5 oz cloth, have covered 1/3 scale Christen Eagles (rc planes) with .5oz thinner than eggshell. Just takes patience, disposeable materials, etc. Most people try to to do it to fast and take short cuts. This seldom works Setup is most important. If you do it right there is very little sanding involved. It is all rewarded by a beautiful finish. Patience, patience, patience.:)
 
Learn how to do it right, and it can be a VERY rewarding material to work with. It's very intolerant of lack of experience if you want long-term reliability (No cracking...)
 
Like it

Like Chuck much of my experience is from building RC planes. I've made molds for fuselages, cowls, wheel pants etc. Lots of trial and error and learning the materials.

The fiberglass work on an RV is relatively minor in the scheme of the project. Some hate it. I'v now done the glass on four RV for friends. I'd rather do it for them than have to fix it when they screw it up. :eek: They get to do some grunt work to get the idea.

For my RV, I made a mold for the rudder cable fairings and laid them up. On my new project there will be several additional molded parts including carbon covers for the aileron hinge brackets, improved tank vent shrouds and a couple of other surprises.

Glass work is rewarding. Don't get me wrong, I like it but not enough to do something like a Lancair. My neighbor is completing a Lancair IVP and hired out the bulk of the glass work finishing after getting tired of it quickly.
 
I am sitting in the terminal at KSGS, taking a break from trying to figur eout what the (&#*& I'm doing on that canopy strip. I'm willing to pay $500 for someone to just come and do this for me.

As I recall, my colonoscopy was much more enjoyable than this.
 
Hey Darwin

wanted to say thanks for tips on fiberglass.....its working great. finished the elevators and HS tips and was loving it. Then I remembered I had a rudder:( Was, AM, getting tired of the sanding and the dust. It is worth it in the end when all parts mate up nicely and you finally have no pinholes!:)

Robb -7a
 
Aluminum....eweeee

prkaye said:
Everybody I've heared speak or write about fiberglass does so with disdain. From watching the Orndoff finsih kit video, I actully think it looks fun. I'm abotu to do my first fiberglass job (aft slider skirt).
Is there anybody out there who actually enjoys fiberglassing? I guess composite builders must at least tolerate it...
Click to expand...
No fiberglass is the best and all planes should be made of fiberglass, aluminum is for soda cans and house siding...................ha-ha. :rolleyes: (try the google tool bar spell checker, works well)

Look fiberglass can be fun I guess but it is messy. Aluminum rocks of course.
 
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It is just another material and process

It is just another material and process that helps you create a very nice airplane. Your attitude is proper for the new task. I am often really amazed at how flimsy the first layer is and how beautiful and strong the finished product is. I made all of the standard little fairings but the most pleasing fiberglass job was designing and fabricating the male molds and the final wing tips for my RV-6A. As you can tell I'm quite proud of that development effort.

I also like the sheet metal work and all of the other lesser materials and processes involved in building and modifying the plane.

Bob Axsom
 
It's not True Love...

Let's call it a like/hate relationship. Of course I hate the mess, but fiberglass allows for some creativity. I couldn't make an aluminum rear skirt work on my slider canopy, so I laid up a fiberglass skirt and, although it's taking some time, it looks like it will fit well when done.

At least you get drugs to help you through the colonoscopy (which is scheduled for Friday.....)
 
Fiberglass

I have worked with composite aircraft for 15 years now. I hate it. But I cant help but work with it because its all I know. Plus its so easy to work with and STRONG. I tried to start a metal project and I couldn't do it. I gave it up quick and turned around and bought a Lancair 360 which I am doing the finishing work on right now.
I can honestly say I would never do it again. I have someone hired to help me finish the plane because its taken over 500 hours so far and we are still not in paint. I've had it with sanding.
 
lorne green said:
OK Dan, now you're just teasing us! :D
nice work
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A little, but I am serious in backing Bob's comment. Every new skill seems hard the first time. Any job, regardless of experience, is a drag if all you want to do is get done. You gotta enjoy the ride.

My own current challenge is reliably spraying base/clear without generating orange peel. I have a bad day here and there, but I'm not a pro; I'm learning. Bad days develop a new skill, which is how to cut and buff <g>.

...and thank you.
 
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