I'm starting the West System epoxy work on my rear skirt and have noticed a few things about the e glass i chose. I'm am using a rotary cutting tool and board to cut approximately 2in strips but to my dismay the stips still shred at the edges as I handle them. How can this be prevented? Also the e glass becomes transparent when soaked with the epoxy and it makes it difficult to lay on the next strip accurately. I'm starting to wonder if my choice of thin e glass was correct. Any suggestions? I'm using wax paper to protect the canopy and to prevent the epoxy from sticking to the cardboard template laid across the gap between canopy and fuse. It seems to be working now ok but does it degrade over time? I intend to start at the doghouse with small pieces so the larger pieces going downward and forward will have something to root on. But the curveature of the doghouse is hard to replicate with the glass; any suggestions? Thanks Jim.
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fiberglass questions
- Thread starter JimWoo50
- Start date
az_gila
Well Known Member
West tape
Sometimes this stuff works out well.... it's a two layer tape, 4 inches wide that has the layers at 45 degrees.
From your local West products dealer.... I can even buy it from the boat store in Tucson....
http://store.wardmarine.com/Merchan...=WMOS&Product_Code=WST72710&Category_Code=MIS
gil in Tucson
Sometimes this stuff works out well.... it's a two layer tape, 4 inches wide that has the layers at 45 degrees.
From your local West products dealer.... I can even buy it from the boat store in Tucson....
http://store.wardmarine.com/Merchan...=WMOS&Product_Code=WST72710&Category_Code=MIS
gil in Tucson
aadamson
Well Known Member
JimWoo50 said:
Light glass is *very* hard to work with, if just starting out. I don't know anything about the Glass needed on an RV, but 6-7oz is much easier to work with. As for the glass, it should be cut on the 45 degree angles to the bias of the cloth. Also, the trick to the edges is this.
Example a 4" square layup of 4 layers (4 Bid).
- Cut 4 pieces of cloth that are 4.25x4.25
- Cut a piece of heavy plastic drop cloth that is 5.5x11
- on the plastic, fold it in half so you have a 5.5x5.5 square. Make that fold a sharp crease so you can use it when you actually wet the glass.
- Now on that plastic, on the outside draw your perfect 4x4 square in black or blue sharpe (make sure it's on the outside as epoxy will remove the markings. Center this square in the area available, on one side of the crease.
- now take all of this to your layup table, and put the plastic down, open the fold, lay down the first 4.25x4.25 square, then the second, now pour in some slow epoxy just ribbons all around, but not a ton
- now take the next layers 3 and 4 and do the same, and add some more epoxy
- now fold over the top of the plastic at that crease you made
- take a roller (spruces sells em, or you can get them at your local boat store), the one with little cuts all along the hard edge (usually aluminum) and roll the cloth to get it wet out all the way thru and and even amount of epoxy on it. you can sometimes use a plastic Bondo squeegy as well for this step. Don't roll out all the epoxy, you'll know if it starts to turn white after it gets clear.
- when all wet out. Take your rotary cutter (you might need 2 so you can use one on dry cloth and one on wet and clean it up after). and use the lines that you drew to cut out that perfect 4x4 square.
- now you should have a perfect square that has a plastic top and bottom on it. Leave those on until you lay down the cloth.
- take one sides plastic off. Lay it down cloth side down where you want it and then peel the top plastic off. MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE PLASTIC from both sides for obvious reasons.
That should stop the ends shreading, etc. One note, some pieces are easier to work with with both sides of the plastic off before you lay down the piece, but note, the piece will stretch without the plastic on it...in both directions (it's cut on the 45's remember)
Hope this helps. I've done so many, I can't count them all.... FWIW, Light glass is easier to work with on highly complex shapes, heaving is easier to work with on simple shapes and Carbon is even easier to work with.
NOTE: I use the 3/4 x 3 version for just about everything... http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/grooveroller.php
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