Fibreglassing >:(

[anonymous-user]

Is there a knack to doing this??? I'm trying to reinforce the inside of a plastic bumper (and adding some spotlight pods) and so far I've ended up with the tub of mixed resin stuck to one hand, the brush stuck to the table and the scissors and some fibreglass matting stuck to my other hand, and ****-all stuck to the bumper.

The fibreglass seems determined not to stick to the resin I've spread on the plastic, despite everything else nearby sticking to it, and I seem to have to dollop on loads of resin before the fibreglass starts to get soft enough to take shape over an edge, then a few seconds later a large bubble space appears under the matting around the crease and I have to keep pressing it flat for the next 10 minutes.

Any hints anyone???

[CaptiV8ted]

Have an old sheet of ply or similar as a wet board. Have all your glass sheets cut to length before you start. Brush some resin onto the board, then apply a strip of glass to it. Brush in a reasoanble amount into the glass, ensuring it penetrates fully. Apply it to your bumper using a dabbing motion with your brush. The glass will soften quite quickly allowing you to prod it into corners and stretch over ridges to shape it. Put a few layers on, but make sure each one is fully seated before you apply the next. That way you shouldn't get any air bubbles. Small ones are not a problem anyway. It may be that the glass sheets you're using are too thick. Even so, you should be able to use these, just make sure they've softened before applying.

You didn't say if you've taken the bumper off the car.If it is still on the car and you're trying to stick it on an underside face, it'll be 10x more difficult.

[rabw]

If you are doing any flattish areas, get a wire-wound roller - fantastic tool for GRPing. Also tear the fibreglass, don't cut with scissors; this will make sure your various pieces mesh together seamlessly.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks, the areas I'm trying to do are to bond a domed-plastic shape onto the bumper to mount the spotlights into, so it's a 90 degree outer-edge corner bonding 2 pieces together.

The fibreglass tissue matting is very thin, the other stuff is just normal matting that you get in the pack from Halfords.