Thread: Fiberglass Tech Question

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I've been building hot rods for over 30 years but this is my first fiberglass car and I'm wondering if there is any way to reshape fiberglass. I have a hood that I'd like to use and it fits good around the grille shell but at the cowl it starts to curve down to soon. I need to reshape the curve some and wondered if anyone has ever done this. Could I use heat lamps, or a heat gun or do I have to rethink this and make a steel hood. The car is the one on my Avatar, 29 Ford Roadster, and the hood was with the stuff I got with the car but because of the position of the radiator I had to shorten the hood, hence it does'nt fit at the back where it meets the cowl. When I cut it I cut it from the cowl end because it fit the grille pretty good. Any help from anyone thats reshaped glass ? Do I have to cut it and reglass it to the right shape. It's not off by much, (famous last words). Thanks in advance for any help.

Oldschool66

'glass is easy, just cut it apart, put the pieces where the fit and glue it back together using resin and matt. Grind it to the basic shape you want and smooth it with filler....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

'glass is easy, just cut it apart, put the pieces where the fit and glue it back together using resin and matt. Grind it to the basic shape you want and smooth it with filler....

Thanks Dave. I'll get out there and get started. I kinda thought that was gonna be the answer but I knew there was someone here with the right answer, and I was pretty sure it would be you, thanks for letting me tap that archive of knowledge you have stored up there once again.


Don

you're welcome, just get out there, get to it, and get all itchy!!!!

Yeah, my wife just loves the smell of resin in the morning!!!

A little tip when working working with glass , I smear a thick coat of hand lotion on exposed skin or a thin layer of Vaseline on exposed skin , the glass grinding dust sticks to this instead of inbedding in your skin and itching like crazy , it washes off when you take a shower .
It has worked for me

Originally Posted by SprayTech

A little tip when working working with glass , I smear a thick coat of hand lotion on exposed skin or a thin layer of Vaseline on exposed skin , the glass grinding dust sticks to this instead of inbedding in your skin and itching like crazy , it washes off when you take a shower .
It has worked for me

That's a great idea..Never thought of that

Originally Posted by SprayTech

A little tip when working working with glass , I smear a thick coat of hand lotion on exposed skin or a thin layer of Vaseline on exposed skin , the glass grinding dust sticks to this instead of inbedding in your skin and itching like crazy , it washes off when you take a shower .
It has worked for me

Why would you keep Vaseline in the garage???

Originally Posted by SprayTech

A little tip when working working with glass , I smear a thick coat of hand lotion on exposed skin or a thin layer of Vaseline on exposed skin , the glass grinding dust sticks to this instead of inbedding in your skin and itching like crazy , it washes off when you take a shower .
It has worked for me

when i wash up i did not wash up and down just one way down .that way you not pushing the glass in your pours and cold water helps .i use to do alot of the MSC / glass .i use to sand that stuff 3/8 thick grind it all out on semi hoods look like it was snowing .had every one in the shop bitching and itching it s bad but carbon fiber is very bad

Make sure you grind the surface of the glass before its glassed back together,if you are using polyester,it is a mechanical bond,not a chemical bond,so it needs to have a scratched up surface to adhere to.Also, a point to remember is that when you wash up,dont use hot water,as the heat will open up the pores in your skin and the glass will go in..I use rubber medical gloves and paper overalls,and a good dust/partical mask.

Originally Posted by gherkin350

Why would you keep Vaseline in the garage???

For squeezing that round peg in a square hole ........

Originally Posted by SprayTech

For squeezing that round peg in a square hole ........

have to do something waiting for things to dry god i miss my old shop

As noted above the bond is a mechanical one. I also build and fly some really big model airplanes and we use carbon fiber strips extensively to reinforce things. You could lay a 1/2 x .005-.007 thich carbon fiber strip over the joined area then glass over this. This will greatly strengthen the area and reduce cracking later on.

If you get it at the local hobby shop get some Super Jet and accellerator to activate it. Super glue to the non modelers.

CF tensile strength is in the 180,000 psi range so it is pretty tough.

I've got quite a bit in my Willys where I've added interior wood supports.

Another thing to get rid of the itch is to wipe your arms with a rolled up pair of pantyhose. The material snags the fibers and lifts them off your skin.

Just make sure your wife doesn't use them afterwards!