DIY fiberglass

[Mojoe]

funny you should mention this. I just "inherited" 4 big rolls of fiberglass cloth last week when I was cleaning out my grandfathers garage.

[Getnprops]

Thanks.

[tzortn]

An undertail can be a relatively simple part to make. If you are only planning to make one part you could make a model then lay up on that. You will want your model to be pretty sturdy. It will need to be painted and sanded until it is smooth. Remember that any imperfections that are in the mold will show up in the part. Ideally you would use a vacuum bag and a pump to squeeze out the extra resin. If you are trying to keep it cheap you can work from an open mold. It just means that the part will be heavier and make have some defects that you will need to repair. I would recommend that you check out this book. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books It is a great start.

[Getnprops]

I was thinking of trying to make my own undertail.

[The CyberPoet]

I've never worked fiberglass the way that the companies who make prefer you to... instead, I've always used construction-grade epoxy and simply layered in fiberglass or kevlar cloth, with the epoxy doing all the real shaping work (and providing most of the strength).

BraavaJim, from what I understand, has a good working knowledge of fiberglass... his bike (a pre-98) has a radically modded fairing that's a combination of pre-98 and 98+ that looks like some factory cross-over model which never existed (but the results look factory fresh, not home-built). And I'm sure there are others around who know how to work it well...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[tzortn]

It depends on how complex of a part you are making. Molds can get a little complicated if there are undercuts. The most difficult thing about glass work is all the prep and finish work that you have to go through. There is a lot of messy sanding involved. What were you thinking about making?

[Getnprops]

Has anyone ever worked with making something out of fiberglass? Is it very difficult. I am looking into making something so if anyone has any tips they can share that would be great.