I'm planning to build a centre console for my tinnie to convert it to wheel steering.
Will be made from 9mm marine ply and then fibreglassed over for strength and water resistance. I've never worked with fibreglass matt and resin and was hoping someone could summarise the techniques and what I need to buy to get the job done with materials readily available in Australia.
I'm based in Perth so any recommendations for a good place to buy well priced fibreglass supplies would be appreciated.

Size wise picture something similar to this :




Thanks

www.compositeswarehouse.com.au/ (O'connor)
www.kirkside.com.au/ (Osborne park)
www.fibreglass-resin-sales.com.au/ (Kewdale)

heres a few places where you'll be able to get fibreglass and resin. I can't comment on the price point though, not sure that one will be cheaper than the other. But they all should have quantities that you're after.


I would highly recommend chatting to the person behind the counter about what you want to do, as there are all sorts of fiberglass weaves and different resins that will Help you achieve what you want, and all the people that i've dealt with at these stores are quite knowledgable about fibreglassing projects etc. And they'll be able to explain things in 5min that'll take 2hrs of typing on an iphone.


theres a gazillion tips and tricks to learn with fibreglassing. A couple of the more important ones:

we are in the middle of winter now so you have to pick your times to do it. Resins have temperature tolerances that they'll cure at. Too cold and they'll cure very slowly, or not cure at all. (Ask at the shop about fast cure resin as this will help)


generally you'll need to wet out the surface with resin then wet out the fibreglass as well to ensure good adhesion. Then use peel ply cloth (ask about it at the shop) or something similar to remove excess resin and create a flat surface that won't require too much sanding.

good luck

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Subsonic said.. >>> generally you'll need to wet out the surface with resin then wet out the fibreglass as well to ensure good adhesion. Then use peel ply cloth (ask about it at the shop) or something similar to remove excess resin and create a flat surface that won't require too much sanding.

good luck

Agree with the previous Subsonic, but if I was doing it, I'd only work on horizontal surfaces for a start, it's much easier to control where the resin goes and gravity helps you soaking out the cloth. Unless vacuum bagging I wouldn't use peelply. Just squeegee out any excess resin, (buy a squeegee), overlap layers by around 2cm. when all surfaces are covered a layer of filler coat, then sand smooth.
If using polyester resin, use laminating to wet out the cloth and filler as the final coat. You can't sand laminating resin, the surface never quite sets, so you get a good bond with the next layer.
I'd use plain weave cloth, not mat. Unless you want a thick layer of glass. 9mm marine ply should give all the stiffness you need, possibly 1 layer of 125gm cloth is all you'll need, but as subsonic says talk to the person at the counter about strength abrasion resistance requirements.
The other thing with glassing over timber, is the shrinkage/expansion differences between timber and resin/fibreglass. I think most of the problems are more due to moisture than heat. It would probably pay to completely seal the timber, so the moisture content doesn't change after you glass it.
EDIT, just had a quick look at your plan, important thing to keep in mind, fibreglass doesn't like hard bends, it will pull away from one or both faces and form a curve, so you'll get a void. It's better to round off all corners. A 2mm radius is probably enough, unless the cloth you use is very stiff, again ask the assistant.

I would suggest using epoxy (eg West System rather than polyester). Lots of additives that can be used with it to increase body, glue wood, finish. Also metho clean up makes it better.

atlcomposites.com.au/product/46/WEST-SYSTEM-400-Fillers

The 413 powder mixed with epoxy resin is a rock-hard glue.

A lot of it is in the preparation.

Only mix small batches when you start.

West System has a whole lot of publications online resources that explain it all.

atlcomposites.com.au/product/50/WEST-SYSTEM-Technical-Publications

Keep any "bulk" volumes of resin in the actual work to less than a little finger in diameter, or it will overheat and make a mess.

Radius on all corners where matting is going around (it doesn't like hard bends or corners).

Use all galv or even better stainless fixings even if concealed.

Clarence

I bought this RIB and wanted to add another seat, my fiberglass skills don't extend to creating a nice gloss finish so I hunted around for something made of fibreglass that I could modify. So I started with a box I got off gumtree ($50) then cut and paste and then a lot more cut and paste and glassed ply inside for strength where needed.I made the backrests from a used 3m length of stainless steel off gumtree ($10). Then I made a small front windscreen out of acrylic (bunnings) to keep my mobile handy and dry, hold my coffee/beer/water bottle and sunnies etc. I made a jig then fired up the bbq to soften the acrylic. I think in and out of the bbq and jig 5 times to get the shape right. Then I had to get the rear seat upholstered and since it would be new it would never match the old front one so decided to get both done together and change the look too. I learnt heaps and not just epoxy vs polyester, chopped mat vs woven cloth, gelcoat vs flowcoat but there is a difference between pipe and tube benders and they can't be interchanged. Also bbq-ing acrylic can give you a headache. I got materials from www.compositeswarehouse.com.au/ (O'connor)

I would simply us one resin -/slow release waxed resin and chopped mat and white flowcoat. But aliminium is a superior product. Lighter, stronger. It would be lighter and as cheap to have one made in ally. One piece bent 3 ways. Shelf. Flange to screw down... You're going to need resin, acetone, bog or filler (car bog good) rollers, brushes, safety gear, mask, sandpaper, old or shop vaccuum for dust, etc etc. Plus its shxt to use. And it goes off whatever is left over

Do you need to glass it? Made out of good quality marine ply it will be plenty strong. Good primer and a couple of coats of good 2 part paint. Depends how robust you want it.

Seriously why the furk would you bother' you'd be lucky to get close on material costs

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Subsonic said..
www.compositeswarehouse.com.au/ (O'connor)
www.kirkside.com.au/ (Osborne park)
www.fibreglass-resin-sales.com.au/ (Kewdale)




I would highly recommend chatting to the person behind the counter about what you want to do, as there are all sorts of fiberglass weaves and different resins that will Help you achieve what you want,

Just on the topic of these places, and chatting to the person behind the counter, I've done a bit of general glassing, but I took my son's Dolphin nipper board into one of these places above and said I needed some epoxy resin for repairing his nipper board. The lady behind the counter got me polyester resin. I said to her I needed epoxy resin and she said there is no difference between polyester or epoxy, they're both same. I said I am fairly sure polyester will melt the styrofoam board, she maintained there was no difference. I said, come to think of it, I think the board even has a warning on it, I went to the car and got the board, it said 'use epoxy resin only for repairs' so she went and got someone from out the back, who said yes, you need epoxy resin.

I'm not having a dig, but I'm just saying verify things when asking or make sure the person is knowledgeable.

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cauncy said..
Seriously why the furk would you bother' you'd be lucky to get close on material costs

I'll undercut ya by 75 bucks. www.chsmith.com.au/Products/Centre-Console.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwrcH3BRApEiwAxjdPTeL00hz7ccHcAhC5ZHBU9xYH_B_weFnKFtEMyxa86emKEGuRGCV_YRoC5UoQAvD_BwE