Fiberglass - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

RedlineRacer · 05-05-2003, 09:22 PM

I recently made a custom box for my 2 12's. It is a ported box, and I carpeted it myself. I folded the carpet down the ports, and when my system really starts hitting, my carpet waves up and down around the ports. So, I am ripping the carpet off and fiberglassing the box and painting it. I have never worke with fiberglass before. I need some help with this. I took the carpet off and used the Fiberglass Bondo that I bought at Advance Auto and applied that on the box and then put the fiberglass cloth over it. I am doing anything right? I am thinking that after it dries, I will put another coat of bondo over it and sand it to make it smooth. Any assistance would be appreciated.

andrave · 05-06-2003, 03:19 AM

oh wow... oh god...
oh no....

no, no, no, no.... no, no, no, no, no.

Fiberglass isn't something you can just toss on and sand and hope to get that glassy look. I have a page of tips and tricks for working with it on my sounddomain page, www.sounddomain.com/id/andrave
scroll through the pages, it is a couple pages deep.
I'm in the process of redoing my box right now but my old fiberglass projects (240sx and escort) are both up.
IM aol sn andrave cause you sound like you have no clue what you need to do.
first off, fiberglass cloth has to be used with fiberglass resin. fiberglass resin has to be used with hardener.

I'd really have to see your box to know exactly what your plan is but Im guessing its probably relatively square and mdf. all you need to do is apply some bondo and sand it and paint it if all you want is that glossy paint job, follow the painting instructions on my page.
however, if you really want a curvy, swoopy enclosure, its gonna take more than glassing over an existing mdf box.
My guess is that throwing that fiberglass filler on there has made you a surface that is lumpy as hell. a really big problem with fiberglass is that it dries as hard as cement. Find a rotary sander and use a really aggressive grit sandpaper to take it down.

anyway I'd need to know more about what you are starting with and what you want to acheive to really be able to give you good advice.

RedlineRacer · 05-06-2003, 08:11 AM

I appreciate the help. the fiberglass bondo I got says its a resin and it comes with a hardening putty. I've worked with bondo for fixing dents on cars, is this pretty much the same?

andrave · 05-06-2003, 03:11 PM

RedlineRacer · 05-06-2003, 03:30 PM

I am heading to wal mart in a few minutes. What should I get to do this job?

andrave · 05-06-2003, 05:22 PM

beats me, still don't know what you are going for.

RedlineRacer · 05-06-2003, 06:53 PM

I am taking your advice and just putting a good layer of bondo on the box and sanding it really good then painting it.

andrave · 05-06-2003, 07:43 PM

if you are just looking for that painted look, thats all you have to do. but its gonna take a whole lot of sanding. following the sanding steps on my website, the one I posted above. it will take you a few days, probably.

anyway keep in mind painted surfaces scratch easily.

05-05-2003, 09:22 PM	#1
RedlineRacer Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Age: 37 Posts: 1,054 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Fiberglass I recently made a custom box for my 2 12's. It is a ported box, and I carpeted it myself. I folded the carpet down the ports, and when my system really starts hitting, my carpet waves up and down around the ports. So, I am ripping the carpet off and fiberglassing the box and painting it. I have never worke with fiberglass before. I need some help with this. I took the carpet off and used the Fiberglass Bondo that I bought at Advance Auto and applied that on the box and then put the fiberglass cloth over it. I am doing anything right? I am thinking that after it dries, I will put another coat of bondo over it and sand it to make it smooth. Any assistance would be appreciated.

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05-06-2003, 03:19 AM	#2
andrave BANNED Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Burton WV Posts: 2,350 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	oh wow... oh god... oh no.... no, no, no, no.... no, no, no, no, no. Fiberglass isn't something you can just toss on and sand and hope to get that glassy look. I have a page of tips and tricks for working with it on my sounddomain page, www.sounddomain.com/id/andrave scroll through the pages, it is a couple pages deep. I'm in the process of redoing my box right now but my old fiberglass projects (240sx and escort) are both up. IM aol sn andrave cause you sound like you have no clue what you need to do. first off, fiberglass cloth has to be used with fiberglass resin. fiberglass resin has to be used with hardener. I'd really have to see your box to know exactly what your plan is but Im guessing its probably relatively square and mdf. all you need to do is apply some bondo and sand it and paint it if all you want is that glossy paint job, follow the painting instructions on my page. however, if you really want a curvy, swoopy enclosure, its gonna take more than glassing over an existing mdf box. My guess is that throwing that fiberglass filler on there has made you a surface that is lumpy as hell. a really big problem with fiberglass is that it dries as hard as cement. Find a rotary sander and use a really aggressive grit sandpaper to take it down. anyway I'd need to know more about what you are starting with and what you want to acheive to really be able to give you good advice.

05-06-2003, 08:11 AM	#3
RedlineRacer Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Age: 37 Posts: 1,054 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I appreciate the help. the fiberglass bondo I got says its a resin and it comes with a hardening putty. I've worked with bondo for fixing dents on cars, is this pretty much the same?

05-06-2003, 03:11 PM	#4
andrave BANNED Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Burton WV Posts: 2,350 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	no.

05-06-2003, 03:30 PM	#5
RedlineRacer Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Age: 37 Posts: 1,054 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I am heading to wal mart in a few minutes. What should I get to do this job?

05-06-2003, 05:22 PM	#6
andrave BANNED Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Burton WV Posts: 2,350 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	beats me, still don't know what you are going for.

05-06-2003, 06:53 PM	#7
RedlineRacer Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Age: 37 Posts: 1,054 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I am taking your advice and just putting a good layer of bondo on the box and sanding it really good then painting it.

05-06-2003, 07:43 PM	#8
andrave BANNED Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Burton WV Posts: 2,350 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	if you are just looking for that painted look, thats all you have to do. but its gonna take a whole lot of sanding. following the sanding steps on my website, the one I posted above. it will take you a few days, probably. anyway keep in mind painted surfaces scratch easily.