How to fiberglass?

I've built my templates for my Boushh helmet, and am working on my dad's Mandalorian templates now (thanks Skupilkinson!). We're planning on picking up material to start work on building the actual helmets and all that this weekend, but I have no idea what I need to get!
We're probably gonna fiberglass. But what do I need to get/do to prep? Do I need any sort of resin? Should I do fiberglass cloth (or whatever you call it) or liquid? I've never fiberglassed before, and I haven't found much information on "how to prep" and "how to do" on the internet. I'm completely faking my way through all of this. Help!:wacko

I need a shopping list and a for Dummies guide.

Fiberglassing is pretty simple, but you have to be a very good about safety. It can cause cancer if inhaled over long periods of time, after awhile. First thing you should get is masks, to protect your mouths. Gloves especially, the FG resin is VERY sticky and is hard to come off your hands/fingers.

What you'll need to get:

-Go to homedepot/lowes/even walmart, and get in the auto/repair section, a "fiberglass repair" kit. Should be a tall, rectangular can with a clear plastic top.

-in the same area, you'll see the cloth, or "matt." The woven cloth requires more resin, so the matt is much better if your looking to save some. (its the kind that looks like a bunch of shredded fibers)

-Disposable cups, Dixie cups work well

-disposable brushes/spongy brushes

When you begin, you'll find a small clear tube inside the cap of the large fibgerglass resin canister, that is the catalyst. Depending on how much resin you need to fiberglass, pour the desired ammount into a cup. I cant say what the exact ratio between resin and the catalyst is, but I guestimate the amount of drops you'll need. Follow the instructions though.

The matt, you'll want to cut into about 1-2inch squares, cut as much as you can before you begin!

When you prepped the piece and are ready to begin, after mixing the the resin/catalyst, take the brush, get some resin on it, and spread it over the area, in a square, probably a few inches.

Take a square of the matt and push it down over the resin you spread. Do this over the whole square area. Once that is layed down, take some more resin, and dabb it over the matt. You can keep adding layers if you want, but that is pretty much it. Repeat this all over the area you need to fiberglass

Alright, thanks!
Do I need to do anything to my card stock model to make it sturdier to work on? And should I coat some fiberglass on the inside too? To make it a bit stronger, so I don't have to layer a bunch on the outside.

tooclonecrazy said:

Alright, thanks!
Do I need to do anything to my card stock model to make it sturdier to work on? And should I coat some fiberglass on the inside too? To make it a bit stronger, so I don't have to layer a bunch on the outside.

Click to expand...

For fiberglassing, you should only do the inside, not the outside portion. To my knowledge, I dont think theres anything you would need to do to make it stronger before fiberglassing.

But yea, remember to fiberglass only the interior portion that's not going to be seen when the piece is finished and wearable

Another thing I forgot to mention, is that you may need to get a gelcoat, or make it. I have never made and or used it before, but what this will do, is cover all the of matt/fibgerglass AFTER you fiberglass the whole area. It will allow you to wear it safely, by not cutting or hurting your head.

there's a video in the wiki from tim allen about making a helmet. it goes through the whole process in just under 4 minutes

Okay. But since I'm working on the interior, I'm not really gonna be able to tell what I'm doing, am I? That and it'll be a mess on the outside when I'm done; but I guess that's what the Bondo is for?

We're also gonna fiberglass our armor. We were thinking about making the "template" for the plates out of a trash can (using the trash can armor tutorials here) and then covering it in fiberglass. Will this work? Do we glass the topside or the underside?

i don't think that the fiberglass will bond to the trash can well.

as for working from the inside... you just need to be really careful when brushing in the layer of resin / gelcoat, so that there aren't bubbles or air pockets in there.

Okay, so scratch the trash can idea, and just fiberglass WOF templates? How do give it all the right curves to fit?

hi

good info i just have one thing add. heat dries fiberglass so the hotter is is outside the qucker it will dry