[Robotgroup] Fwd: Fiberglass + resin sources ?

[Glenn Currie]

Fiberglass and resin can be used in an amazing variety of ways.
The boat repairs mentioned in this thread require some specific
types of fiberglass and resin.

For general artwork, a dirt cheap way to do some experimenting is
with a "Bondo" or similar brand auto body repair kit.   Pep Boys used
to sell the kits.  They included some fiberglass mat cloth and the resin used
to make it change from a flexible cloth like material to a strong but
flexible plastic like substance.   You need a mold to hold the cloth in
the form you want, while the resin you paint on it cures.   You can
use cardboard for a cheap captive mold if you like.  You can apply
additional layers of glass and resin if you need more strength.

Now there is the resin cured body filler putty made famous by Bondo,
that is different, and may be more common in the stores, but it is simply (if correctly used), for smoothing a mechanically solid repair (hammered out and sometimes welded) so the paint has a nice smooth surface to
be applied to.

The body filler is fun to play with and cheap, but look for the fiberglass
kit.  It is used to provide the solid surface for the body putty in car
repairs.

Fiberglass cloth comes in many forms from a very fine weave to very
course - all have their uses.

I have seen some great sculpture done with fiberglass and Bondo.

Really well done body work is a type of art.  The materials are cheap.
The labor is intensive and to make it look good, takes some artistry.

Be sure to do your fiberglass work in a well ventilated place.  Arron
mentioned the bubble gum scented resin.  Most resin has a VERY
powerful chemical smell as it sets up and most folks find it unpleasant.
Some home aircraft builders have to give up on their project as they
develop such an allergy to the resins used in many home built planes.
They break out in a terrible rash from the stuff.

Aircraft Spruce used to sell some "safe" resins as well as foam to be
cut into aircraft wing sections with a hot wire cutter.   The "spruce"
in the name Aircraft Spruce comes from the old practice of using
spruce wood as the main wing spar in aircraft.  

Howard Hughes built
a giant flying boat during WWII to avoid the German submarines that
sank so many supply ships.  Metal was scarce during the war so his
Hercules I aircraft was built out of wood, with giant trees
supplying the spars for the wings.  Lots of folks accused Hughes of
bilking the government out of money for a project that would never
fly.   The engineering tasks were made much more difficult, not having
metal to use in building the plane.  Hughes was eccentric, but his
efforts on the "spruce goose" as detractors called the plane, were
quite sincere.  He had millions of his own dollars tied up in the project.

The plane is huge.  The wings are 13 feet thick where they meet the
fuselage.  there is an access door and a hallway down the inside of
the wings so a person could get to each of the 4 engines on each,
wing, from inside the aircraft.   

For the first taxi trials, the huge one of a kind craft was filled with
modular flotation devices in case it was damaged and began to
take on water.  Inflated beach balls filled the cargo section of the plane.

After a few taxi runs, with Hughes personally piloting the craft, he 
ordered the flaps set to take off configuration and the cockpit crew
realized the Mr. Hughes was going to try to fly the plane without telling
anyone.  A mechanic was posted at each of the eight engines to assure
optimum engine performance.  Hughes pushed the throttles open and
began skimming along the surface of Long Beach harbor.  He had told
the copilot to tap him on the shoulder when they reached take the
theoretical take off speed of the craft.   He was an experience pilot and
was totally focused on the "feel" of the plane.  When tapped on the shoulder Hughes eased back on the controls and gently lifted the craft out of the water.  He flew it low and for only about a mile, but he 
successfully eased the craft back into the water for a safe landing.

Hughes had testified before Congress answering his critics about
his flying boat project and he told them that it was a serious
effort and he would leave the country in disgrace if it did not fly.

Hughes had shut up his critics and scared the crap out of a lot of
people by unexpectedly flying the experimental aircraft in what was
only to be a taxi test to check stress on the plane.

After the flight he told some of his trusted engineers after a few
taxi runs, he felt the craft could successfully fly.  He said it creaked
and groaned and needed more work, but the design was proven
and where else was he going to live if he had had to keep his word
and leave the states if the plane never flew.

Anyway, an interesting tangent - wooden spars worked on small
planes and one very huge one.  A mastery of the materials allowed
the engineers to make it work.

So what can you make from a Bondo fiberglass kit?
The sky is the limit.

-Glenn

Eric Lundquist <roboenator at gmail.com> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aaron Lundquist 
Date: Jun 16, 2008 10:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Robotgroup] Fiberglass + resin sources ?
To: Eric Lundquist 

We actualy order all of our stuff from a place in florida called select
products.  they actualy have some really cools stuff but the price is stupid
high.  the reason that we get our resin from them is because they make resin
with a buble gum sent (keeps customers from complaining).  Josco in south
austin.  they sell marine grade resin by the 5 gal bucket w/ the MEK-P for
about $80 - $100 (been going up due to gas / shipping prices.  they also
sell chop mat glass in 10yd rolls for I think $45ish a roll.  its 2.5oz mat.
 hope that helps.

--Aaron



 On Jun 16, 2008, at 11:53 AM, Eric Lundquist wrote

 Aaron,
Do you guys get your resin and fiber locally?
- Dad


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Def Egge 
Date: Jun 16, 2008 11:28 AM
Subject: [Robotgroup] Fiberglass + resin sources ?
To: The Robot Group 


I (we, the Austin Outrigger Canoe Club) have some major work to perform on
one of our kanus.

Does anyone on this list have any experience with local suppliers of
fiberglass and resin?


-- 

All the best....

Mike

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