Protege5: Harder, not Smarter!
- Thread starter Tamn
- Start date
ahhh its killer waiting between coats for this stuff, I'm having such a blast doing this lol
all fun and games until the sanding part
But using some high quality materials instead of that bondo brand s*** from wally world is really nice. Should go on much smoother so it should save me alot of time...especially since I more or less know what I'm doing this time.
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Making a tooling gelcoat fiberglass reinforced mold for protege rear hatch
Removed all objects to make a smooth surface, except wiper since I'm not glassing the entire way across the glass since it will be cut off for lexan insert anyways.
Taped over all the holes with my trusty blue painters tape.
Last time I used 5 coats of liquid car polishing wax for my hood, this time I got some nice wax made specifically for mold making. Only need to do 1 layer of this stuff, goes on nice and thick.
"most" fiberglassers use spray guns for their mold release and the gelcoat...I don't have any of that fancy stuff so I did it the old fashioned way....a brush. I put down 2 coats of PVA mold release. Wait a half hour and it looks like a clear coat on top of the wax layer.
I used an orange tooling gel coat, I measured the surface area I would need, then did the math to figure out the weight I would need for the gelcoat...I used my electronic scale to measure the amount down to the gram until I had the exact number. Then I measured precisely 1.8% of the gel coat by weight in hardener and mixed it in. STIR IT REALLLLLLLLLLLY WELL!!!
I put down basicly 2 coats of gelcoat, 1 thick and a lighter one to make sure I didn't miss any spots since....I'm using a brush, which I've never seen anyone else use before for gel coating.
I used 3M something 90 spray adhesive and plastered foil over the glass so the fiberglass didn't stick to it, since I didn't trust the wax on it.
I forgot I had short sleeves on after I'd done my first 2 layers of glass over the mold. I have hundreds of angry red sores on my arms now. I used duct tape to wrap my arms and yank most of the splinters out.
Afterwards I reccomend taking a shower as hot as you can stand it...and then as cold as it will go for a minute...its some kind of a trick to make you forget how much it hurts...but it seems to do the trick, I've had some fiberglassers from airplane companys give me that tip. Works well.
But....please....wear a long sleeve....it hurts.....A LOT
I did up 3 layers of the last of my bad bondo glass with the last of my bad resin. I even used a can of resin that must have been 15 years old or more (the really bizarre green resin on the last layer)... I glassed in ABS plastic strips for some more support...yea...looks bad but remember that's the back and its just mold reinforcing. First 2 layers went on wickedly tight, had trouble getting the third one to get close with the longer ABS strips flexing. (its really hard doing this with only 2 hands)
I'll split it off the hatch tomorrow and then the real work can begin. The tooling gelcoats supposedly last the longest so I could make more copies if needed.
tomorrow breaking open my 5 gallon tub of nicer resin and the good glass, very exciting!
Cheers!
Removed all objects to make a smooth surface, except wiper since I'm not glassing the entire way across the glass since it will be cut off for lexan insert anyways.
Taped over all the holes with my trusty blue painters tape.
Last time I used 5 coats of liquid car polishing wax for my hood, this time I got some nice wax made specifically for mold making. Only need to do 1 layer of this stuff, goes on nice and thick.
"most" fiberglassers use spray guns for their mold release and the gelcoat...I don't have any of that fancy stuff so I did it the old fashioned way....a brush. I put down 2 coats of PVA mold release. Wait a half hour and it looks like a clear coat on top of the wax layer.
I used an orange tooling gel coat, I measured the surface area I would need, then did the math to figure out the weight I would need for the gelcoat...I used my electronic scale to measure the amount down to the gram until I had the exact number. Then I measured precisely 1.8% of the gel coat by weight in hardener and mixed it in. STIR IT REALLLLLLLLLLLY WELL!!!
I put down basicly 2 coats of gelcoat, 1 thick and a lighter one to make sure I didn't miss any spots since....I'm using a brush, which I've never seen anyone else use before for gel coating.
I used 3M something 90 spray adhesive and plastered foil over the glass so the fiberglass didn't stick to it, since I didn't trust the wax on it.
I forgot I had short sleeves on after I'd done my first 2 layers of glass over the mold. I have hundreds of angry red sores on my arms now. I used duct tape to wrap my arms and yank most of the splinters out.
Afterwards I reccomend taking a shower as hot as you can stand it...and then as cold as it will go for a minute...its some kind of a trick to make you forget how much it hurts...but it seems to do the trick, I've had some fiberglassers from airplane companys give me that tip. Works well.
But....please....wear a long sleeve....it hurts.....A LOT
I did up 3 layers of the last of my bad bondo glass with the last of my bad resin. I even used a can of resin that must have been 15 years old or more (the really bizarre green resin on the last layer)... I glassed in ABS plastic strips for some more support...yea...looks bad but remember that's the back and its just mold reinforcing. First 2 layers went on wickedly tight, had trouble getting the third one to get close with the longer ABS strips flexing. (its really hard doing this with only 2 hands)
I'll split it off the hatch tomorrow and then the real work can begin. The tooling gelcoats supposedly last the longest so I could make more copies if needed.
tomorrow breaking open my 5 gallon tub of nicer resin and the good glass, very exciting!
Cheers!
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What the hatch looks like after I pulled the mold off.
Mold before I trimmed it.
Mold after I trimmed the excess off.
Waxed the mold, PVA'd it and brushed on another layer of gelcoat...fingers crossed it releases when I'm done.
I use alot of space...(whistle)
Laying the actual glass backing on the gelcoat layer tomorrow...I'm so nervous about it releasing from the mold...in hindsight I should have used more PVA....oh well....guess we'll see.
Everyone starts somewhere.
This things gonna be sooooo much lighter than stock...Gotta remember to make up a little battery box too....keep fergitten...
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I have 2 bars in the way, plus....what...."x" amount of crush space? I'm not worried.
Unless its a a tractor....but your dead in most cars anyhow in that case.psssss don't tell anyone but I think I smell a chromoly cage in the works sometime soon anyways. *pokes welder friend*
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Cut holes in it...profit
Just laid up the fiberglass for the hatch itself. I'm gonna tell you right now...if you ever even consider using "bondo" resin...just do yourself a favor and DON'T EVER TOUCH IT EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN EVER.
I cannot even begin to emphasize how s*** that stuff is compared to good resin. Dear god its at least 49 times better. Probably will cut your finishing time by 3/4ths. It flows extremely well, air bubbles are "easy" to remove and it takes twice as long before it hardens up on you. I had enough time to roller all my sheets out extremely carefully as opposed to the hood/mold where I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to just get the resin on before it hardens, much less remove air bubbling.
This stuff is SWEEET! I laid down 2 layers of 3/4 oz glass followed up with a 1.5 oz layer...phewee this things gonna be so slick, I just hope it releases from the mold ok so I don't have to bash my mold apart. lol
I cannot even begin to emphasize how s*** that stuff is compared to good resin. Dear god its at least 49 times better. Probably will cut your finishing time by 3/4ths. It flows extremely well, air bubbles are "easy" to remove and it takes twice as long before it hardens up on you. I had enough time to roller all my sheets out extremely carefully as opposed to the hood/mold where I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to just get the resin on before it hardens, much less remove air bubbling.
This stuff is SWEEET! I laid down 2 layers of 3/4 oz glass followed up with a 1.5 oz layer...phewee this things gonna be so slick, I just hope it releases from the mold ok so I don't have to bash my mold apart. lol
So I'm cutting out my lexan sheet for the back window and I would really like to keep a tinted look even with the lexan. I read that lexan creates a gas that causes massive bubbling when heated for normal tint sheets. So I'm gonna give rust-oleum spray tint a chance and see how it looks. If it looks nice I might go and do my sunroof lexan with it too.
You guys ever used this stuff before? I'm not sure how dark it will turn, it says no more than 3 coats or light may not shine through...
*I'm gonna wait at least another day before I try removing the hatch from the mold to allow it to cure enough, don't wanna fk something up rushing it.*
You guys ever used this stuff before? I'm not sure how dark it will turn, it says no more than 3 coats or light may not shine through...
*I'm gonna wait at least another day before I try removing the hatch from the mold to allow it to cure enough, don't wanna fk something up rushing it.*
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Spent about 2 hours wedging and prying and hoping I wasn't destroying anything too badly...finally got them apart! (wow)
One fiberglass hatch served up.
mold still looks decent
Hatch after I trimmed it....I hate trimming fiberglass...suckkkkkks I got fiberglass dust all over me, gah!
Back of hatch, only one or two larger air bubbles. I call success!
Its pretty damn strong, much stronger than my hood. That last heavy layer really helped stiffen it up. I'd say it weighs....4-5 pounds atm.
I think its gonna turn out very nice
much less finishing needed than the moldless hood I did.If I did another hatch, heres what I would do differently.
1. Flanged mold....mmmm me gusta
2. I wouldnt have used even that s*** resin on a mold, that stuff is so seriously crap,, just burn it.
3. Wood supports for the mold, stiffer is better!
4. I need to stop messing with foil, ruined the edge of the mold when it peeled off.
5. I need a few more assorted rollers in different sizes for air bubble removing.
6. In hindsight I would not have taped off all the little holes for the lights/license/spoiler, etc from the outside...inside next time
By the time I have all my panels done...I should be doing much better
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iamthewheelman
Member
Your probabaly going to wanna go back and do the original ones you did first to make them up to your new standards lol
I might actually make some more later...actually. (whistle)
I just said actually 3 times...
CR3 Motorsports
Member
Looking real good!
How do you plan to finish the sides? Also what will you be using for a window? acrylic or lexan?
How do you plan to finish the sides? Also what will you be using for a window? acrylic or lexan?
Gonna be doing lexan, as for the sides, you referring to weatherstripping or....
as in smoothing? I'll probably just bondo it up smooth like my hood.
CR3 Motorsports
Member
Cool!
Random pics while I work on finishing it. Yes the hatch is just "stuck" on the back. I'm making some flanged aluminum plates to glass into the hatch so I can use the stock hinges.
If I can get the plates done tomorrow...I might have this whole thing done in like 2 more days. Slightly faster than my hood...lol
