I truly feel sorry for you that you are forced to remaster your classic videos. I followed you from the beginning and like to thank you for teaching me and others how to work with fiberglass. it was a joy to learn and is a very fun and useful set of skills. best wishes from berlin city
Amazing work as usual !! Learning allot from you , I'm in the middle of creating my plug ( dye). My question is; I am priming my plug with primer 2k, now can I seal it with automotive clear coat ? Insted of Famowood Glaze or still use the glaze also ? Thank you as always , You always answer my questions and I truly appreciate it !!!👍
@@autowingsthingsmike8954 normally when using a 2k primer you have to use a 1k color/paint layer which you afterward seal with a 2k clearcoat. I would not use the 2k floor coat after a 2k automotive clear coat. But I will recommend that you use PVA and mold release wax. Good luck with your project. Greetings from berlin
Great video. I love your straightforward, no nonsense approach, especially the cost saving alternatives, de-mystifying a lot of the expensive alternatives. Well done!
This is the clearest, most useful explanation of this process that I've found. I've had issues with dragging the cloth with the brush (put resin on the cloth instead of cloth on the resin), had no idea what gelcoat was for, etc. Thanks for posting this.
I've learned more about fiberglassing from you than my own brother who died it professionally at one of our local body shops. I appreciate all your tutorials and look forward to more in the future. Thank you from the States.
I love that you only focus on 'necessary' work and materials, without getting too hung up on whether or not you can get a few grams lighter or stiffer. Efficiency is key, especially when you're fielding a team by yourself.
I crack up at the attitudes & antics of the resin infusion & vacuum bagging fanatics who think weight levels in basic club cars are as critical as in the aerospace or F1 industries. I can honestly say I've never sat in the pits thinking "Oh shit if only I'd minimized resin in those panels of mine I woulda beat that guy."
I'm as bad as anyone else about getting as light as possible, but I've definitely picked up an overflowing handful of time-saving tricks from you that have kept my projects from getting stuck. I still groan whenever you glitter up your epoxy or when you make cheesy jokes, but I absolutely love every video you've put out. Even on the other side of this rock we all live on, you're an inspiration. Keep up the great work, mate!
Thanks a lot mate! Your videos inspired me to do my own project ( I mean Why not?) and now my Chevrolet Corsa has a really cool racing dashboard made of fiberglass, this information is really helpful and you share it without any interest, the world needs more cool people like you, cheers from Chile!
Thanks, your videos are very informative. I want to cast my headlight surrounds in fibreglass and have seen molds made of silicon and soapy water or cornflower. But I'm concerned the silicon would stick to the paint. What do you think would be the best material for a mold that won't trash my paint? Thanks again!
Great video - do you think this technique would be suitable to rebuild car interior headliner backing board (slightly rotten carboard style board)? Was thinking I could wax spray one side then fibreglass it just like you did to create a solid mold. Just worrying it might be too rigid, although the car is a Volvo estate so have quite a lot of room to slide in and out. Thanks.
I want to strip down a Corvette to its chassis and keep the interior and rebuild a 70s futuristic body around it. Could I use this method for the body panels. Still need to figure out glass, lights trim and details
Yes this method it the best way to go. Your biggest task will be sculpting the bodywork you want to copy, and part of that will be then figuring out where you need to divide it into molds. I have found chicken mesh or similar over a very minimal frame then covered with foam rubber which is then fiberglassed lighlty and used as a basis for final sculpture is a quicker method. But using stock panels a a sculpture base and modifying or building onto them also works. Either way - a full body sculpt & mold (then copy) is a BIG job! Here is my foam rubber method: ua-cam.com/video/WdC4ymZ3fZI/v-deo.html and my current build series from part 6 shows me sculpting my own bodywork for a Civic by heavily modifying factory panels, and ending up with a one piece flip up front for the car. You should watch all of this build from part 6 forward: ua-cam.com/play/PLh5B6MCXRHiFalCU0qKyDltcBxNVZCLS1.html
Hey brother I have sort of the same idea to replicate a vintage roadster on a modern car base like a Miata. Perhaps depending on where you’re located I can help you and learn in the process. I’m definitely going to try to contact WJP004 whenever I can start my project. His videos are full of lessons and got me motivated to achieve my dream of owning a vintage roadster looking ride. Good luck 👍🏼
Great advice and tutorial mate. I am going to attempt to do this , except the complete sides of a Land Rover Discovery1 .That way i can make a fiberglass body shell for a camper. .Its a landy thing. lol. Cheers mate, i'll let you know how it goes.. or doesnt lol.
Hii Bill, i have watch almost all of your carbon/fiber tutorial videos its very informative and easy to understand. but I'm still confused on how to make the hood hook at the front of the fiber hood? you have explained on how to make the hinges at the back of the hood, but I still don't get it on how to make the hood hook thoo, hope you can guide me, and God Bless You!
ahhh yess i mean bonnet latch, sorry for the bad English Bill@@BillsBuildandRace its the things that just look like a "U" shape steel where u cant remove it from the factory bonnet, the only way to remove it by cutting the legs
Make a tine template of the position of the factory catch relative to the edge of the bonnet. Then cut the factory u bracket off and weld it to some 25mm flat steel. When you lay up your bonnet use your tin template to position your u bolt in the right place & at the right angle, then put two layers of cloth over it while the main bonnet is still unset to lock it in place as part of the bonnet. Don't do this as a second process AFTER the bonnet has hardened. You must do it as the final part of the bonnet layup to get the strongest cementing of it into the bonnet. But you need that tin template because you can't re-position it once your fiberglass sets & it's locked in place. If you need adjustment you can usually do that on the catch it goes into on the car.
Sorry random question I'm new to this and I'm just curious as to why he did it twice and what the process was for that? I lost track when it jumped from trimming the first piece.
I presume the repetition you are referring to is first layup which creates a mold, and the second lay-up of a copy in that mold. If so, the reason you have to do it twice is because the first creation has the smooth, finished surface on the wrong side. It is, if you like, a female copy of a male part. By then copying that you end up with a proper copy of the original which - in the case of car body panels - gives you the smooth, finished side with the Gelcoat on the outside surface which is to be pained.
Hi there! Great videos. Really enjoying them. What floor wax did you use? Been looking for some cheap floor wax at bunnings and woolies and cannot seem to find any. Thanks!
Wow, nice concise video. Thanks! I would love to duplicate my truck bedsides before the dreaded "Tundra wheel-well rust" sets in. My only concern is making a mold that size--around 3' X 7' overall. Any advice? I'm wondering if I should add stiffeners to the mold before I pull it, so it doesn't flex out of shape when I cast the final piece. Perhaps it's not a big deal since the final part would be very flexible, and has numerous attachment points (bed rail, wheel well, front, back) to pull it into shape. Also wondering if an extra layer or two of woven would be necessary for such a long part. Your thoughts, sir?
Glad you found the video helpful. If I was to add an extra layer of cloth for stiffness on a large, fairly flat piece I would use 600gm Double Bias fiberglass cloth. It does not take up curves, but it great for quick thickness & strength in a single layer. II would lay in stiffeners on molds the size you're looking at. What I use these days is the rubber tubing used to insulate hot water pipes, available at most hardware shops and in various sizes. I just cut it in half longitudinally to get a half round shape that the cloth covers easily, and being rubber it conforms to any compound curves & shapes. On a flat object I'd put stiffeners around the edges a couple of inches in, and maybe diagonally. Then just covers in two layers of 450gm csm cut into strips.
Thank you for your reply, especially the advice on using pipe insulation stiffeners! Ingenious. After watching a few more of your videos, I have the confidence to mold a bedside. For a mold of that size, can I use the same amount of layers as for your hood? How many would you advise for the finished panel (how thick would it end up?). Though large, it will be firmly fastened on the top rail, tailgate area, front of the bed, and a rather stout wheel well arch. Again, thanks.
Question: I'm making a fender for a Pontiac Solstice. I've managed to make what looks like a pretty decent mold. However, there are some ~90° angles along the top and front of the fender. Although those were faithfully duplicated in the mold, I get a lot of air bubbles in the new part. The rest of the part looks fine, but the number of voids that appear on the edges is unacceptable in a finished part. Any suggestions? I've been using glass cloth rather than CSM, mostly because the CSM really wants to drag around when applying resin. :| Thanks for the video series. It's been very helpful so far.
hi, thanks for your videos, very well explained!!i would like some advice; i want to make moulds off my metal car panels (wings, bonnet etc....), but i don't want to damage them: if i apply wax the proper way,, is there a risk of melting the panels clear coat while the epoxy resin is drying ?
The mild heat of catalized fiberglass resin is incapable of melting dried & hardened clear automotive paint. In a case like this I would apply FIVE coats of release wax, polishing each coat. This will build up a good protective layer, and leave your car with a fantastic shine after the fiberglassing process. Then apply PVA release. The more important issue is to make your fiberglass molds so that their shape will not cause them to be difficult to release off your car due to under locking edges.
Now it is starting to be sunny in france, can you tell me which product i need to get rid of the wax applied on my original metal car panel, once i have taken the moulds off ? thanks
I'm wondering what resin you use? Are you using polyester or epoxy? And are you using waxed? or un-waxed? Or a combination? I will be making molds and body parts for my 1978 Triumph Spitfire. Your videos are excellent by the way
In fiberglassing I always use unwaxed, general purpose polyester resin. I have used Vynylester but found it more expensive and way too fumey, so I prefer Low Styrene Emission), not for environmental reasons - but because it doesn't smell as bad. Glad you find these videos encouraging. An industry myth is that you can ONLY use polyester resin with fiberglass, and ONLY epoxy with Carbon Fiber or Kevlar - but this is rubbish. Yes, that it the way it is most of the time, but you can mix it all up as needs be.
@@BillsBuildandRace Thanks Bill for that information. I remembered reading that in your comments way back and I am sure you said that in a video once. I am building a body to cover my tube frame buggy with doors and a floor and wanted to know what your thoughts were. I will be using fiberglass on some parts and carbon/ kevlar on others. I have searched your site for several days in my spare time looking for what you had to say on which resin to use. Thanks for all the knowledge you share with so many. Even though they have been around for years, it takes some of us longer to find them than others. And they are still as valuable as they were the day you put them up! Thanks!
I know this sounds a bit inventive but I'm thinking of getting hold of an old car & removing the body & building a new car body to put on top of it. I really want a Rolls Royce Dawn but they're close to a million dollars & that's out of the question.... What would be the easiest material to build the car body with & how would I go about getting the shape right. I have a friend who owns one but he's not exactly going to let me pull panels off to duplicate them. Please let me know what you think. Thank-you. ~Nick.
What you are talking about is a job demanding the highest levels of fiberglassing skills and experience, and a VERY complicated and expensive, time consuming project.... one even I would be most hesitant to consider taking on. Respectfully... thinking about doing this is punching above your weight. There are far more easier & rewarding car projects to take on than this.
I have one question after all , let's say you have a mold, and my question is when do you put gel coat and fiberglass , and when you can skip the gel coat and have fiberglass finish without gel coat over the new part ?
Why are you asking this question? Is it because you are thinking this is a way to save money? Tell me what sort of things would you like to make in fiberglass, and that will help me answer your question.
@@BillsBuildandRace I'm asking that question because I want to use fiberglass that have pattern for first layer (that's visible) and second and third I want to use chop strand mat
@@ДимитърГенев-ш4и This is a clumsy way to communicate about this. If you have Facebook there are links to me on this channel's home page. Are you planning on making the wing by laying up two halves together in a mold, or are you planning on over laying fiberglass onto a wing shape of some kind?
Hello Bill congratulations for your videos , I think they are very informative, by the way I have seen a lot of them including your home´s construction videos .It is very inspiring to see what a person can do if is motivated.
What a great video, exactly what I needed. Quick question for you - when you repair a mold with body filler I assume, do you need to seal the mold with the epoxy?
I have an old MIni and some of the panels haven been eaten away by rust, but I'd like to keep the good parts of the panels, so it it possible to replace all the missing parts with fibreglass?
Are you sure you're using MEK and not MEKP? MEK is something different. I tried it as a hardner and it doesn't work. (MEK is the same as MEKP but the P stands for Peroxide).
It can be done using the methods I demonstrate but you need to polish wax on wax off about six coats of wax before the PVA release is applied. However I never guarantee an OME part will be perfect as a little damage is always possible. Instead I advise guys to get that panel from a wrecking yard & copy that instead. That's t he only 100% risk free way.
@@BillsBuildandRace wait you're saying i dont have to drive around without my truck hood for 3 weeks,,, thats great then resell the used part for a little money back
Bill, I've been wondering something that I haven't seen in your videos, in relation to you sealing plugs. You say you have to seal them to prevent the gelcoat from biting into any filler. Is this just a problem with certain filler types or all? I'm intrigued because surely the point of a wax and pva release is to prevent the gelcoat from biting, afterall, you're not sealing a mould before laying up a new panel? And you don't seal an original panel if taking a copy and it doesn't strip the paint when you pull the mould away. Just random thoughts. I like binging your fibreglassing videos from time to time, your taste may be questionable at times but you're having fun and nobody can criticise you for that.
The point of a wax and PVA release is NOT "to prevent gelcoat from biting into any filler". Rather, those products are designed to aid release, not form a barrier to absorbent fillers. You don't "seal an original panel if taking a copy" because there are o fillers in them - just metal & paint. The paint "doesn't strip away when you pull the mould away" because the paint is not absorbent like fresh car body fillers used in shaping dies/plugs to be moulded. My taste is not questionable at times - just different to yours. There is a part of me that likes being outrageous at times & pushes the envelope ... hahahaha!
@@BillsBuildandRace you never know what is under a layer of paint unless you put it there. I Googled my question to you while I was waiting (very different timezones) and the alternative answer was, you seal a plug to reduce the pores in the piece. So in theory depending on your timeframe and area of expertise, a decent paint job with a mirror finish is sufficient to prevent the gelcoat from gripping what is beneath using a mechanical lock, there was no mention of a chemical lock. Questionable taste is what separates the unique from the mundane. My dad once wallpapered the outside of his car with a large floral print paper and sealed it with polyurethane varnish. Bizarre but magnificent.
@@RUSSIANUK You are talking about two different jobs. The sealing needed for a sculpted die/plug with copious fillers in it to shape it is quite different to what is needed to seal a panel that is just painted. The key issue is the gelcoat locking into the absorbent sculpted fillers - a situation not present in a painted panel.
@@BillsBuildandRace Bill, the panel that I'm about to copy was originally the grille and surround, I want a different look. So I filled the grille lattice with polyester filler, sand, fill, sand fill, then a coat of resin and filler (that was tough to sand) then 2k filler primer and sand followed by more 2k filler primer as I wasn't entirely satisfied the first time, then a gloss base coat (cellulose) wet sanded and soon a two pack acrylic clear coat, a final wet flat then a good buff so it's gleaming. My problem was you name a product in Oz and one in the U.S. but I live in Britain and can't find anything cheap, but I do have lots of paint and I think I can get an almost flawless finish with paint. I just wondered if maybe the epoxy varnish works well for you given your necessity to get on and finished and the softness of your fillers, obviously the softer the filler the weaker the bond to the panel. I'm not arguing, my dad was into GRP, unfortunately he's no longer around to ask, but you are, so I'm picking your brain instead. I also found a polyester sealer / filler primer designed for sealing plugs, which can't be much different from any 2 pack filler primer. I just presume most of what you can buy is a con.
@@RUSSIANUK With your over attention to detail and (I suspect), being a perfectionist worrier, you have over done things on preparing that plug and made extra work for yourself. I only use two fillers when sculpting dies, automotive body filler, and then Gyprock/drywall joint filler for the final filling. You can't use this more than 4mm thick as it will crack, but you can gently hand sand it super smooth with a handkerchief! The Wattyl 7008 I seal my plug/dies with is just a equal two parts polyurethane clear floor/table gloss. Go to a big hardware or paint store, and look for an equivalent.. a TWO part clear polyurethane. These products are all self levelling, so spraying is unnecessary. Just paint WILL NOT seal your plug, no matter how many coats you give it. Do not over complicate this - just g Get the right product.
So, you made a mold of the top and bottom of the hood. Do you use both of those sandwiched togather to make the actual fiberglass hood? Seems like becouse its on the outside, it would be slightly larger than original dimensions
You have slightly misunderstood my method here. I didn't make a second mold of the bonnet underside. For a racing car you only need a single skin, so I only made a single piece into which I then laid in re-enforcing tubes. I don't leave steps out of my tutorials. That would be unwise. You didn't see me make an underside mold because I didn't make one. There is a later tutorial of mine on how to make a double layer car panel, and you see me do that there... but not here. Neither is the copy larger than the OME part. The sizing of the MOLD is "slightly larger" - but the copy then made within that mold is EXACTLY the same size as the bonnet the mold was made off, and this SECOND generation lay-up is the panel that goes on the car.
WJP004 i got ya. I appologize, I wasn't trying to point out any wrongs, simply asking for my own knowledge. I think I see what you did here. It just took you explaining it in that way for me to realize. I didnt think you would leave out steps..... but wasn't quite sure what was going on is why I ask. Thanks for your reply
Gelcoat only goes hard & stops being sticky when poly resin is applied over it, so you never use it as a filler. Just use auto body filler, sand it when fully hard, but you then MUST coat your repairs with Wattyl 7008 or a coat of Famowood Glaze coat. If you don't all you filler will come away in the gelcoat of the copy you make in that repaired mold. But either of those 2 clear epoxy two pack clear floor varnishes will prevent that.
WJP004 thank you so much for the help i did the bonnet of my rx7 fc3s and did the vent seperate.. the vent snapped when taking it out the mould guess because its plastic and 30 years old and english weather... mould was nearly perfect apart from a little part that snapped off.. thank you so much for all your videos and help
My gel coat seemed extremely thick and hard to paint on WITHOUT brush marks. It also seemed to go off very quickly and it almost turned into one big lump in my paint pot before I could paint it onto the car panel. What did I do wrong? Too much cat? Thanks
The brush marks are only visible on the top the surface which gets overlaid with resin & cloth - so they don't matter. However gelcoat will copy the surface of your mold exactly on it's other (bottom) side. What method did you use to proportion the catalyst?
@@BillsBuildandRace thanks for taking the time to reply. I fear the brush marks are where the gel coat is applied a little too thinly, but it was very hard to cover them once I had applied the gel coat. I followed your video and just did it by weight on the scales, however being a novice I wonder if pouring the catalyst into a separate weighing pot may be an idea first before adding it to the gel?
@@edwardmurray8507 You've done the measuring correctly. The cold should have slowed catalisation right down. How long did you mix the gelcoat, how long between when you mixed it and when you applied it, and how long did you spend applying it?
It would do if you only did one layup to make a bonnet - but thinking this way you're leaving out a stage in the work. This is a TWO stage not a single stage manufacturing process. First stage is to make a fiberglass mold off the original. Second stage is to make a copy (which goes on the car), WITHIN that mold - guaranteeing the finished part will be EXACTLY the same size as the OME part.
Neutral Gelcoat is coloured with paint pigment - the stuff paint shops have in their carousel mixers, but you buy it from fiberglass suppliers, like where I used to work. You can order online or by phone, pay by card & they'll post to you (it looks like you're in Tassy). trojanfibreglass.com.au/product-category/pigments/
I have used pallet wrap as a release agent on test pieces, and also on frozen carcasses when making fiberglass molds as a pro taxidermist. But wax & PVA release TOGETHER is always best as you always get wrinkles with plastic film.
Yes, just go to my library lists here (screen left) where you will find more than twenty fiberglass tutorials showing you how do do those exact jobs step by step.
My answer is... No, because the sizing of the MOLD is what you are describing here - but the copy then made within that mold is EXACTLY the same size as the bonnet the mold was made off, and this SECOND generation lay-up is the panel that goes on the car.
Yes. Funny car drag racers have been doing that for years. But it takes a LOT of skill & experience to make such a die, mold it's pieces, then lay it up.
As thick as you make it. My standard layup for car work and making molds is one layer of 225gm cloth then two layers of 450gm cloth. This gives a thickness of around 3mm.
I want to make a complete polyester body for my toyota mrs spyder, the primary reason is loosing weight ( not me, the car...); if I do the above mentioned, will i lose weight compare to the original metal part , or will i have to make 2 layers instead of 3 ? Thanks
Wonderful video, great cost-cutting endeavour that can be done by most people. The thought of making Fibreglass items always crossed my mind. At long last I got help from your video. Thank you a thousand times.
@@843Keen I just made a mold off one, so now I could make copies of it to put on any bonnet I liked. You can just buy them like that to add onto any car, and there are many other manufacturer's scoops available like that from after market Fiberglass custom body panel suppliers. Just look up "fiberglass body kits" in your area.
I truly feel sorry for you that you are forced to remaster your classic videos.
I followed you from the beginning and like to thank you for teaching me and others how to work with fiberglass.
it was a joy to learn and is a very fun and useful set of skills.
best wishes from berlin city
Amazing work as usual !!
Learning allot from you , I'm in the middle of creating my plug ( dye). My question is; I am priming my plug with primer 2k, now can I seal it with automotive clear coat ? Insted of Famowood Glaze or still use the glaze also ? Thank you as always , You always answer my questions and I truly appreciate it !!!👍
@@autowingsthingsmike8954 normally when using a 2k primer you have to use a 1k color/paint layer which you afterward seal with a 2k clearcoat. I would not use the 2k floor coat after a 2k automotive clear coat. But I will recommend that you use PVA and mold release wax. Good luck with your project. Greetings from berlin
@@madmen2505 Thank You ! from USA
@@autowingsthingsmike8954 good luck fallow builder. Keep me posted if everything went well. All the best 👍
I will keep u posted !!
Thank you !!👍
You're living in the year 2090 man, great video and thanks for the cheaper alternatives. Made my job way easier and cheaper.
Great video. I love your straightforward, no nonsense approach, especially the cost saving alternatives, de-mystifying a lot of the expensive alternatives. Well done!
Thanks again Bill, followed your steps here and got a perfect reproduction of my steel bonnet in weight saving fibreglass ! Many UA-camrs thank you
This is the clearest, most useful explanation of this process that I've found. I've had issues with dragging the cloth with the brush (put resin on the cloth instead of cloth on the resin), had no idea what gelcoat was for, etc. Thanks for posting this.
Absolutely fantastic video. I’m currently doing a custom grill on my car and this video has tremendously helped me. Thank you greatly!
I've learned more about fiberglassing from you than my own brother who died it professionally at one of our local body shops. I appreciate all your tutorials and look forward to more in the future. Thank you from the States.
I love that you only focus on 'necessary' work and materials, without getting too hung up on whether or not you can get a few grams lighter or stiffer. Efficiency is key, especially when you're fielding a team by yourself.
I crack up at the attitudes & antics of the resin infusion & vacuum bagging fanatics who think weight levels in basic club cars are as critical as in the aerospace or F1 industries. I can honestly say I've never sat in the pits thinking "Oh shit if only I'd minimized resin in those panels of mine I woulda beat that guy."
I'm as bad as anyone else about getting as light as possible, but I've definitely picked up an overflowing handful of time-saving tricks from you that have kept my projects from getting stuck. I still groan whenever you glitter up your epoxy or when you make cheesy jokes, but I absolutely love every video you've put out. Even on the other side of this rock we all live on, you're an inspiration. Keep up the great work, mate!
Best guide to doing this I have seen so far. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Having no experience in this, I can say that I’ll be making my own cowl hood instead of spending 500 on one. Lol. Thank you for the video!
Wear a very good nose mask. I heard that fibreglass is quite dangerous, as you can breath in the dust and it get stuck to your lungs.
Thank you for all your videos! Your videos have guided me through my whole widebody kit process.
Thanks a lot mate! Your videos inspired me to do my own project ( I mean Why not?) and now my Chevrolet Corsa has a really cool racing dashboard made of fiberglass, this information is really helpful and you share it without any interest, the world needs more cool people like you, cheers from Chile!
Oldman with full of skills..thanks for sharing.good to know it
Thanks, your videos are very informative.
I want to cast my headlight surrounds in fibreglass and have seen molds made of silicon and soapy water or cornflower.
But I'm concerned the silicon would stick to the paint.
What do you think would be the best material for a mold that won't trash my paint?
Thanks again!
The best material is Alginate used by dentists. It will not stick to anything, but put a plaster mold over the top of it to add strength.
Wish all UA-cam channels were like this
thats some good old aussie inginuity right there. love your work mate, thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Great video - do you think this technique would be suitable to rebuild car interior headliner backing board (slightly rotten carboard style board)? Was thinking I could wax spray one side then fibreglass it just like you did to create a solid mold. Just worrying it might be too rigid, although the car is a Volvo estate so have quite a lot of room to slide in and out. Thanks.
Thanks for the video. You are a professional
Love this channel man. Keep up the great work.
One of the best videos on youtube. NO BS, love it.
Just want to say thank you, i have made a bonnet a front lip and sideskirts so far.. i messed up a couple times but im still doing it :)
How you did the mold for the front lip?
I want to strip down a Corvette to its chassis and keep the interior and rebuild a 70s futuristic body around it. Could I use this method for the body panels. Still need to figure out glass, lights trim and details
Yes this method it the best way to go. Your biggest task will be sculpting the bodywork you want to copy, and part of that will be then figuring out where you need to divide it into molds. I have found chicken mesh or similar over a very minimal frame then covered with foam rubber which is then fiberglassed lighlty and used as a basis for final sculpture is a quicker method. But using stock panels a a sculpture base and modifying or building onto them also works. Either way - a full body sculpt & mold (then copy) is a BIG job! Here is my foam rubber method: ua-cam.com/video/WdC4ymZ3fZI/v-deo.html and my current build series from part 6 shows me sculpting my own bodywork for a Civic by heavily modifying factory panels, and ending up with a one piece flip up front for the car. You should watch all of this build from part 6 forward: ua-cam.com/play/PLh5B6MCXRHiFalCU0qKyDltcBxNVZCLS1.html
@@BillsBuildandRace wow cool ok thanks
Hey brother I have sort of the same idea to replicate a vintage roadster on a modern car base like a Miata. Perhaps depending on where you’re located I can help you and learn in the process. I’m definitely going to try to contact WJP004 whenever I can start my project. His videos are full of lessons and got me motivated to achieve my dream of owning a vintage roadster looking ride. Good luck 👍🏼
Very helpful and informative vid. Thanks. Much appreciated.
Bill all my fiberglass attempts have been failures. Is there a way of sending you a photo of the materials I am using? Thanks Roger
Thank you so much for making these videos! very helpful
Thanks a bunch! Ordered the book off amazon.
Is it a have to use pva ? Or is their a sub for pva?
Great advice and tutorial mate. I am going to attempt to do this , except the complete sides of a Land Rover Discovery1 .That way i can make a fiberglass body shell for a camper. .Its a landy thing. lol. Cheers mate, i'll let you know how it goes.. or doesnt lol.
i will be doing a few panels on my car, thanks to your videos!
Following because I make costume armor pieces that I want to have a smooth auto-body like finish. I will definitely be using this video as a guide.
Hii Bill, i have watch almost all of your carbon/fiber tutorial videos its very informative and easy to understand. but I'm still confused on how to make the hood hook at the front of the fiber hood? you have explained on how to make the hinges at the back of the hood, but I still don't get it on how to make the hood hook thoo, hope you can guide me, and God Bless You!
By the "hood hook" do you mean the mounting point for what we call the factory "bonnet latch"?
ahhh yess i mean bonnet latch, sorry for the bad English Bill@@BillsBuildandRace its the things that just look like a "U" shape steel where u cant remove it from the factory bonnet, the only way to remove it by cutting the legs
Make a tine template of the position of the factory catch relative to the edge of the bonnet. Then cut the factory u bracket off and weld it to some 25mm flat steel. When you lay up your bonnet use your tin template to position your u bolt in the right place & at the right angle, then put two layers of cloth over it while the main bonnet is still unset to lock it in place as part of the bonnet. Don't do this as a second process AFTER the bonnet has hardened. You must do it as the final part of the bonnet layup to get the strongest cementing of it into the bonnet. But you need that tin template because you can't re-position it once your fiberglass sets & it's locked in place. If you need adjustment you can usually do that on the catch it goes into on the car.
Sorry random question I'm new to this and I'm just curious as to why he did it twice and what the process was for that? I lost track when it jumped from trimming the first piece.
I presume the repetition you are referring to is first layup which creates a mold, and the second lay-up of a copy in that mold. If so, the reason you have to do it twice is because the first creation has the smooth, finished surface on the wrong side. It is, if you like, a female copy of a male part. By then copying that you end up with a proper copy of the original which - in the case of car body panels - gives you the smooth, finished side with the Gelcoat on the outside surface which is to be pained.
Unreal mate, inspired me to make some moulds!
Thank you Bill! i will definately gonna try this tutorial! thanks again from Spain!
You are a LEGEND for this, thank you good Sir...
Hope you are doing well! Did you sculpt the Evo 8 vent or did you purchase this somewhere?
Bought it off the shelf and incorporated it into many bonnets since.
Hi there! Great videos. Really enjoying them. What floor wax did you use? Been looking for some cheap floor wax at bunnings and woolies and cannot seem to find any. Thanks!
Great video very informative
Wow, nice concise video. Thanks! I would love to duplicate my truck bedsides before the dreaded "Tundra wheel-well rust" sets in. My only concern is making a mold that size--around 3' X 7' overall. Any advice? I'm wondering if I should add stiffeners to the mold before I pull it, so it doesn't flex out of shape when I cast the final piece. Perhaps it's not a big deal since the final part would be very flexible, and has numerous attachment points (bed rail, wheel well, front, back) to pull it into shape. Also wondering if an extra layer or two of woven would be necessary for such a long part. Your thoughts, sir?
Glad you found the video helpful. If I was to add an extra layer of cloth for stiffness on a large, fairly flat piece I would use 600gm Double Bias fiberglass cloth. It does not take up curves, but it great for quick thickness & strength in a single layer. II would lay in stiffeners on molds the size you're looking at. What I use these days is the rubber tubing used to insulate hot water pipes, available at most hardware shops and in various sizes. I just cut it in half longitudinally to get a half round shape that the cloth covers easily, and being rubber it conforms to any compound curves & shapes. On a flat object I'd put stiffeners around the edges a couple of inches in, and maybe diagonally. Then just covers in two layers of 450gm csm cut into strips.
Thank you for your reply, especially the advice on using pipe insulation stiffeners! Ingenious. After watching a few more of your videos, I have the confidence to mold a bedside. For a mold of that size, can I use the same amount of layers as for your hood? How many would you advise for the finished panel (how thick would it end up?). Though large, it will be firmly fastened on the top rail, tailgate area, front of the bed, and a rather stout wheel well arch. Again, thanks.
PM me pics to Redline Fiberglass facebook
Question: I'm making a fender for a Pontiac Solstice. I've managed to make what looks like a pretty decent mold. However, there are some ~90° angles along the top and front of the fender. Although those were faithfully duplicated in the mold, I get a lot of air bubbles in the new part. The rest of the part looks fine, but the number of voids that appear on the edges is unacceptable in a finished part. Any suggestions? I've been using glass cloth rather than CSM, mostly because the CSM really wants to drag around when applying resin. :|
Thanks for the video series. It's been very helpful so far.
Im trying to make one for my Pontiac solstice as well
hi, thanks for your videos, very well explained!!i would like some advice; i want to make moulds off my metal car panels (wings, bonnet etc....), but i don't want to damage them: if i apply wax the proper way,, is there a risk of melting the panels clear coat while the epoxy resin is drying ?
The mild heat of catalized fiberglass resin is incapable of melting dried & hardened clear automotive paint. In a case like this I would apply FIVE coats of release wax, polishing each coat. This will build up a good protective layer, and leave your car with a fantastic shine after the fiberglassing process. Then apply PVA release. The more important issue is to make your fiberglass molds so that their shape will not cause them to be difficult to release off your car due to under locking edges.
thank you; now is the time to make my moulds !!!
Now it is starting to be sunny in france, can you tell me which product i need to get rid of the wax applied on my original metal car panel, once i have taken the moulds off ? thanks
How do you make that bonnet
I'm wondering what resin you use? Are you using polyester or epoxy? And are you using waxed? or un-waxed? Or a combination? I will be making molds and body parts for my 1978 Triumph Spitfire.
Your videos are excellent by the way
In fiberglassing I always use unwaxed, general purpose polyester resin. I have used Vynylester but found it more expensive and way too fumey, so I prefer Low Styrene Emission), not for environmental reasons - but because it doesn't smell as bad. Glad you find these videos encouraging. An industry myth is that you can ONLY use polyester resin with fiberglass, and ONLY epoxy with Carbon Fiber or Kevlar - but this is rubbish. Yes, that it the way it is most of the time, but you can mix it all up as needs be.
@@BillsBuildandRace Thanks Bill for that information. I remembered reading that in your comments way back and I am sure you said that in a video once. I am building a body to cover my tube frame buggy with doors and a floor and wanted to know what your thoughts were. I will be using fiberglass on some parts and carbon/ kevlar on others. I have searched your site for several days in my spare time looking for what you had to say on which resin to use.
Thanks for all the knowledge you share with so many. Even though they have been around for years, it takes some of us longer to find them than others. And they are still as valuable as they were the day you put them up!
Thanks!
I know this sounds a bit inventive but I'm thinking of getting hold of an old car & removing the body & building a new car body to put on top of it.
I really want a Rolls Royce Dawn but they're close to a million dollars & that's out of the question.... What would be the easiest material to build the car body with & how would I go about getting the shape right.
I have a friend who owns one but he's not exactly going to let me pull panels off to duplicate them.
Please let me know what you think.
Thank-you.
~Nick.
What you are talking about is a job demanding the highest levels of fiberglassing skills and experience, and a VERY complicated and expensive, time consuming project.... one even I would be most hesitant to consider taking on. Respectfully... thinking about doing this is punching above your weight. There are far more easier & rewarding car projects to take on than this.
I have one question after all , let's say you have a mold, and my question is when do you put gel coat and fiberglass , and when you can skip the gel coat and have fiberglass finish without gel coat over the new part ?
Why are you asking this question? Is it because you are thinking this is a way to save money? Tell me what sort of things would you like to make in fiberglass, and that will help me answer your question.
@@BillsBuildandRace I'm asking that question because I want to use fiberglass that have pattern for first layer (that's visible) and second and third I want to use chop strand mat
@@ДимитърГенев-ш4и But what are you wanting to make?
@@BillsBuildandRace a wing but I want the fibers to be visible like carbon
@@ДимитърГенев-ш4и This is a clumsy way to communicate about this. If you have Facebook there are links to me on this channel's home page. Are you planning on making the wing by laying up two halves together in a mold, or are you planning on over laying fiberglass onto a wing shape of some kind?
Hello Bill congratulations for your videos , I think they are very informative, by the way I have seen a lot of them including your home´s construction videos .It is very inspiring to see what a person can do if is motivated.
Wow what a legend. Really good video and cool hat
Lovely job. going to watch all this mans videos
What a great video, exactly what I needed. Quick question for you - when you repair a mold with body filler I assume, do you need to seal the mold with the epoxy?
Yes.
I have an old MIni and some of the panels haven been eaten away by rust, but I'd like to keep the good parts of the panels, so it it possible to replace all the missing parts with fibreglass?
I'd have to see pics to advise you. PM me via my Redline Fiberglass Facebook page.
This is is awesome and now it's time to go and make race car parts.
What do you suggest I first practice remaking in fiberglass
Are you sure you're using MEK and not MEKP? MEK is something different. I tried it as a hardner and it doesn't work. (MEK is the same as MEKP but the P stands for Peroxide).
Can you fiberglass a car panel without taking it off and not hurting the paint? Pls post a video on that im dying to learn it
It can be done using the methods I demonstrate but you need to polish wax on wax off about six coats of wax before the PVA release is applied. However I never guarantee an OME part will be perfect as a little damage is always possible. Instead I advise guys to get that panel from a wrecking yard & copy that instead. That's t he only 100% risk free way.
Thanks
Danny Mooney aluminum tape on top
@@BillsBuildandRace wait you're saying i dont have to drive around without my truck hood for 3 weeks,,, thats great then resell the used part for a little money back
Where did you get that evo scoop?
I Googled "Car body kits" and found a manufacturer in Sydney who had one in his product listings under "scoops".
Bill, I've been wondering something that I haven't seen in your videos, in relation to you sealing plugs.
You say you have to seal them to prevent the gelcoat from biting into any filler. Is this just a problem with certain filler types or all? I'm intrigued because surely the point of a wax and pva release is to prevent the gelcoat from biting, afterall, you're not sealing a mould before laying up a new panel? And you don't seal an original panel if taking a copy and it doesn't strip the paint when you pull the mould away. Just random thoughts.
I like binging your fibreglassing videos from time to time, your taste may be questionable at times but you're having fun and nobody can criticise you for that.
The point of a wax and PVA release is NOT "to prevent gelcoat from biting into any filler". Rather, those products are designed to aid release, not form a barrier to absorbent fillers. You don't "seal an original panel if taking a copy" because there are o fillers in them - just metal & paint. The paint "doesn't strip away when you pull the mould away" because the paint is not absorbent like fresh car body fillers used in shaping dies/plugs to be moulded. My taste is not questionable at times - just different to yours. There is a part of me that likes being outrageous at times & pushes the envelope ... hahahaha!
@@BillsBuildandRace you never know what is under a layer of paint unless you put it there.
I Googled my question to you while I was waiting (very different timezones) and the alternative answer was, you seal a plug to reduce the pores in the piece. So in theory depending on your timeframe and area of expertise, a decent paint job with a mirror finish is sufficient to prevent the gelcoat from gripping what is beneath using a mechanical lock, there was no mention of a chemical lock.
Questionable taste is what separates the unique from the mundane. My dad once wallpapered the outside of his car with a large floral print paper and sealed it with polyurethane varnish. Bizarre but magnificent.
@@RUSSIANUK You are talking about two different jobs. The sealing needed for a sculpted die/plug with copious fillers in it to shape it is quite different to what is needed to seal a panel that is just painted. The key issue is the gelcoat locking into the absorbent sculpted fillers - a situation not present in a painted panel.
@@BillsBuildandRace Bill, the panel that I'm about to copy was originally the grille and surround, I want a different look. So I filled the grille lattice with polyester filler, sand, fill, sand fill, then a coat of resin and filler (that was tough to sand) then 2k filler primer and sand followed by more 2k filler primer as I wasn't entirely satisfied the first time, then a gloss base coat (cellulose) wet sanded and soon a two pack acrylic clear coat, a final wet flat then a good buff so it's gleaming.
My problem was you name a product in Oz and one in the U.S. but I live in Britain and can't find anything cheap, but I do have lots of paint and I think I can get an almost flawless finish with paint. I just wondered if maybe the epoxy varnish works well for you given your necessity to get on and finished and the softness of your fillers, obviously the softer the filler the weaker the bond to the panel.
I'm not arguing, my dad was into GRP, unfortunately he's no longer around to ask, but you are, so I'm picking your brain instead.
I also found a polyester sealer / filler primer designed for sealing plugs, which can't be much different from any 2 pack filler primer. I just presume most of what you can buy is a con.
@@RUSSIANUK With your over attention to detail and (I suspect), being a perfectionist worrier, you have over done things on preparing that plug and made extra work for yourself. I only use two fillers when sculpting dies, automotive body filler, and then Gyprock/drywall joint filler for the final filling. You can't use this more than 4mm thick as it will crack, but you can gently hand sand it super smooth with a handkerchief! The Wattyl 7008 I seal my plug/dies with is just a equal two parts polyurethane clear floor/table gloss. Go to a big hardware or paint store, and look for an equivalent.. a TWO part clear polyurethane. These products are all self levelling, so spraying is unnecessary. Just paint WILL NOT seal your plug, no matter how many coats you give it. Do not over complicate this - just g Get the right product.
So, you made a mold of the top and bottom of the hood. Do you use both of those sandwiched togather to make the actual fiberglass hood? Seems like becouse its on the outside, it would be slightly larger than original dimensions
You have slightly misunderstood my method here. I didn't make a second mold of the bonnet underside. For a racing car you only need a single skin, so I only made a single piece into which I then laid in re-enforcing tubes. I don't leave steps out of my tutorials. That would be unwise. You didn't see me make an underside mold because I didn't make one. There is a later tutorial of mine on how to make a double layer car panel, and you see me do that there... but not here. Neither is the copy larger than the OME part. The sizing of the MOLD is "slightly larger" - but the copy then made within that mold is EXACTLY the same size as the bonnet the mold was made off, and this SECOND generation lay-up is the panel that goes on the car.
WJP004 i got ya. I appologize, I wasn't trying to point out any wrongs, simply asking for my own knowledge. I think I see what you did here. It just took you explaining it in that way for me to realize. I didnt think you would leave out steps..... but wasn't quite sure what was going on is why I ask. Thanks for your reply
No need to apologize. No offense taken at all. You were just asking for clarification. That's how we all learn.
Absolutely agree with you sir... thank you for your vidio
This is badass. Good stuff.
Will the mould part from the job with just wax..forgot release agent
Thank you for such a great video ✌🏼
when you repair any of the damage on the mould should i repair it with car body repair with gel coat?
Gelcoat only goes hard & stops being sticky when poly resin is applied over it, so you never use it as a filler. Just use auto body filler, sand it when fully hard, but you then MUST coat your repairs with Wattyl 7008 or a coat of Famowood Glaze coat. If you don't all you filler will come away in the gelcoat of the copy you make in that repaired mold. But either of those 2 clear epoxy two pack clear floor varnishes will prevent that.
WJP004 thank you so much for the help i did the bonnet of my rx7 fc3s and did the vent seperate.. the vent snapped when taking it out the mould guess because its plastic and 30 years old and english weather... mould was nearly perfect apart from a little part that snapped off.. thank you so much for all your videos and help
Awesome stuff
Great video mate
My gel coat seemed extremely thick and hard to paint on WITHOUT brush marks. It also seemed to go off very quickly and it almost turned into one big lump in my paint pot before I could paint it onto the car panel.
What did I do wrong? Too much cat?
Thanks
The brush marks are only visible on the top the surface which gets overlaid with resin & cloth - so they don't matter. However gelcoat will copy the surface of your mold exactly on it's other (bottom) side. What method did you use to proportion the catalyst?
@@BillsBuildandRace thanks for taking the time to reply.
I fear the brush marks are where the gel coat is applied a little too thinly, but it was very hard to cover them once I had applied the gel coat.
I followed your video and just did it by weight on the scales, however being a novice I wonder if pouring the catalyst into a separate weighing pot may be an idea first before adding it to the gel?
@@edwardmurray8507 Ok - so you mixed your catalyst by weight. Good. What percentage did you use and what were your weather conditions?
@@BillsBuildandRace I tried to get it as close to 1% as I could. Sadly weather here is cold ish at the moment - about 10c.
@@edwardmurray8507 You've done the measuring correctly. The cold should have slowed catalisation right down. How long did you mix the gelcoat, how long between when you mixed it and when you applied it, and how long did you spend applying it?
Very nice tutorial thank you for uploading
Hello, if you make a copy of your bonnet, doesnt that change the size to a bit bigger than the original?
It would do if you only did one layup to make a bonnet - but thinking this way you're leaving out a stage in the work. This is a TWO stage not a single stage manufacturing process. First stage is to make a fiberglass mold off the original. Second stage is to make a copy (which goes on the car), WITHIN that mold - guaranteeing the finished part will be EXACTLY the same size as the OME part.
How can I make a presise copy of a car fender? For a production purpose. I have the funds and determination
ua-cam.com/video/yCgJFAOlMXY/v-deo.html
Great video. Thanks
Finally someone who actually isn’t 20 and looks like they have some years of experience under their belt.
I love this guys videos! I, being nieve and think everything has to be perfect, cringe at his mold prep and handling lol
Thats the old, she'll be rite approach hahaha
Wondering what do you use to colour the gelcoat. Pigment? If so where from and what one cheers
Neutral Gelcoat is coloured with paint pigment - the stuff paint shops have in their carousel mixers, but you buy it from fiberglass suppliers, like where I used to work. You can order online or by phone, pay by card & they'll post to you (it looks like you're in Tassy). trojanfibreglass.com.au/product-category/pigments/
WJP004 thanks mate I just bought 100g of pigment down in Tassie and it was $17. It's $20 for 1kg at Trojan. Much better price 👌🏻 love your work!
Just curious, could plastic wrap be used instead of the wax on flat areas?
I have used pallet wrap as a release agent on test pieces, and also on frozen carcasses when making fiberglass molds as a pro taxidermist. But wax & PVA release TOGETHER is always best as you always get wrinkles with plastic film.
Thanks!
i:ve seen a video where a guy used aluminum food wrapping sheets : better than pastic ?
Can we produce car bumpers, spoiler fenders in same way?
Yes, just go to my library lists here (screen left) where you will find more than twenty fiberglass tutorials showing you how do do those exact jobs step by step.
Thank you
my question is...wouldn't the fiberglass hood be slightly bigger than the original because it was made to fit over it?
My answer is... No, because the sizing of the MOLD is what you are describing here - but the copy then made within that mold is EXACTLY the same size as the bonnet the mold was made off, and this SECOND generation lay-up is the panel that goes on the car.
yep
If you don't use body filler on the panel do still need to seal it
No. If it's all metal just release wax & PVA release will suffice.
Ok thanks
can you make the whole body of fiberglass if chassis is separate ?
Yes. Funny car drag racers have been doing that for years. But it takes a LOT of skill & experience to make such a die, mold it's pieces, then lay it up.
i saw on TV and photos but wanted to verify
thanks
check koenniserg
Can you make BMW e30 hoods trunks and fenders for export?
Freight from Australia makes that uneconomical, plus you can buy those off the shelf if you hunt around.
This is awesome👍
What song is playing in the beginning?
Hot Heat - You Tube
This video inspires me
What is the thickness of fiberglass??
As thick as you make it. My standard layup for car work and making molds is one layer of 225gm cloth then two layers of 450gm cloth. This gives a thickness of around 3mm.
Thank you
I want to make a complete polyester body for my toyota mrs spyder, the primary reason is loosing weight ( not me, the car...); if I do the above mentioned, will i lose weight compare to the original metal part , or will i have to make 2 layers instead of 3 ?
Thanks
is this just a repost?
he keeps having to reupload because of music used
better not use at all
few reports of copyright infringement by owner and account is removed by google itself
Wonderful video, great cost-cutting endeavour that can be done by most people. The thought of making Fibreglass items always crossed my mind. At long last I got help from your video. Thank you a thousand times.
Is the gelcoat really required?
YES!!! Stop looking for shortcuts. here aren't any.
Okay thanks! Great vid!
Because of the background music it's hard to listen....
Great vid, cheers!:)
Well Done. I think that you should Consider picking up a Second Job as a DJ at a DISCO TECH.! See you next Time...
great video thank you
Awesome! Thanks
i wish i be on a OJT for projects
thanks man
👍👍
Subbed.
This video to me screams 2000-2009
i always see the american eagle in the comments,
How do you make that bonnet
I really do not understand why you would ask that question, when this video shows you how yo make this bonnet step by step all the way through.
@@BillsBuildandRace I’m sorry sir..I mean the evo scoop
@@843Keen I just made a mold off one, so now I could make copies of it to put on any bonnet I liked. You can just buy them like that to add onto any car, and there are many other manufacturer's scoops available like that from after market Fiberglass custom body panel suppliers. Just look up "fiberglass body kits" in your area.
@@BillsBuildandRace cool..thanks