How to Use Fiberglass Foam Sandwich Composite
Fiberglass foam sandwich composite allows crafters to make all sorts of covers, surfaces and shapes otherwise not possible without great expense. In fact, in some cases, the material works well for movie-set creators wanting to produce fake vehicles or furniture unavailable in retail purchase. The use of foam and fiberglass is only limited by the crafter and his imagination.
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Things You'll Need
- Paper and pen
- Wood beams
- Plywood
- Thin wood beams
- Foam panels
- Glue
- Blade tool
- Sandpaper
- Face mask
- Resin
- Hardener
- Bucket
- Mixing stick
- Fiberglass cloth
- Paint brush or roller
- Sander
- Spray paint
Instructions
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1
Plan the body or design you want to create on a piece of paper. Map the dimensions, size and measurements of the object with paper and pen. Trace, modify and redraw the shape until it is finished as a design.
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2
Build the shape's frame or skeleton with wood beams and plywood – this will help give the shape temporary structure support. Cut and shape the wood to provide contact points for the surfacing to use as support.
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3
Run thin wood beams across the wood shapes to provide perpendicular supports. Glue them to the edges of the plywood from Step 1.
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4
Apply foam panels to the thin beams and wood frame. Glue each panel in place to the next one, forming a surface around the wood structure. Carve and sand the inside of the foam as necessary to create the surface shape of the foam. Use a blade tool or sandpaper to make modifications. Wear a face mask to avoid breathing the foam material that comes loose.
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5
Continue to add foam layers and pieces until the vehicle or equipment shape comes into reality with the foam facsimile. Glue, sand, carve, and bend the foam until all the detail you’re planning on has been fabricated into an outer shell of the original wood structure.
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6
Cut fiberglass cloth into sections. Mix fiberglass resin with hardener in a bucket with a mixing stick. Apply the resin with a paint brush or roller all over the sanded and finished foam layer on the construct. Lay fiberglass cloth on the resin layer. Press it flat with a roller.
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7
Continue to apply layers of resin and fiberglass cloth until the layer is at least 20 millimeters thick. Let the fiberglass layers dry and cure for a day
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8
Carefully break down the foam and wood inside the fiberglass shell. Remove the shell and separated parts until it they are completely free and clear of the internal materials.
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9
Spray paint the shell and separated parts as desired. Use the now-finished shell as designed in your original plan.
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Tips & Warnings
Work with a partner to lift the fiberglass shell off and free of the foam and wood frame when working with a large project. This will avoid undue stress on the fiberglass, which could cause it to crack.
Do not have any heat or flame sources nearby when working with fiberglass. The resin and hardener chemicals are extremely flammable, which can ignite and cause serious injury.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
