bonding fibreglass panels together.
 

hi all dino builders
I've not been a while as I've had other commitments but I was wondering if anyone on here knows what the thickened polyester resin that's used when bonding two fibreglass panels together was called. I know you can add a silicone (I think it's silicone ) powder to the resin to achieve the same thing but I was told you can buy a purpose made resin for the job. I'm after a small amount approx half a kilo.
thanks in advance
ian:smile:

Hello Ian;

I´ve bonded several panels but have never used something like you describe...
What I do is try to sand down to the minimum thickness possible the two areas of the panels and try to blend them together making a new lamination that covers all the area. The panels are so rigid doing this, but you have to do it on the inside and on the outside of the panels (both sides). The result is like having just one continuous panel. I´have also used fiberglass cloth to blend the panels this way, which is stronger. If one of the sides is visible, you have to spend a lot of time sanding!..This was my case also, and I put plenty of lawers (in excess knowing you have to sand later). the final result was a great and smooth surface. You can do this for example with a wing or any other big part of the bodyshell. The key is to have very thin panels where you are goning to blend...

hope this helps.

I´ve just come across...maybe you want to make a sandwich panel and I didn´t understand!?...in this case. I´d use coremat in between the two panels.
Sandwich panels are incredibly strong!

If you are bonding a joint then you could use a Methacrylate adhesive, comes in a 2 part tube that mixes in the nozzle, slightly flexible but a structural adhesive. There's also variations on the old black goo, sikaflex or tigerseal. If you are bonding layers together to make a laminate then you just need a standard resin to suit whatever you are making, no need to thicken, if you need to thicken it then you can use fumed silika which acts as a thickening agent, obviously the properties will be effected to some extent.

Yes, that is correct fumed silika is the product to thicken resin although to cut on expenses you can simply chop fiberglass mat into tinny strands and simply add it to resin to acquire require thickness for it not to run (chopped carbon fiber strands work even better and make resin stronger

You're not taking about polyester bonding paste are you?

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/Gravicol_2039.html

It does exactly what you're after and most Sammios are held together with the stuff! I was very impressed when i used it. Although i did notice that it's 5kg min tubs :(

I don't know where you are, but I'm sure I've got a bit in the garage somewhere left over from the Sammio that you can try if you're local to Somerset?

Edit: Just notice you're in Leicester, so scrap that one :)

bonding fibreglass panels
 

Hi all
Thanks to all for you responses. You are correct about the silica additive just adding to the resin to thicken but after some pointing in the right direction I've actually found a polyester bonding paste specially formulated for the job in hand.And in 1kg tins @ £10. Can be used for bonding fibreglass to fibreglass or metal/wood to fibreglass and also can be used as a gap filler (perish the thought of gaps!!what on my car!!)
Any body interested look for crystic bonding paste 90-78pa.
cheers Ian:first: