Anyone Here Work with Fiberglass?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
Anyone Here Work with Fiberglass? I'm trying to make some enclosures for a headlight assembly (damn stock popups!). Anyway, I thought folding and welding some 22ga sheetmetal would work with a 110v MIG welder, but it's hard as hell. I could go with a heavier gauge metal, but then the weight stacks up and I would rather they be light so that they won't bounce as easily. I figure fiberglass should work well.
I know how to make a mold around the parts I'm trying to enclose, but the temperatures involved have me scratching my head. I've fixed vettes and boats in the past, but none of that got very hot. These bulbs are going to get pretty damn hot inside and I'm wondering how the fiberglass would hold up.
Does freshly laid fiberglass need to be baked to get all the liquid (?) out? I've heard of fiberglass hoods needing to be baked before they are painted, but I'm not sure what the hell is going on here.
Any advice?
I know how to make a mold around the parts I'm trying to enclose, but the temperatures involved have me scratching my head. I've fixed vettes and boats in the past, but none of that got very hot. These bulbs are going to get pretty damn hot inside and I'm wondering how the fiberglass would hold up.
Does freshly laid fiberglass need to be baked to get all the liquid (?) out? I've heard of fiberglass hoods needing to be baked before they are painted, but I'm not sure what the hell is going on here.
Any advice?
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
If you set the fiberglass in the sun for a day or two it should cure well. You want all the fumes out and the fiberglass set before you start doing your body work. If it isn't set, then you will have all that time into the body work and it will warp and leave you with a wavy part.
If you want high temp stuff, this might be what you're looking for, don't know anything about it personally
http://www.fiberglasswarehouse.com/vinylester_resin.asp
but an email to the supplier might net you some more info on it
http://www.fiberglasswarehouse.com/vinylester_resin.asp
but an email to the supplier might net you some more info on it
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
I am familiar with working fiberglass as well... How much heat do you really think those bulbs are going to put off? I am assuming the project will be enclosed with the bulbs therfore, heat will be trapped.... I know vent holes would be necessary, but i dont think they will extract much of the heat..... Anyway, what kind of degrees are we talking do you think? I cant really come up with a guess myself...
Also, What are you going to use for a "clear" lens???
Also, What are you going to use for a "clear" lens???
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
The housing I need to make around around the projector will start off air tight and then I will add a small, filtered vent tube near the top to allow for the air to expand and contract. I want to say the inside temps may get to 250*-300*F. The light will exit through the glass lens in front so that will handle the heat just fine. The light beam will then travel through plycarbonate/lexan which can handle 250*F (and is what pretty much all new headlights are made of these days), but the light beam shouldn't be that hot plus the lexan will be exposed to moving air.
I also found this article on preburning the assembly:
I also found this article on preburning the assembly:
Preburning or "baking":
Paint, sealants and glue that are going to be used inside a headlight assembly must be preburned before assembling. During preburning, the temperature must at least reach the maximum a headlight will see during a extremely hot summer day, with all lights on and cooking hot engine. A typical item that needs preburning is optical shields or shrouds. Use an oven and set it to ~280F (~150C), without exceeding maximum temperature according to the paint, the sealant or the glues. First heat oven to desired temperature, then turn overn off. Wait 2-3 minutes for the elements to turn from red hot to black. A typical preburn time is 20-30 minutes. Because oven is off, uou may have to do a second round by repeating the procedure. In general, this applies to all kinds of glue, paint and sealants. If this is not done properly, fumes will fog up lenses and reflectors. It is not recommended to have this happening to your headlights. The only liquid that will attack condensed fumes are 90% rubbing alchohol or paint thinner. Many surfaces cannot take such harsh fluid. Reflectors is the worst. It can be difficult or impossible. You may actually find that it also removes reflective material.
Paint, sealants and glue that are going to be used inside a headlight assembly must be preburned before assembling. During preburning, the temperature must at least reach the maximum a headlight will see during a extremely hot summer day, with all lights on and cooking hot engine. A typical item that needs preburning is optical shields or shrouds. Use an oven and set it to ~280F (~150C), without exceeding maximum temperature according to the paint, the sealant or the glues. First heat oven to desired temperature, then turn overn off. Wait 2-3 minutes for the elements to turn from red hot to black. A typical preburn time is 20-30 minutes. Because oven is off, uou may have to do a second round by repeating the procedure. In general, this applies to all kinds of glue, paint and sealants. If this is not done properly, fumes will fog up lenses and reflectors. It is not recommended to have this happening to your headlights. The only liquid that will attack condensed fumes are 90% rubbing alchohol or paint thinner. Many surfaces cannot take such harsh fluid. Reflectors is the worst. It can be difficult or impossible. You may actually find that it also removes reflective material.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
