I’m about to start my first fibreglass enclosure soon, just received the rest of the supplies today. Still need to smooth out my bucks a bit as I will be making a fibreglass mold first and then making the enclosure from that.
2 Likes
Making a vacuum box is pretty simple and the enclosure that you want is pretty small so 2 12x12 kydex will do.
I think will give it try with the fiberglass. My problem is the pre made enclosures I find are either to long or to wide for my needs.
Will make a mold with Styrofoam and use your method. As a release agent carnuba wax works?
1 Like
How do you gonna do? Vacuum bag? I think the problem is stick the fiberglass to the mold, specially on the corners
1 Like
Styrofoam will get eaten by the Epoxy. You need to get a special coating and let it harden before you apply the Fiberglass.
Polyurethane foam will work with only standard release agent applied.
Carnauba wax works.
1 Like
Thanks for the advise, will look at polyurethane foam.
You can see the process so far here…
I used a PVA release to make the mold, and I will use an aerosol release to make the part. Here is the mold so far…
Amazing work. Well done!!
1 Like
Just finished making my first one on a positive mould with carbon over glass. Vac bagged it.
The part got stuck on the positive mould and was a mission to get it off. Broke part of it an had to re skin it. Used release wax but didn’t work well on some parts. Gonna tape the mould with packaging tape next time. Did that on the deck and didn’t stick to that at all. Good project and learnt heaps. Results are a bit rough but passable. Next one will be perfect.
4 Likes
Excellent work!
Styrofoam can work, it’s what I used, I just made sure it was completely covered in a vinyl tape, I used “Ultratape” branded stuff as we have a load of it at work. Black bag material also works, it’s what I have the deck covered in here, also should be able to get away with not using a release agent as it seem to peel away quite easily.
Looks really nice, well done!
You need to apply several layers of release agent to be sure to have covered everything evenly. A highly polished mold works best to to separate it after.
Yeah tape works, but in my opinion not optimal and with Styrofoam it’s hit or miss. If there is just a small gap where the fumes can get through the tape your enclosure will end up with dents. I used masking tape too, but you won’t get a even surface and therefore hours of sanding and filler.
Yep. Tape leaves small lines. I did a MDF plug not foam. Painted and sanded to very smooth and then like 10 coats of release wax… just think that I may have buffed the wax off too much on some parts and the parts of the plug that were filler (not MDF) didn’t do so well. I did positive mould this so surface finish in the pug ends up inside the enclosure… not such a big deal.
2 Likes
yeah i found that it is best to use good filler, like body filler polyester rather than just normal paint filler
Agree. I used auto body filler (2 pack) for some bits and they were sweet. The area that didn’t do well was shitty water based general construction filler. Won’t use that again… 
2 Likes
No agree certainly not optimal, and am totally resigned to tons of finishing work, but the detail is in the finish, I managed to do a good job sealing here though, but that tape is quality stuff though…
On the subject of finishing, 2pac is absolutely necessary, as is the very fine tissue glass fiber sheets, but this stuff is actually brilliant as a filler and primer for more minor imperfections and as a ready to hand it to the paint shop job, used it loads of times on other motorsport related stuff.
Far easier to sand than 2pac.
3 Likes
Looks awesome. What kind of vacuum bag did you use?
DIY. AliExpress for the plastic sheet, adhesive tape, non return valve, tubing, gauge and pump. Airtrol Fx4200 vacuum switch from Coast Pneumatics in USA. PVC pipe from hardware store for vacuum chamber. Layout is similar to this one Vacuum bag pump - Youtube
I still don’t see why kydex is so overlooked, if done well all you need is a torch and a few blocks of wood…