Home Depot/Lowes fiberglass supplies

14563 Views 16 Replies 10 Participants Last post by lsm, May 18, 2009

DanMan

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2009

I am getting set to try my hand at building my first set of fiberglass kicks. I've seen it mentioned many times that Bondo brand filler, commonly available at HD/Lowes, isn't the best to work with. What about the resin,mat, etc.? Any problems with the fiberglass supplies at Lowes/HD?

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX

· #2 · Apr 4, 2009

The biggest problem with buying glassing products at one of those places is that it has a shelf life.. Who knows how long it's been sitting there...

US Composites has similar pricing, I was just going to get 2gals of resin (w/hardener) a gal of kittyhair and a quart of normal body filler and I think my order came to 113.xx..?? (then yesterday I get layed off)

Not to shabby when you consider you are getting decently fresh materials, cause they sell so much...

Rudeboy

· #3 · Apr 4, 2009

You really can't beat the products from US Composites. The Bondo resin/hardener sold at HD should be a last resort IMO. US Composites stuff is a joy to work with (as joyful as polyester resin gets, I guess). The Bondo is gloppy and takes forever to cure - probably because of MEKP that is too old.

Dougie085

· #4 · Apr 4, 2009

My issue is there isn't much of a selection out where I live. I live on the outskirts of the Youngstown Ohio area. I have to look around and see if there is any place to purchase some good stuff locally.

The shelf life is quite long isn't it?

Rudeboy

· #5 · Apr 4, 2009

Dougie085 said:
My issue is there isn't much of a selection out where I live. I live on the outskirts of the Youngstown Ohio area. I have to look around and see if there is any place to purchase some good stuff locally.

The shelf life is quite long isn't it?

US Composites says that the MEKP is only reliably good for 2 months. Marine supply places can have good stuff. There used to be a plastics supply house around here that had good quality materials but they're gone.

DanMan

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 4, 2009

I guess I am going to go with US Composites. Now I need to decide what I should get. The US comp 435 standard polyesther lay-up resin seems to be popular.A quart may not do, so I guess a gallon.

What weight, type and how much mat would you guys recommend for a pair of kicks?(ID x69 mids in a Civic)

Most on DIYMA probably wouldn't recommend paying a premium for fleece mold fabric from Select Products I'm guessing. Fabric store will do?

Rage Gold for filler? Again a gallon seems like a lot, a quart not enough?

I am hoping to secure the kicks to the car with adhesive. Maybe silicone and sheetmetal screws?

Thanks for the help

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Rudeboy

· #7 · Apr 4, 2009

DanMan said:
I guess I am going to go with US Composites. Now I need to decide what I should get. The US comp 435 standard polyesther lay-up resin seems to be popular.A quart may not do, so I guess a gallon.

What weight, type and how much mat would you guys recommend for a pair of kicks?(ID x69 mids in a Civic)

Most on DIYMA probably wouldn't recommend paying a premium for fleece mold fabric from Select Products I'm guessing. Fabric store will do?

Rage Gold for filler? Again a gallon seems like a lot, a quart not enough?

I am hoping to secure the kicks to the car with adhesive. Maybe silicone and sheetmetal screws?

Thanks for the help

I like the B-440.

Dougie085

· #8 · Apr 5, 2009

A gallon may not be enough for me...we are removing the spare tire in an HHR and fiberglassing a whole tub. Also may end up building some pods for repositioning the tweeters.

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX

· #9 · Apr 7, 2009

DanMan said:
I guess I am going to go with US Composites. Now I need to decide what I should get. The US comp 435 standard polyesther lay-up resin seems to be popular.A quart may not do, so I guess a gallon.

What weight, type and how much mat would you guys recommend for a pair of kicks?(ID x69 mids in a Civic)

Most on DIYMA probably wouldn't recommend paying a premium for fleece mold fabric from Select Products I'm guessing. Fabric store will do?

Rage Gold for filler? Again a gallon seems like a lot, a quart not enough?

I am hoping to secure the kicks to the car with adhesive. Maybe silicone and sheetmetal screws?

Thanks for the help

A standard resin is all you'll need... just make sure you do a small batch test of the resin to get an idea of cure time and all.. A gallon is a good start, you might consider 2..

AFA the glass, the lighter and thinner, the easier... But it takes more time and layers... Heavy glass.. well, it's harder to make contours with, and sometimes "lifts" when going into tight areas

Fabric store... bah, dollar store or walmart.. Buy a lap blanket, or buy a HUGE blanket and get more for less..

Filler will always have a use if you do this stuff... it's good to have around.. Get a gallon..

If you do glue the kicks down with silicone, make sure you get a "piano" wire and bury it in the deepest corner... That way if you DID want to remove it... You could just grab the piano wire on both ends with vice grips and CUT your way out..

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DanMan

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 7, 2009

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:
A standard resin is all you'll need... just make sure you do a small batch test of the resin to get an idea of cure time and all.. A gallon is a good start, you might consider 2..

AFA the glass, the lighter and thinner, the easier... But it takes more time and layers... Heavy glass.. well, it's harder to make contours with, and sometimes "lifts" when going into tight areas

Fabric store... bah, dollar store or walmart.. Buy a lap blanket, or buy a HUGE blanket and get more for less..

Filler will always have a use if you do this stuff... it's good to have around.. Get a gallon..

If you do glue the kicks down with silicone, make sure you get a "piano" wire and bury it in the deepest corner... That way if you DID want to remove it... You could just grab the piano wire on both ends with vice grips and CUT your way out..

Great tips. Much appreciated!

abefroman

· #11 · Apr 22, 2009

I bought some Elmer's resin from Lowes and it was a disaster

Problemhouston

· #12 · Apr 22, 2009

The probelm with the HD/Lowes stuff is that it is too thick and doesn't soak into the cloth as easily. I used some stuff I got from the marine shop here in town and it soaked into the mat really easily which made the job go that much faster. Well when I ran out the marine shop was closed and so i got the stuff from HD and it was far too thick and I spend a lot of extra time with the brush pushing it into the mat to get it to soak it up.

keep_hope_alive

· #13 · Apr 26, 2009

good info. i'm getting ready to buy, US Composites looks like the stuff to get.

[email protected]

· #14 · Apr 26, 2009

Rudeboy said:
I like the B-440.

That is mostly what I use, never been unhappy with it

GlasSman

· #15 · May 18, 2009

DanMan said:
Most on DIYMA probably wouldn't recommend paying a premium for fleece mold fabric from Select Products I'm guessing. Fabric store will do?

No need for that overpriced garbage.....no excuse me....

I liked some of their videos but some of their products just piss me off and put me in a ****ing rage.

The fleece blankets at Walmart are the best deals I've seen on fleece.

But try to reduce using the fleece method to minimum since it just adds weight and extra cost....sometimes unnecesarily.

GlasSman

· #16 · May 18, 2009

And I try to buy a blanket thats such a goofy pattern that I won't mond cutting it up.

The double fleece blankets are the BOMB in the Winter!!!!!

lsm

· #17 · May 18, 2009

Check the color before buying. If it's not red like trans fluid walk away. And don't ever buy it if it's green or gray, that's the stuff at the bottom of the barrel.

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