DIY Fibreglass switch panel

[dan.batto]

So for a while now I've been thinking of the best way to mount my switch panel, this is now the third time I have had a shot something, the first two being timber (carpenter) and me not being happy with the final outcome so then I thought fibreglass might work so here is a little write up. I have never used fibreglass before nor have much of an idea how to do it. All information was gained from you tube and various Internet sites, so feel free to fix me up/correct me but go easy as like I said never done it before.

What I used:
Diggers DIY fibreglass kit 1
Floral foam
Masking tape
Large knife for shaping foam
Tape measure for marking up foam
Black spray paint
Sand paper (p120)
Rubber gloves (used 4 pair as mine weren't correct type for the job)
Scissors
Wax or other releasing agent





*PPE is a must, this stuff smells so a mask is recommended also gloves to protect your hands from the resin mix, ensure its done in an open space also*

Step 1:
First up, using the tape measure and large knife I roughly shaped the floral foam to fit where I wanted the panel to sit.
Once I had a rough shape, using the sand paper I fine tuned it and brought all the edges to sit evenly and make it exactly how I wanted it.



Step 2:
Seeing as I couldn't get the tape to directly stick to the foam, I sprayed it with a coat of fiddly bits black, then covered the entire block with masking tape, to ensure it stuck good I put a couple layers on.



Step 3:
Next up I covered the mould in wax. I don't suggest the wax I used (bee's wax, melted by me. I'll let someone else chime in with other release agents you could use.



Step 4:
Cut the fibreglass to suit, ensuring you cut all the sharp corners so as it will fold over nicely without bubbles.

Step 5:
Read the instructions on the fibreglass kit as to how to mix quantities etc,
It was a warm day so I mixed 1.5ml catalyst with 100ml resin, could have gone a touch more catalyst.

Step 6:
Coat the mould with a layer of the mix. Wrap the mould with pre cut fibreglass. Then using a dabbing motion rather than painting motion, dab the resin mix onto the fibreglass ensuring the entire sheet of fibreglass is wet. Smooth out bubbles as you go and avoid touching the wet fibreglass with your hands as it will pull out fibres.



This is where I'm currently at. I'll have to patch a few areas before removing mould, and add a bit more fibreglass sheeting. I'll add more as i go.

I figure ill put this up now so as that if I have mucked up somewhere I can hopefully be fixed up before its too late.

[viking shippy]

Hey dan
Fibreglass supplyers will be able supply some mould release wax..not that you will need it your done.
Your on the right track I'd give it another 2 layers of glass for strength whilst working and cutting it..as long as you have allowed for this in your foam/tape plug.....it grows..
You can fill and fair with car bog just be sure that you sand it with 80# before another layer of glass or car bog..

[Scale]

To efforts with the write up watching with interest.

[NowForThe5th]

You're on the right track there, Dan.

As VS said, a bit more glass and some bog will have it well on the way to success.

[dan.batto]

It's dried up nicely at the moment, some dodgy bits ill cut off and fix up with other layers, I did allow for some growth shippy, but not tonnes, ill go another layer of glass, this time cutting it BEFORE I start I kinda forgot to laser time and did it as I went which wasn't the best idea. All good. Came up a heap better than I thought it would originally.
Thanks for the tips, ill keep you updated





This it now dry, you can see all the outside daggy bits etc, the back half I will cut off before I do any more layers also. I think that will get in the way of flashing the next layer, might give a test fit too so as I know it will fit with the next layer added

[viking shippy]

Get the grinder out with some 60#x100mm disk will clean it up be carefull though..
Glass Small bits of glass with a small overlap and don't work it to long like stipple the bubbles and resin out and moove onto the next section..fiddle with small bubbles when you have all the glass and resin in place...
Stick a paint stirrer shaped piece of wood into the foam with some car bog and you can put the other end into a vice so you can work all sides..with ease

[mattz]

Top stuff Batto.
Once you finish practicing on this one you should have it down pat for mine.
Well done for giving it a crack.

[dan.batto]

Before I started grassing it I was trying to work out how I could remove the mould without destroying it but sadly enough I can't which means new moulds to make more

[Cowboy Dave]

Once you finish this one and pull the mould out can't you use the new thing as a mould to put something into to make a new mould? Geez that's a crap sentence. I mean use the glass as like an outer mould. Poor wax or plaster or something inside and then you have a new mould. Use glad wrap or something in between so it comes out easy? Dunno if any of that would work, making it up as I go along...

[NowForThe5th]

It's called a plug, CD. I think the plan was to pull the foam mould out of the new thing because it was just there as a rough mould so that the inside of the new thing could be hollow which is why he made it smaller than the new thing which is going to be the right size to fit if he doesn't make it too big. Jeez mate, you set a high bar when it comes to crap sentences.

[Cowboy Dave]

You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait til I come up with a half pager in one long sentence...
'

[dan.batto]

im great at those sentences too.... the shape of this mould makes it too hard to get the inner mould out. Hopefully if i cut the inner mould into 2/3 sections and push them out then tape them back together. Would be awesome if i could, that way i could make many more off the same "plug." Sorry have to get the terminology correct

[dan.batto]

Here's today's efforts:

Ground off the back end/rubbish

Sanded back the first layer of glass using p60 (it'a close enough to 80 )





Had a test fit and it sits nicely



Touched up some crappy/high areas with grinder

Did another coat of glass which went on a tonne easier now I knew what I was doing





Let it dry

Cut it off the table with the grinder



Cut back the over hang on the back again and sanded it with the 60.

Another test fit

Then did a slow dry mix of bog. Still drying now, originally I thought I had mixed it with too much hardener but the problem is that the bog is too old, so it's not as runny as it is when you buy it new off the shelf.



I have since shaped this a little better, looks like ill have a bit of sanding to do

[salt36]

Good on you mate for having a go

Will look perfect once sanded and painted

[viking shippy]

You have buckleys of getting the plug out as it has reverse release angles just dig it out with a chisel...5th and Dave love your shit sentances....made me laugh... Your Out of your depths for once...lol...drowning in gobbley gook
for the record;
A plug is usually made from timber foam glass ext..
looking exactly the same shape as the product your wanting to reproduce.making it purfectly in size and smoothness..of your product your trying to reproduce..
Then you use mould release wax on the plug and layup a laminate of a desired thickness and strength for a production mould..(a mould is the middle step in fibreglass moulding production)
Then you release the mould from the plug and laminate up your product in the mould you've made
And release that ....dah dah ...a reproduction of the original plug in which you can make over and over again.....
Not possible in this case because of the absence of release angles and the size of the part....in this case I use the lost plug technique..as our industrious mate above has devised.....

[schem81]

Looking good dan. Can't wait to see the finished product.

You've also given me an idea on how to mount the factory trip computer. Once again this site is responsible for me spending cash on the car. That's what I tell the wife anyways.

[stefanos]

I think that....we must open a thread with fiberglass constructions!!!

[dan.batto]

Feel free to put some pics up stefanos

Some talented people out there, would be good to see what people can do!

[stefanos]

I have allready 3 switches there.....and I was ready to do a mould to put 3 more......but I found a litle switch panel from Defender!!!....when I'll recieved it we'll see if its good!!

My last construction is a half hard lid for the tray!!!!

[dan.batto]

Looks like I've missed a bit here, but I did finish this today finally!!!
So it was a lot of work doing it, just for a few switches but I'm wrapped with outcome.
I can't seem to find any of the sanding etc pics, might be on the computer.
So after the above steps there was a lot of sanding, re bogging, sanding, priming, painting, sanding that back to scratch, re painting, sanding that back to scratch.
Then finally this week I primed it properly, then painted it with 2 or 3 coats, if I had of got the correct primer in the first place and painted with the gloss instead of the matte black first I would of been done ages ago.

I painted it with primer then with matte black but wasn't happy with the colour, so from there it was a series of my own mistakes before I finally learnt and sanded it back to scratch and primed it properly, and then painted with gloss paint!

1 thing I would do if I could of at the start is cut out for the switches before bogging it, but I didn't because it would of meant disconnecting all the switches in the car twice, that was a disaster as it took me an hour today to work out what wires went where, thank goodness I took photos first of the wiring!

[1 Nathan]

Nice work looks good