any one know how to work with fiberglass

[Rokclod3Krawler]

i was thinking of making a 1/6 or smaller scale of a 120 or a 150 foot yacht but i wanted a fiberglass hule not steel.... so anyone know how i can make a fiberglass hule. or know of good books about working with fiberglass?

[Distressed]

I make fiberglass repairs at work but not hulls or boats. So i do have some experince in fiberglass

[JasonInAugusta]

This is the best thing I can think of to make the hull...

If you're going to make a hull first make the hull out of a solid block of wood (easy) then lay the glass over the wood, effectively using it as a mold plug.

Just be sure to coat the wood with something very smooth and glossy, like a urethane coating, to keep the 'glass from adhering to the wood.

[Harley]

I would actually try a little different aproach. I work with fiberglass for audio systems and car interiors so I know that a big piece like that would need a little different approach. Carving an entire haul that size out of wood would be a &%$#. I would use some thin strips of flexible wood, balsa etc, and make a skeleton. Just make plenty of ribs both in the x and y axis of the boat. Then I would lay my fleece and resin (sp?) and then repeat. get it built up nice and good and then start block sanding it until you get it where you want. then you can build off of the wood skeleton also..........just a thought.......good luck

[Mnster]

Many people use chicken wire or styrofoam as forms.

[JasonInAugusta]

Originally Posted by Harley0706

I would actually try a little different aproach. I work with fiberglass for audio systems and car interiors so I know that a big piece like that would need a little different approach. Carving an entire haul that size out of wood would be a &%$#. I would use some thin strips of flexible wood, balsa etc, and make a skeleton. Just make plenty of ribs both in the x and y axis of the boat. Then I would lay my fleece and resin (sp?) and then repeat. get it built up nice and good and then start block sanding it until you get it where you want. then you can build off of the wood skeleton also..........just a thought.......good luck

A block of balsa was what I had in mind, just didn't say it.

Balsa is very easy to carve/shape.

[Harley]

wait a tick..................unless I just did my math wrong that boat could be larger then alot of full size boats. I mean that would be one friggin big rc boat.

[SteelHead]

Finally something I know about.I work with this fine matteral every day.What ever you make the mold out of,coat the whole thing with wax or it WILL NOT come off the mold.And if that happens the whole thing is shot.I was seriously considering building an all glass crawler.I got some 5/16 glass rod for links.and flat stock for the chassie.Snow will be soone enough, so I got a lot of time to Fab.

[JasonInAugusta]

Originally Posted by Harley0706

wait a tick..................unless I just did my math wrong that boat could be larger then alot of full size boats. I mean that would be one friggin big rc boat.

ROFL.

You're right.

[BigSmokinGun]

A 1/6 scale model of a 120' yacht would be 20' long. Good luck!