Fiberglass to polycarbonate

[1FSTLS1]

Anyone ever try using Bondo type fiberglass resin repair kit to re enforce a polycarbonate body? Will it stick or will it eat into the body?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bondo-Fib...7?athbdg=L1200

[Speedy-Triple]

my guess is that it might chip out depending on the use ... if its a slow crawler it be fine but if you are planning to use the body to bash around it will likely not survive. The lexan gives a little flex, the cured putty might be very rigid as compare to the lexan. also weight !!! I prefer to use the drywall tape and shoegoo method for reinforcement, I do this to the bash bodies for the go fast cars but for the crawlers i just back the paint with truck bed coating spray ... helps to thicken the body and giver depth to the paint without taking the flex out of it. So far all the crawler bodies nave no tears or cracks.

[Gula]

I've seen bodies warp from the heat some " reinforcements" put out. I've always used drywall tape and shoogoo.

[Pariah Zero]

You know, I had a whole answer written thinking you meant Bondo body filler, then I actually followed the link and saw the fiberglass cloth.

Yes, you can do it - Epoxy doesn't attack polycarbonate, and if you do it correctly, the fiberglass will stick and not flake off at all. 1-2 layers of fiberglass has more than enough flex to not be a problem.

Just don't be surprised when you screw it up. Fiberglassing is a skill - you can learn it, but expect a learning experience and disappointment at first. Even Jimi Hendrix had to learn to play guitar.

Personally, I wonder what Gorilla Glue (which turns into a dense rubbery foam) and plain 'ol cotton or nylon would do. I'll certainly get a chance to try... (The Walmart Fiberglass is a bit heavy for my liking, and the resin is probably less flexible than I'd like...)

[Olle P]

I prefer using LiquiSole and cheap (slightly) adhesive fiberglass tape instead of resin and fiberglass cloth.
Sticks well to the lexan body and is very elastic so it doesn't flake.

[TooOldForThis]

Originally Posted by Gula

I've always used drywall tape and shoogoo.

Shoe Goo is really hard to beat. The adherence to polycarbonate is amazing and it's super tough.

I've also experimented with E6000, which is similar to Shoe Goo but not exactly the same. E6000 has better self-leveling properties, dries clearer and stays more flexible when compared to Shoe Goo. But it doesn't adhere quite as well to polycarbonate.

[chilly]

I have used shoe glue with carbon fiber cloth inside of a clear body. On my bashers. You get the carbon fiber body but it’s flexible like the drywall tape trick still. I would imagine fiberglass would be easier to work with, as carbon fiber fabric tends to fall apart really easily


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[Pariah Zero]

Originally Posted by chilly

I have used shoe glue with carbon fiber cloth inside of a clear body. On my bashers. You get the carbon fiber body but it’s flexible like the drywall tape trick still. I would imagine fiberglass would be easier to work with, as carbon fiber fabric tends to fall apart really easily[/IMG]

No bubbles! Good job! Shoe Goo & its industrial E6000 brother's flexibility isn't the best match to carbon fiber's strengths, but it certainly looks interesting. Carbon fiber is conductive, and blocks radio waves pretty effectively - do you have radio range problems with that body?

I wonder what a layup of Kevlar or Nomex under Polycarbonate would work for longevity. Aramid fibers are much better than even carbon fiber for impact, abrasion, and fatigue resistance. They also don't block radio frequencies the way Carbon Fiber does. The yellow color isn't the prettiest, though.

[chilly]

Originally Posted by Pariah Zero

No bubbles! Good job! Shoe Goo & its industrial E6000 brother's flexibility isn't the best match to carbon fiber's strengths, but it certainly looks interesting. Carbon fiber is conductive, and blocks radio waves pretty effectively - do you have radio range problems with that body?

I wonder what a layup of Kevlar or Nomex under Polycarbonate would work for longevity. Aramid fibers are much better than even carbon fiber for impact, abrasion, and fatigue resistance. They also don't block radio frequencies the way Carbon Fiber does. The yellow color isn't the prettiest, though.

lol yeah bubbles are hard! Plenty along the sharp corners if you zoom in, and plenty of obvious seams and edges, but still think it looks better than those generic basher bodies. Definitely not "carbon fiber strong" but just as strong as the fiberglass tape trick everyone does... holding up well. Not something I'd do for a nice scale body though. I never thought of the radio - good point! So far no probs, but I don't send it too far afield.

[Pariah Zero]

Originally Posted by chilly

lol yeah bubbles are hard!

Yeah, I'm looking at getting a vacuum system myself (for composite layups - 'glass, CF, Amarids). I do high power rocketry as well, and getting out bubbles, and sucking out every gram of unnecessary resin is critical for strength and weight.

[HumboldtEF]

I'll just add you dont want epoxy as it dries hard, what you want in the end result is flexibility. E6000 or shoe goo is the way to go.