fiberglassing

Anyone ever just use the Bondo glassing kit that has a gallon of resin and the hardner for all of like $25?

WHOLE lot cheaper than West Systems and locally available.

Greg

This has been asked before!

Two things wrong with the bondo kit.

First the bonding agent is NOT epoxy it's polyester resin...polyester resin will "stick" to paper and wood.
Epoxy resin "bonds" itself to the wood.

Second, the fiberglass cloth is very very heavy, I think it's like 14 or 16oz cloth...it's made for fixing holes in a car, not to make a light strong covering for a model.

There are cheaper alternatives to West epoxy for fiberglassing a rocket...that one isn't it.

Believe me!

But it does work pretty good on a car! I've used it.

Bondo does make an epoxy called Bondo Marine Epoxy, and I have been able to find and order it from Home Depot. Leave the smelly polyester resin stuff alone.

As for glass, Bondo has the small packs of glass (8 sq ft) that can be used for glassing, and is a 6oz cloth. It makes for a very strong rocket airframe, but must be covered with a "veil" cloth of 2oz. glass to cover the heavy weave.

Originally posted by Johnnierkt
As for glass, Bondo has the small packs of glass (8 sq ft) that can be used for glassing, and is a 6oz cloth. It makes for a very strong rocket airframe, but must be covered with a "veil" cloth of 2oz. glass to cover the heavy weave.

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The stuff I got had kind of randomly oriented fibers rather than any regular sort of weave. Horrible results for surface glassing, but superb for internal stuff like anchoring shock cords into nose cones. It also makes great ejection protectors for sliding onto the shock cord. After the first ejection the material poofs out into a ball of fibers and works even better. But for glassing fins and bodies? No way, unless you're prepared to do it twice, as you say.

2 layers of 3 oz would be much stronger.

Originally posted by DynaSoar
The stuff I got had kind of randomly oriented fibers rather than any regular sort of weave. Horrible results for surface glassing, snip...

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I believe they call it fiberglas mat. It sucks up a ton of resin too, making for a heavy, weak lay-up.

Now I know-
Stay away from the Bondo unless fixing a car.
Wilco.

Thanks,

Greg

I will agree STAY AWAY from bondo !! Now Awhile Back I tryed to make a body tube out of fiberglass,, I used bondo and the fiberglass cloth thay sell with the bondo name .. It did not work as well as planned,, the cloth did nothing but fray and it was not very easy at all to work with !! and I was trying to make a 4'' BT the smaller the bt I am shour would only be harder.. Now I have seen and watch a guy fly a rocket a guess it was around 21/2"to 3" od and probly 2' high that he made out of fiberglass even the nc.. it flue great !! the bt was real smooth and strong!! That what inspiersd me to make one myself .. now he said that he used bondo resin and hardner right from auto supply .. becouse of the price ... Now i found out latter that he used a diferent cloth NOT THE STUFF THAY SELL At AUTO SUPPLY !! When I learn more about how to make fiberglass bt's and nc's I will !! bill