Glass a tube with strips?

[Cabernut]

While I was at my LHS on lunch today, I was picking up some fiberglass sheets and epoxy for my first attempt at glassing a tube and asked the guys there about what they recommend.

The first suggestion was vacuum-bagging, then the "peel-ply" technique, but he also mentioned that I could apply fiberglass in 2" wide strips lengthwise, overlapping each half way.

Sounds like just more work. Would there be some sort of strength advantage to using overlapping strips?

 

[markkoelsch]

That is a poor idea in my opinion. I would start with 6 ounce glass. Figure out how many wraps and cut it in one piece. Epoxy into place.

 

[GregGleason]

What kind of epoxy did you get at your LHS?

Greg

 

[rharshberger]

What kind of epoxy did you get at your LHS?

Greg

And what weight FG cloth, the stuff I have seen at LHS's is typically the lighter weights like .75 and 1 oz/yard, the light weight stuff is a bit trickier to work with because it seems to want to float on the resin even when wetted out.

 

[Cabernut]

Bob Smith Finish Cure 20 min - which they advised me is more like 10-15 minute

1yd of 2oz and 1yd of 5oz

 

[Cabernut]

I should mention that I'm going to be applying this to an Estes PSII 2.5" tube with the glassine stripped off.

It seemed a bit odd to apply it in strips, but then I know I hardly know anything about glassing at this point.

I was thinking of doing it the way John Coker showed in one of his YouTube videos.

 

[rharshberger]

I should mention that I'm going to be applying this to an Estes PSII 2.5" tube with the glassine stripped off.

It seemed a bit odd to apply it in strips, but then I know I hardly know anything about glassing at this point.

I was thinking of doing it the way John Coker showed in one of his YouTube videos.

Careful if using the mylar, John makes the technique look easier than it is to get a super smooth surface (my results have caused big air pockets) , I have used the mylar method twice and the results were lots of Bondo SGP. I would just strip the glassine and wrap the tube using a bondo spreader to gently spread the epoxy over over the FG. The BSI laminating epoxy will set fairly quickly, allowing you to keep the runs/drips to a minimum.