Looks like a really cool build. The sanding/trimming part sucks. That's where I'm at with my build right now as well. A word though about epoxy paints... epoxies bond to polyester by secondary means only (no chemical bond.) You will likely get flaking of any epoxy paint you use over the fiberglass unless it's very well prepped, or you use a specially formulated paint. A better choice would be to roll/brush polyester gelcoat over your sanded polyester base. Yes, it's fish safe.
Plywood tank build
- Thread starter tthanatoss
- Start date
Nah, it's sunny here today, so I'll sand my own tank and drink my own beer. Good luck with all that though 
I've been laying in fibreglass and sanding for three days now and I can finally see the home stretch. In retrospect I can't decide if I should have taken the time to use cloth throughout the whole project with all of the little peices it would have involved or if I have made the better choice using the short strand. For someone who has never used mohair before I'd definately recommend the cloth option because airbubbles and spreading the short strand evenly are something that experience definately plays a big part in. Also the method I used is certainly more labour intensive in the end.
This isn't a very good picture I took it early in the layup. I'll post a completed one tomorrow after all the sanding is complete.
This isn't a very good picture I took it early in the layup. I'll post a completed one tomorrow after all the sanding is complete.
glad I read this last post from you...
As a sailor I have done my fair share of glass work...
The chopped up stuff is more for filling gaps and depressions... Cloth will definetly add strength... but it most benifcial by providing way to get more resin onto whatever you are coating...
Mostly my experience is marine and with west sys.
John Nice tank though... can't wait to it filled....!!!
John
As a sailor I have done my fair share of glass work...
The chopped up stuff is more for filling gaps and depressions... Cloth will definetly add strength... but it most benifcial by providing way to get more resin onto whatever you are coating...
Mostly my experience is marine and with west sys.
John Nice tank though... can't wait to it filled....!!!
John
Stranded body filler is teh suck!!!!! When I really need strok filler I use polyester resin blended 50/50 with regular body filler, and add in 1/4" chopped strand until it's the consistency I want. You still get bubbles, but nothing like "kitty hair" or any of those stranded body fillers, trying to do detail work. For a build like this I would actually recommend chopped strand mat instead of cloth. It's cheaper, and it tends to conform to corners better if you have a bit of patience with it.
