Fiberglass body for mutant vehicle

fountainpen6 · Post by **fountainpen6** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:07 am

We have a mutant vehicle underway and we're considering using fiberglass for the main body of the spaceship. We've got a metal frame welded onto a golf cart already in the basic shape. Anyone with expericene making a mutant with fiberglass? Any advice? Comments? Thanks!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:28 am

Um. YOu should have made this decision by now; what did you p ut on your app?

Bounce530 · Post by **Bounce530** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:39 am

I haven't made an MV out of fiberglass, but have made speaker boxes...and know it's heavy, and takes hours and hours of sanding...Lots and lots of sanding...Did I mention you're going to be sanding? At least your dust mask will be nicely broken in.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:18 am

Heavy?

Not unless you want that.

Token · Post by **Token** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:24 am

Chicken wire and polyurethane foam.

Get a few of those electric bread cutting knives to shape everything. Works like a charm.

Joshatdot · Post by **Joshatdot** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 5:17 pm

Token wrote:Chicken wire and polyurethane foam.

Get a few of those electric bread cutting knives to shape everything. Works like a charm.

+1

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 9:36 am

I think what Crypto was getting at is the same thing I was thinking when I read your post: Registration closed on June 30th... if you haven't yet figured out how to even build it yet, it makes me worry about whether you already got it pre-approved! If not, at this point there'd be no reason to bring it!

fountainpen6 · Post by **fountainpen6** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:58 pm

Thanks for all the concern regarding the timing of my post. Yes, we have had an application approved. We got the body done this weekend, so no worries! Thanks to everyone for your input. See ya on the playa!

Token · Post by **Token** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 9:18 pm

What did you use? Please share the process.

fountainpen6 · Post by **fountainpen6** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:05 am

We welded a metal frame, covered with chicken wire and stretched it with silver fabric. A labor of love, for sure!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:12 am

Did some fiberglas. Takes a lot of time; this is no time to pick it up, you don't want to be rushed.

If you can make some sort of light frame to stretch fabric over, yeah, that could be quicker and better.

BTW, flierglas isn't heavy; if you make a wooden frame or "plug" to form it over, you don't normally keep the plug.