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350TSS · 08-11-2018, 09:22 PM

More 300g chopped strand fibre glassing today and I discovered a more effective way to lay this mat which is quite stiff and resistant to following any curves/corners. Previously I tried to cut shapes to fit the pattern but when stippling they migrated and I always ended up with either gaps or the mat not running to the edge of the mould. Also with larger areas it is quite easy to find that one side has stippled down nicely but the other has developed wrinkles / air pockets so you address these only to find the previously good side now has wrinkles /lifted edges/ air pockets and so it goes on.
New technique is to first you put down a layer of resin over the whole area as thick as it will go without running off the job, cut the mat into 75mm wide strips and lay the longest run first, stipple with more resin until the mat becomes translucent. The next strip is overlapped by 10 to 20mm depending on the curvatures/corners/crevices and the process repeated. Each strip is cut to length before being stippled down.. With vigorous stippling the ridge formed by the overlap can almost be eliminated. When the next layer of glass and resin is applied it can be applied with the direction of the overlap at 90 degrees to the underlying layer which should make it stronger.
Further coats will be laid tomorrow and Monday then the dividers can come off and the exposed area treated to 5 coats of release agent, tooling gel coat followed by 2 layers of 100g and 4 layers of 300 g mat.
Next I thought about trying to get the stuck patterns out but the shed I was working in was full of resin fumes so that will have to wait until next week.
I re-made the alternator case blanking plug, which turned out better than the first one (now lost somewhere on my garage floor) so not a complete waste of time. Pictures to follow.
My final hour and a half today was threading the ends of some 10mm titanium bar which will be used to replace the 135mm and 95 mm bolts which act as the pivot for the rear suspension rocker and attach the hoop to the rocker. There is a 50g weight saving over the existing steel bolts.

08-11-2018, 09:22 PM	#799
350TSS Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Shipbourne Bike: M900 Posts: 1,419	More 300g chopped strand fibre glassing today and I discovered a more effective way to lay this mat which is quite stiff and resistant to following any curves/corners. Previously I tried to cut shapes to fit the pattern but when stippling they migrated and I always ended up with either gaps or the mat not running to the edge of the mould. Also with larger areas it is quite easy to find that one side has stippled down nicely but the other has developed wrinkles / air pockets so you address these only to find the previously good side now has wrinkles /lifted edges/ air pockets and so it goes on. New technique is to first you put down a layer of resin over the whole area as thick as it will go without running off the job, cut the mat into 75mm wide strips and lay the longest run first, stipple with more resin until the mat becomes translucent. The next strip is overlapped by 10 to 20mm depending on the curvatures/corners/crevices and the process repeated. Each strip is cut to length before being stippled down.. With vigorous stippling the ridge formed by the overlap can almost be eliminated. When the next layer of glass and resin is applied it can be applied with the direction of the overlap at 90 degrees to the underlying layer which should make it stronger. Further coats will be laid tomorrow and Monday then the dividers can come off and the exposed area treated to 5 coats of release agent, tooling gel coat followed by 2 layers of 100g and 4 layers of 300 g mat. Next I thought about trying to get the stuck patterns out but the shed I was working in was full of resin fumes so that will have to wait until next week. I re-made the alternator case blanking plug, which turned out better than the first one (now lost somewhere on my garage floor) so not a complete waste of time. Pictures to follow. My final hour and a half today was threading the ends of some 10mm titanium bar which will be used to replace the 135mm and 95 mm bolts which act as the pivot for the rear suspension rocker and attach the hoop to the rocker. There is a 50g weight saving over the existing steel bolts.