| Introduction | viii |
| 1 | Fiberglass Facts | 1 |
| The Reluctance to Do Fiberglass Repair Work | |
| The Professional and the Do-It-Yourselfer | |
| Repairing Damage to Fiberglass | |
| Understanding How Things Are Manufactured from Fiberglass | |
| Building with Fiberglass Panels | |
| Protecting and Repairing Other Materials with Fiberglass | |
| Fiberglass Components and Kits | |
| Customizing and Modifying | |
| Basic Fiberglass Molding and Construction Techniques | |
| Gel Coats and Painting | |
| Reasons for Doing Your Own Fiberglassing Repair Work | |
| Fiberglass as a Construction Material | |
| 2 | Materials | 8 |
| Reinforcing Materials | |
| Nonfiberglass Reinforcing Materials | |
| Some Reinforcing Materials for Repair Work | |
| Resins | |
| Core and Forming Materials | |
| Mold Release Agent | |
| Flexible Mold Compound | |
| Other Fiberglassing Materials | |
| Use of Materials | |
| Quality of Materials | |
| Where to Purchase Materials | |
| 3 | Tools, Equipment, Supplies, and Work Areas | 29 |
| Tools, Equipment, and Supplies | |
| Work Areas | |
| 4 | Health and Safety | 41 |
| Safety Rules | |
| Developing Safe Working Habits | |
| 5 | Care and Maintenance of Fiberglass | 47 |
| Cleaning | |
| Polishing and Waxing | |
| 6 | Working with Cured Fiberglass | 49 |
| Cured Fiberglass Laminates | |
| Using Tools on Cured Fiberglass | |
| Using Preformed Fiberglass Laminates as Building Materials | |
| 7 | Fundamentals of Fiberglassing | 55 |
| Catalyzing Polyester Resins | |
| Cured Polyester Resin without Reinforcing Material | |
| Adding Reinforcing Material to Polyester Resin | |
| Adding Polyester Resin to Mat | |
| Adding Polyester Resin to Cloth | |
| Adding Polyester Resin to Woven Roving | |
| Summary of Practice Laminates Using Mat, Cloth, and Woven Roving | |
| Laminating Two Layers of Mat with Polyester Resin | |
| Laminating Three Layers of Mat with Polyester Resin | |
| Laminating Two Layers of Cloth with Polyester Resin | |
| Laminating Three Layers of Cloth with Polyester Resin | |
| Laminating Two Layers of Woven Roving with Polyester Resin | |
| Laminating Three Layers of Woven Roving with Polyester Resin | |
| Other Laminating Methods | |
| Laminates with More Than One Kind of Reinforcing Material | |
| Summary of Techniques of Laminating with Polyester Resin | |
| Adding a Mat and Polyester Resin Laminate to Wood | |
| Adding a Cloth and Polyester Resin Laminate to Wood | |
| Adding a Woven Roving and Polyester Resin Laminate to Wood | |
| Comparison of Mat, Cloth, and Woven Roving Laminates Bonded to Wood | |
| Mechanically Fastening and Bonding Open Weave Fiberglass Cloth to Wood | |
| Mechanically Fastening and Bonding Polyester Cloth to Wood | |
| Mat and Polyester Resin Laminate with a Core | |
| Cloth and Polyester Resin Laminate with a Core | |
| Mat, Cloth, and Polyester Resin Laminate with a Core | |
| Comparison of Core Laminates | |
| Bonding Laminates to Various Materials with Polyester Resin | |
| Polyester Putty and Fillers | |
| Sanding Polyester Laminates | |
| Summary of Fundamental Techniques of Fiberglassing with Polyester Resin | |
| Facts on Epoxy Resins | |
| Types of Epoxy Resins | |
| Adding Curing Agent or Hardener | |
| Adding Reinforcing Material to Epoxy Resin | |
| Adding Epoxy Resin to Mat | |
| Adding Epoxy Resin to Cloth | |
| Laminating Two Layers of Mat with Epoxy Resin | |
| Laminating Two Layers of Cloth with Epoxy Resin | |
| Other Methods of Laminating with Epoxy Resin | |
| Using Epoxy and Polyester Resins in the Same Laminate | |
| Other Epoxy Resin Laminates | |
| Adding a Mat and Epoxy Resin Laminate to Wood | |
| Adding a Cloth and Epoxy Resin Laminate to Wood | |
| Adding Polyester Layers to Epoxy Laminates | |
| Other Methods for Adding Epoxy Resin Laminates to Wood | |
| Bonding Laminates to Various Materials with Epoxy Resin | |
| Epoxy Putty and Filler Compounds | |
| Sanding Epoxy Laminates | |
| Summary of Epoxy Practice Exercises | |
| Basic Contact Molding with Polyester Resin | |
| 8 | Molding Methods Used in Manufacturing | 95 |
| Contact Molding | |
| Pressure Molding | |
| Other Fiberglass Molding Methods | |
| Quality of Fiberglass Moldings | |
| 9 | Structural and Assembly Concepts and Practices | 108 |
| Single Skin Fiberglass Laminates | |
| Sandwich Core Construction | |
| Methods of Stiffening Laminates | |
| Supporting Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Reinforcing Fiberglass Moldings for Supporting Heavy Loads | |
| Assembling Moldings | |
| Making Attachments to Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Protecting Fiberglass Moldings from Wear and Abrasion | |
| Nonslippery Surfaces on Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Manufactured Fiberglass Products | |
| 10 | Repairing Fiberglass | 136 |
| Working Conditions | |
| Minor Repairs | |
| More Extensive Repairs Laminates | |
| Repairing Major Damage to Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Main Considerations for Repairing Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Reinforcing and Stiffening Fiberglass Moldings | |
| Refinishing Fiberglass Moldings with Gel Coat or Paint | |
| Practice Repair Work | |
| 11 | Repairing Other Materials with Fiberglass | 161 |
| Repairing Damage to Wood | |
| Repairing Damage to Metal | |
| Repairing Damage to Other Materials | |
| 12 | Covering Wood with Fiberglass | 168 |
| Types of Wood Surfaces Suitable for Covering with Fiberglass | |
| Types and Thicknesses of Laminates | |
| Amount of Reinforcing Material Required | |
| Amount of Resin Required | |
| Preparation of Wood Surface for Covering with Fiberglass | |
| Applying Fiberglass Cloth Laminates to Flat Wood Surfaces | |
| Applying Other Reinforcing Materials to Flat Wood Surfaces | |
| Covering Other Wood Surfaces with Fiberglass | |
| Covering Wood Boats with Fiberglass | |
| 13 | Auto Body Repair and Customizing | |
| Auto Body Repair | |
| Customizing | 182 |
| 14 | Fiberglass Products to Kit Form | 200 |
| Kit Cars | |
| Kit Boats | |
| Other Fiberglass Kits | |
| 15 | Construction Projects Using Flat Panels | 211 |
| Forming Flat Panels of Fiberglass | |
| Uses of Flat Panels | |
| Laminating a Flat Fiberglass Panel Directly to Wood | |
| Joining Separate Panels with Fiberglass Bonding Straps | |
| 16 | Fiberglass Laminating Over Rigid Foam | 225 |
| Rigid Foam Forms | |
| Applying Fiberglass Laminate to Rigid Foam Form | |
| Planter Box | |
| Boat | |
| 17 | Construction Projects Using Contact Molding | 235 |
| Contact Molds | |
| Contact Molding | |
| Deep Rectangular Planter Box | |
| Other Molding Projects | |
| Appendix | Suppliers | 247 |
| Mail-Order Fiberglassing Materials and Supplies | |
| Retail Fiberglassing Material and Supply Stores | |
| Other Fiberglassing Material and Supply Sources | |
| Fiberglassing Auto and Van Components | |
| Fiberglass Boat Kits | |
| Fiberglass Kit Cars | |
| Fiberglass Travel Trailer Kits | |
| Glossary | 253 |
| Index | 257 |
