How Can I Dye Fiber Glass

I would use an off the shelf clothing dye for the fiberglass mat, and allow to dry completely before using, followed by something like this, for your resin.

I have no idea how many layers, but my guess would be 2-3 minimum.

Glass cloth comes in many weights. It's treated like a textile product.So many ounces per square yard.

Assuming typical cloth weights you might get by with one ply. Probably two will siffice, depending on how much strength/rigidity you need. The cloth does not have to be made from glass. I have used cotton fabric when lining battery trays and for other small jobs. Don't use fabrics that won't absorb the resin.

I don't feel that you need to dye the cloth first, but that you can discover that for yourself.

This dye might work....

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=51&PHPSESSID=201111281324252014235687

Two layers should be plenty...

1. Try this place for resin tint.

2. Number of layers of fiberglass will depend on the weight of the cloth or mat that you use as well as the overall size of your prop.

Why not just paint it?

Why not use a dark brown gel coat finish??

Very good answer. Thank you. I know when I was a novice, it seemed like every job had a hundred or more "things to think about". Sometimes when we give advise of any kind, it can overload their minds, and make a "newbie" paralyze with fear that he will do something wrong. Reading your explanation was like having an "old hand" right there, pointing out the pitfalls, helping to overcome the "fear of failure" which infests us all.

After your fiber mesh a coat of a product like Bondo. Which is filler used in repairing auto and boat damage. It can be sanded to give your bottle detail. If you look around you may find one that is brown. Comes in many colors. You may find suppliers that have dies for it.

The number of layers of fiber mesh depends upon how much abuse the props going to take And how long you need it to last. At least with the Bondo around you can patch it when someone drops it and it cracks.

The color of bondo comes from the color of the hardener. Bondo absorbs moisture and deteriorates over time. That is why unbacked (bridging of open surfaces) auto body repairs bulge. It must be applied to an impermeable suaface and top coated.

If you are trying to get translucence, use mat fiberglass instead of woven.

Laying fiberglass over a wire frame is going to give you a very lumpy surface that will require filler to smooth out, which will eliminate translucence. It would be best to construct a finished half bottle form on plywood (wire frame, one layer woven fiberglass/resin, filler sanded to final form, spray coated with gel coat and sanded to 1000 grit). Depending on how smooth a finish you want on the finished object, you can either (you MUST wax and polish the form 7 (yes SEVEN) times so the layup will release without ruining the form) layup onto that form or use the form to pull a mold by waxing the form, gel coating the surface, laying up eight to ten layers of fiberglass/resin and adding structural support. Then remove the mold, wax then layup the finished object. The first method is cheap and quick but will only produce a few objects at best. The second method will give you a production mold that with proper care can produce many objects.

Translucence? He asking about brown.

Don't know if he is trying to go into production or not he didn't say.

Your way if he is not is a lot of work for just one.

I'm sure we all have seen cars running around for years with the Bondo unpainted. Out in the weather on a car which panels shake and vibrate with every bump.

He is making a prop.

If you dye the resin, you will be able to see the steel armature inside when light refracts through it. Paint will likely be opaque, but you can "paint" it with Gel Coat. Normally a gel coat is painted onto a mould before you apply the resin and "chop". You could paint with it, as if it was paint. Maybe. I don't know. Never tried that. There might be problems like slumping and brush marks. For a very large prop, I would build a mould first. Then you can make a set of bottles, all the same.

I would not use "glass". I would use brown cloth. Just use it like you would the glass. Use a light brown because when it gets wet from the resin, it will turn dark brown.

I use a lot of thin film wrap like "saran wrap" on the surface when I am doing fiberglass. I lay it on at the very end of the job. It allows me to smooth the surface without the sticky resin grabbing my tools, or making a huge mess, or snagging the sleeve of my shirt. The saran wrap comes right off when the resin sets up. (I used this technique to stamp letters into the side of a small boat I was repairing a few years ago....I just used a set of cheap plastic letters from the dollar store. Push the letters into the plastic film, and the shape was impressed in there forever.)

I would get some plastic bottles, cut them in half, and use them for molds...Make two halves and then put them together with epoxy or whatever...

http://www.greatbigstuff.com/cokebottle.html

Good find!

I wonder if they are big enough?

I have been able to get the color I want from fiber glass dealer. not local stores

2. Normally, how many layers of fiber glass...

I use 3 to 5 layers of 1.5 oz chopped glass mat to make the mould for small parts or for the finished product. I would need to know the square footage of the finished product to estimate the thickness and the weight of both fiberglass and resin to use. For wetting out the product (glass) use the same amount by weight of resin as the weight of the glass. This is a good estimate and will give you something to start with.

The wire mess you are inserting is for strength, I assume, so the finish product will be supported by the mesh?

Is the fiberglass to be used to make the finished surface? Have you comtenplated using the gel coat and if so make sure you use PVA (poly vinyl alcohol) to coat the gel coat to make the final surface tack free. This can be sprayed or brushed on the surface it will seek the level and smooth out the surface as it drys.

I need more information about the final product before making more suggestions. Contact me through CR4 mail for more details.