Fiberglass is a durable, inexpensive material that can be molded into almost any shape imaginable. It can be applied as a liquid, or in layers of cloth that bind to epoxy before setting. Fiberglass is valued for its ability to produce customized parts for cars and motorcycles, offering a lightweight yet sturdy solution for riders looking to increase fuel efficiency. Fiberglass rods can be made to any specification and should take no more than a day or two to mold and set.
Things You'll Need
Rod for creating a mold
Modeling fiberglass gel coat
PVA or plasticine
Hair dryer (optional)
Locate a rod that you wish to use as a base for your mold.
Prepare the rod for casting into a mold. Cover the rod with plasticine or place it into a PVA sheath to ensure that no casting plaster will stick to the rod while you are making the mold.
Fill your casting container with plaster. Try to use a container that is only slightly larger than your rod to conserve plaster and speed up the mold-making process.
Submerge your protected rod in plaster. Allow the rod to sit in the plaster until it has dried. Apply even heat in a circular motion with a hair dryer to speed up the drying time.
Remove the rod from the dried plaster. Coat the mold with resin once you have removed the rod. The resin ensures that the fiberglass does not stick to the inside of the mold as it sets.
Pour fiberglass gel coat into the prepared mold. Allow the gel coat to sit for several hours in an undisturbed location. Test the fiberglass by scratching at it with your fingernails. Dried fiberglass will not easily yield under your nails.
Sand the exposed fiberglass with low-grit sandpaper until you expose the seam where the fiberglass meets the edge of the mold. Insert your tongue stick into the space between the mold and the fiberglass and pull it along the perimeter of the mold, loosening the fiberglass as you move the tongue stick. Use the tongue stick to pry the fiberglass rod from the mold once it has been adequately loosened. Sand and polish the fiberglass rod to your needs using low-grit sandpaper.