anyone using bondo fiberglass resin for making micarta?

Silmar 41 Clear Polyester Casting Resin from http://www.uscomposites.com/polyesters.html is a much better choice then the table top resin, it is desined for thicker use, table top resin is not to be pored thicker then 1/8", thicker then that and it can get a wrinkled finish.

also silmar 41 cures water clear, you can add transparent pigments, I think it has a higher melting point then the table top resin and is harder when cured, pretty much the same as fiberglass resin only clear.
 
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Well my first one is done. I gotta say it came out pretty good. So tough it was hard to trim with a knife, and it was clear.
My only problem is, it turned out to be 1/4 inch when sanded, I was shooting for 3/8's.
I have a question. If I sand and clean back down to the burlap, can I add a few more layers with fresh epoxy?
 
I don't have an experienced answer for you, but I bought some of the Bondo fiberglass resin and can't wait to try it!

I worked in a shipyard where the hulls were fabricated out of fiberglass which I worked with a couple times. Whenever they laminated they prepped the surface by sanding and then applied their resin and glass. I would imagine if it works well enough to hold a 157 foot boat together, it would work for a knife scale just fine. I would be curious how adding a couple layers would look vs having had done all the layers at once.

Do you have any pictures of your first set?
 
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jtwodogs said:
Well my first one is done. I gotta say it came out pretty good. So tough it was hard to trim with a knife, and it was clear.
My only problem is, it turned out to be 1/4 inch when sanded, I was shooting for 3/8's.
I have a question. If I sand and clean back down to the burlap, can I add a few more layers with fresh epoxy?
Click to expand...

Personally, I would not.

You will get a funky layer at the sanded bit that may not look right.

But more to the point, in my experience it takes little more time to lay up 1/8" as 3/8". Set up time is about the same as is the lay up time. Consider the 1/4" a learning curve climber and do it again. Or get a bit or stack of 1/8" liner material(s) and use that make your thickness.
 
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