How is G10 Made?

[Peter Atwood]

I'm curious how G10 is made. Anybody know? Is it an industrial process that is not doable at home? I'm interested in making a cast handle slab material so that I can achieve a custom texture. Is there any kind of material that I could use for this purpose?

 

[Crockett]

Hi Peter,

I can't answer how G-10 is made, however I'm sure it's a specialized process. I'm also thinking that it should be able to make a similar material in the shop.

As you're aware G-10 is fiberglass cloth imbedded in a resin, most often (if not always) an epoxy, or at least as far as I know. I don't see why you couldn't use a mold, either a flat slab or contoured mold, glass cloth of the desired weave, saturate it with resin and vacuum-bag it like some boat builders or hot rodders do. The technology should be readily available. Seems like it should work, the only way to find out is try it! One problem might be keeping the layers perfectly flat without some sort of press. But then, rather than the vacuum bag method a mold could be constructed that could be used with a press to squeeze two plates together, sandwiching the cloth and resin...

Then, there's a whole range of variables, like dye in the resin, different weaves, you can imagine.

Don

 

[peter nap]

I also think you can make it at home. You should be able to layer it up using nothing but a form and West System Epoxy. I've made home-made micarta using West and everything from old blue jeans to Store bought linen. Go to the news stand and get a copy of "Wooden Boat Magazine". Call the editor and ask him for ideas(I forget his name). He is a nice fellow and about as well versed in epoxy molding as anyone I've ever talked to. He's also a Virginia native. If you just want to see how it works without spending much money, go to wall Mart and get some fiberglass resin. It does not hold up as well as epoxy but works the same. It is brittle though. That will let you experiment without buying the more expensive epoxy.
Good luck!