fiberglassing in heated garage

[snowgoat]

Hi guys i am new to the forum and would like to say there is a ton of info on here. wow. i am building a flats style boat out of an old sears 14ft hull. i live in mi and its still chilly here. i have come to the point where i need to glass in the stringers and transom, also the floor deck ext? i heat my garage with a propane heater and have been told they leave a residue and that the glass won't stick very well. just wonder what my options are. do i wait till it warms up. can i heat it up with an electric heater then once the glass is laid turn on the propane heaters and let it cure, or does the propane not even phase the glass. thanks guys for any info and help.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: fiberglassing in heated garage

Propane doesn't really leave a residue, it's rather clean, but it does add a good amount of water vapor to the room. Heat lamps do a good job, keep them back though, you just want to warm the surface, not cook it.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: fiberglassing in heated garage

I heated my garage last winter with propane heaters and it didn't cause any problems with the fiberglass work.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: fiberglassing in heated garage

Here's the deal, to glass in the cold, the surface to be glassed as well as the resin both need to be at the same temp. That temp should be 65? or higher all during the initial curing process (45 mins to an hour) and for as long afterwards as possible and then above freezing for a minimum of 24 hours. If you use tarps to "Tent" the area to be glass and then use 5oo to 1,000 watt lamps to heat the area and the resin you can usually acheive this scenario. Propane is fine too. Some will say to be careful of the fumes and explosions. As long as you crack the garage door 6" or so and keep a box fan going you'll be more than fine. You may "Stink Up" the house though!!!

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: fiberglassing in heated garage

As WOG says, you have to make sure the surfaces are warm, not just the air.

I was a bit worried about using the open propane heaters when glassing, so I read up on it pretty extensively and the bottom line was that you'd have to be do doing a LOT of glassing (e.g., running a chopper gun) before you'd be putting much volatiles in the air. I do recall reading that the catalyst, MEKP, is high flammable, so was careful to never work with it near open flame. The same is true for any acetone used to clean surfaces or equipment.

I did all my glassing last year in a garage running a propane heater and had no problem whatsoever. You need to be careful and use common sense, though.

 

[Mud Puppy]

Re: fiberglassing in heated garage

Welcome to Dry Dock SG! :welcome:

We use propane heaters, an overhead radiant heater, an old hanging forced air propane heater, and torpedo forced air space heater all the time for supplemental heat and do a variety of bonding every day, from fiberglass, to Kevlar, to Graphite, to Aluminum, and never have any issues. lane:

What you need to shy away from is Kerosene or #1 Diesel fuel heaters. Those fuels omit an oily residue in the combustion that make bonding almost impossible if there are enough "fumes" in the room with you.

We also shy away from the use of any kind of silicone in the way of lubricants, sealants, or waxes as the stuff is continuously emitting molecules which attach themselves to Aluminum making dis-bonded cures where the adhesive just doesn't stick because of it. Don't think this would be much of a problem, just don't use any Tire Shine products in the bay next to you when you are laying up your glass.

Do as the others have said about insuring your work and materials are at temperature and you'll be fine.