How to Fiberglass: Fixing a Cracked Kiteboard

Step 11 Cleanup

Cleaning up resin is not the easiest thing to do, and as a result, it's generally best if you try to exercise caution while working with it so the mess can be kept as small as possible.

Rollers, stirring sticks and paddles can all be rinsed and or cleaned with a solvent of choice. Acetone works well, as well as lacquer thinner, paint thinner and denatured alcohol. Some of these solvents will work better then the others and aside depending on your resin system and how long the resin has had time to cure.

Gloves and rags should be unrolled or folded and laid flat to try outdoors. Most solvents are highly flammable and since epoxy generates heat as it cures it's best not to simply throw your rags in the trash bin while they are wet.

Mixing containers can be cleaned by first emptying out as much resin as possible onto an expendable surface (say a piece of cardboard) and allowed to cure. Whatever is left in the mixing container can be cleaned along with the rest of the tools using a solvent. An alternative method for cleaning containers is to allow the remainder of the resin to dry in the container. Once it's dry, you can squeeze the plastic container causing the thin layer of resin to crack and fall out.

Wear gloves throughout the entire cleanup process as solvents remove the oils from your skin and make you more susceptible to absorbing the harmful agents in the resin into your body.

Once the cleanup is complete, should resin be needed to be cleaned from your skin, wash with a cleaner like Gojo or Fast Orange which won't remove your skin's protective oils. Using solvents on direct skin is not recommended and will actually help the resin be absorbed through your skin faster.

Dispose of your rubber gloves and painters suit and wash your clothing in it's own batch so it doesn't get itchy fibers all over your other clothes.

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If you have more tips on how to work with fiberglass, please add them as comments to this Instructable so I can add them into this guide.

Comments

[imac49]

Thanks for the good info provided. I was "taught" by a very experienced 73 year old guy who offered to repair my damaged boat. Many of your details mirror his words and I have enjoyed reading the clearly explained steps. Working with fibre glass and resins is a "life skill" that is under-rated in my opinion.

[bduffman]

1, painters mixing cups work well just thro them out in the end 2, that fiber glass u were using looked really thing like material like 3, woven is used for flat and choped for curves 4, ripping choped works better then cutting uneven means it bonds together better 5, another thing is waiting times between resins can cure for days 6, i hope u sanded ur start proget back far enough to take off the clear coat other wise the bond wouldnt be to strong 7, i dont no y u didnt just lay the glass first normaly its material resin let dry fiberglass body filler primer paint ( but thats from scratch ) in this u wouldnt need material as u have some thing to work off if any one is really interested in fiberglassing check out www.fiberglassforums.com its a great forum and so many pros that could help u out