Use of Fiberglass Cloth

[Hughs]

Hey, noob here.

What are the differences between using fiber glass cloth on the inside of a piece of armor, as opposed to just covering it in epoxy and letting it soak into the card stock paper? I built a shoddy helmet and let epoxy soak into it, and it seems sturdy, but what kind of feel does fiber glass cloth give to it?

 

[Oak Man24]

Well fiberglass cloth makes if feel like plastic. It also really adds tons of strength, for example with two layers of glass it sounds like someone is knocking at a door when you "hit" it. I really have not used epoxy before so I do not know what kind of strength that it gives you. However the glass and resin is pretty expensive and toxic (you need a respirator) so depending on your situation you have to make the call on which to use.

 

[stealthypirate]

Fiberglass cloth is definately the way to go. Super strong, super reinforced. another way you could go is making rondo ( bondo and resin ) and smear the inside. The fiberglass mats and resin is the best way to go. just think that when you repair body panels on cars you would use resin and fiberglass matts then smooth with bondo. so we are making armor using body work skills used on autos.

 

[Shrubpig]

Well fiberglass cloth makes if feel like plastic.

I agree. I recently did handplates and it feels like hard plastic.

 

[Fudz073]

Epoxy resin, in principle, is the same as fiberglass resin. It's very rigid but very brittle. Where as fiberglass cloth is very strong but flexible. You put them both together and you get a very rigid yet flexible piece. Epoxy alone won't do great if you would drop it or accidentily bump into something. The paper does add a little flexibility but not nearly to caliber of fiberglass... Hope this helps!

 

[AKDOV 4670]

I agree with fudz, with anything that hardens like a resin such as epoxy it is necesarry to use another material to absorb the shock from movement and clipping.

If you just use Epoxy resin you are more or less making a suit out of a brittle plastic.
It is more or less like laying down a slab of cement without the rebar inside of it.