Metal Powder in Fiberglass

[grantstew8]

Hi
Has anyone added metal powder to fiberglass, I'm thinking of using Aluminium/aluminum powder in an epoxy that I paint onto a wooden TD.
I understand it polishes up rather well too.

If it's a non starter then I'll use an opaque colour.

[GPW]

Grant, they mix everything else in with Epoxy , so why not !!! In this case it would only be like a pigment ...as used in many commercial colored epoxy paints/coatings...
But what about the UV ?

[KCStudly]

...and what about the oxidation of the exposed metal particles, especially if you polish away the epoxy? You gonna put a sealer clear coat on after?

Great potential for art, but not very practical, IMO, and probably not thrifty to do it right by the time you add up the materials and effort .

[KCStudly]

I would rather see you skin it with real bronze sheet... ooh la la, how sexy would that be!?!?!$$$

[grantstew8]

Thanks for all the input.
UV is not a major concern here in Scotland, except in summer, which lasts only a day or two......You guys are so lucky to have so much sun; you even have to sit in the shade and drink beer...I wish....
Sheeting may be the answer however my attention to detail is not great so may look even more "home made"
I'm still leaning toward fibreglass and epoxy with red opaque pigment, rather than silver aluminium dust in the epoxy. Cost and unknown results are the main reasons. Perhaps they'll have samples in the shop.

Gut feel tells me it will just have to be a bright red TD.

Thanks again

[mgb4tim]

If it's being mixed into epoxy, a clear coat is critical - even in dreary conditions, UV exist. Tinting resin is a fantastic way to go, it's not expensive. But, again, epoxy doesn't like sun light., so be prepared for a clear coat.. You could consider using surfboard poly resin, it's water-clear and is made to stand up to the elements. There are UV stable epoxies, but they are pricey.

Here's a cool video of laying on tinted resin -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_73JZE1B730

[angib]

Metalflake is added to the gel coat resin sprayed onto a mould before the glass is laminated on the back. As others have suggested, if you add it to a final coat on top of fibreglass, you will cut into the flake when sanding and that may give a weird effect.

The only sure answer is to try a test panel, but I wouldn't expect it to look like moulded metalflake.

[grantstew8]

Thanks again!