Pictorial guide/worklog of modifications to 'HTPC', GAM's Home Theatre PC; Making a cheap, simple case better - Page 8

By Greig Mackenzie

Fibreglass Duct continued...

Cutting Templates

I adhered a copy of the template to each sheet using photographic spray adhesive. Not ideal, but it did do the job. I've since purchased a stronger spray adhesive for subsequent attempts.

Now the cutting process begins.

Foam template cut and stacked together.

Ooh, plastercine!

Originally I had planned on shaping the final edges of each template (using files and sandpaper) to form the mould but I soon realised that I hadn't given enough thought to the final dimensions. I decided to err o the side of caution and filled the steps with modelling clay (Plastercine). I'm starting to feel very pleased with myself at this stage. The issues I had obtaining materials and then the day spent manufacturing these sheets demoralised me quite a bit.

Fibreglassing

Now to the fibre glassing…

Although I did some Google researching before this, I went head on into it, trial and error style, anyway. Naturally, the 'error' of trial and error emerged.

The proportions of catalyst must be precise! I had trouble ensuring 0.5ml of catalyst to 50g of resin. I realised the gravity of this when my first resin soaked fibreglass didn't harden. I ripped it all off the mould and started the FRG process again. This time, impatience weighing heavy, I didn't bother brushing the resin on first, instead I placed the fibreglass strips over the mould as best I could and then brushed the resin into it. All these things get very sticky and hard to work with. If I had help or another pair of hands, things would have been better.