Fiberglass Panels - How To?

John Lane

John Lane

Active member
Does anyone have any experience building fiberglass panels? - such as those on Mike's boat in his post "Grassed Up"

I am considering that type of set up on my canvasback. THanks!
 
John,

Check with your big box lumber stores. I think they may have flat fiberglass sheets that you can purchase. Seems I remember seeing some a couple years ago when I was looking for something else. I don't recall how thick they were, so even if they do have them, the sheets may be too flimsy for this application.
 
One thing you may want to do it buy some fuel line and split it down the length, then glue this to the edges of all of your panels. It works great for covering up any sharp corners or edges that may grab your waders...
 
Like Dave says...check Lowes, Menards, Home Depot that kind of place. I used these as sides for for a tear drop trailer I built about 8 years ago. They were used a lot in commercial construction for restroom dividers and wall coverings and in home construction for shower stalls. I memory serves there came in 4' x 8' x .032 thk and where pebble finish on one side and flat on the other.

Take care,

Ed
 
When you go to Lowes or the like, you probably should ask for FRP panels. The kid working there might give you the starry eyed "UUUUUHHHHHH" look if you ask for fiberglass panels.
 
John, sounds like you've gotten plenty of great advice. I bought a few sheets very cheaply off ebay. If the thickness is not to much they can be rolled up and shipped. I bought mine for $5 each(26"X96") The guy was selling a lot of 100 but was happy to break it up.
Frank
www.middletonboatworks.net
 
Yup, they are FRP and come in 4x8 sheets at home depot. I used them as the sides on my hard side blind and they have held up great for 4 years now, but I used louan for the flip up sides and have had no issue with them. Granted we are not walking on them or anything like that, the louan is lighter, cheaper and easier to attach grass to.
 
Hank

Thanks for the info. I would be quite interested to see some pics of your blind. It sounds like I have ideas similar to your set up. Do you mind sharing?
 
Sure John!

Start: 1760 Phowler Extreme

2.jpg


Painted FRP sides

3.jpg


Inside looking forward

4.jpg


Open door looking back

4.75.jpg


Above with flip up doors down and first layer of grass

9.jpg


Doors up with 3 shooting holes

8.jpg


Back with motor cover on

10.jpg


More camo, sides up

newbirdseyebackside.jpg



Hope this helps, I can get more if you need them. These were all taken a few years ago, I have tweaked some things as I used it more, also there is more oak and natrual cedar on there now. I will try to get some more pictures on the water after my daughter's youth hunts this weekend.
 
Pat, the frame is 1" EMT welded together and the FRP is attached with alot of self tapping screws with a big washer under the head. If you look closely in the second picture you will see some small squares, these are pieces of wood that are screwed to the frame. The whole point is for stapling the plastic chicken wire to the sides, there is no way to get a staple thru the FRP (at least with my staple gun)

Another thing with the FRP it cuts very easy with the saw of your choice and has some give to it, so it forms around small corners.
 
I got it now. I saw those little squares and thought maybe you found some type of bracket. I was thinking washers and sheet metal screws until I saw the squares.
 
One more thindg I forgot, go back to the second picture again......top of the blind is a strip of 1x3 spruce strapping running the length of the blind. This is also screwed to the frame and is necessary as an anchoring point for the hinges on the flip up sides.
 
As promised a shot from this morning on the water, front flaps down, 2 of 3 back ones up and front door open


IMG_2312.jpg

 
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