Hello fellow junkies!
I have decided to go down the custom a-pillar road and am thinking about fiberglassing my mids and tweets into the pillars. I haven't done any work with fiberglass before, so I was hoping for some advice on avoiding the rookie mistakes or poor techniques that will leave me less than satisfied. I've been watching videos and trying to collect tips along the way. So I am looking for some shared experiences from those who have done this before.
I have bought an "extra" set of pillars, so I don't destroy my factory originals. My plan is to make baffle rings and hot glue them to the pillars and ensure they are aimed where I want them to be. Then stretching, gluing and stapling fabric over them and add an initial coat of fiberglass resin. Followed by the usual steps of fiberglass, then body filler/bondo to shape and smooth. Also some kind of "milkshake" on the inside.
I know to sand the pillars first to ensure adhesion, also cleaning and keeping them dust free during the process. I know about sanding/shaping during the body fillers green stage, rather then letting it cure all the way, and attempting to sand. I know about drilling holes around the fabric to allow the resin to plug and bond "mechanically" to the pillars.
Essentially I know what Mark @ CAF and Peter @ PS Sound has shown me, but I am sure there are many more tricks to be taught. So I am hoping that you folks can help me ensure I have taken all the necessary steps to produce a great finished product. What do I need to be extra careful with? How much/thick do I build the fiberglass? Are there some materials to avoid? How do I ensure they last a long time without cracking or breaking etc.? Also, paint or wrap?
Any advice from those who have walked the walk would be greatly appreciated! I fully plan to take lots of pics and do a build log with this project. Right now I am just trying to psych myself into it and come up with a solid game plan. Thanks!!