Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys.I'm not really new to this forum as I view posts daily but don't say anything. Anyways I was wondering if anyone here has much experience with fiberglass resin or other resins? I've been trying to brainstorm for a cost effective caging solution and have been thinking about a 1/4" plywood shell coated with several layers of hardened resins. Also perhaps using radius type trim ( for corners of drywall ) for the corners to ease in cleaning and upkeep(also to be coated with resin). If anyone has experience with resin and tints/dyes,I was wondering how white,white tinted resin will cure;if it will be a cloudy white or of good appearance.I could probably contact manufacturers for that but if anyone knows it would be appreciated.These ideas are for cages probably no larger than 4-6'.Any input is greatly appreciated and it's a pleasure to be here.If anyone wants to know anything about me ask away.

Anyways I was wondering if anyone here has much experience with fiberglass resin or other resins?

I've applied a fair amount of polyester resin, which is what I assume you're referring to when you say "fiberglass resin". Fiberglass is glass strand, mat, cloth, or roving that forms a matrix when embedded in a polyester, vinylester or epoxy resin.

I don't care for working with they various poly or vinyl ester resins but the final result can be durable and cheap if you plan carefully.

I have also used marine and bartop epoxy resins as well as epoxy paints to seal wooden cages.

I've been trying to brainstorm for a cost effective caging solution and have been thinking about a 1/4" plywood shell coated with several layers of hardened resins.

Even with the cheapest fiberglass cloth or mat several layers will get expensive and end up weighing a lot. It would be more productive at that point to build the cage from plastic, IMHO, and possibly even cheaper.

To save costs you would be better off building structure into the shell with a thicker plywood, therby requiring less resin and possibly even eliminating the need for any sort of fiberglass reinforcement.

Also perhaps using radius type trim (for corners of drywall) for the corners to ease in cleaning and upkeep...

The drywall trim may work. I have formed a fillet with Bondo in the past and it works well.

If anyone has experience with resin and tints/dyes,I was wondering how white,white tinted resin will cure;if it will be a cloudy white or of good appearance.I could probably contact manufacturers for that but if anyone knows it would be appreciated.

I think the for a true white color a polyester gel coat is better than a tint. But like you said, contact the manufacturer.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Yeah I wasn't being very specific in my question. I have only used what is called "fiberglass" resin. In referance to my question ,I was refering to polyester resins that I recently priced. I didn't plan on using fiberglass mat.Dumb question , but when you refer to bondo for "rounded" corners thats the same as automotive body filler , right? I was just thinking that maybe a 1/4" thick "box" or shell fabbed with a good adhesive maybe and screws (perhaps a challenge) coated with a couple layers of polyester resin would provide sufficient strenth. Also the bondo in the corners would provide more strenth if coated with resin I would imagine. Thankyou very much for responding. Dave

I did mean (polyester) automotive body filler when I said Bondo. To be even more specific, I would use just a standard filler or lightweight filler. Avoid the glass-strand filler, sometimes sold as waterproof filler, as it is harder to form before cured and harder to sand once cured.

Back to resins. Polyester resin is much more brittle than epoxy resin so you either need sufficient fiberglass (cloth, mat, roving, etc.) to avoid cracking or you need to be applying it to an already stable surface.

Of the two choices, the stable surface by way of thicker plywood will be much cheaper, much easier and also provide a better insulated cage with greater thermal mass.

However, the 1/4" plywood shell with multiple fiberglass layers may offer you some advantages I have not considered.

But if you do go down that road I would consider instead using plywood to make a form that the fiberglass shell could be pulled from once cured. Quite simply the amount of resin plus cloth you would need to overcome the flexibility of the plywood would be strong enough on its own.

The original Neodesha cages (before Neodesha bought the design and went to formed ABS) were built this way.

If you really want to go the 1/4" plywood route you might look at epoxy resin simply because it is so much stronger and flexible. It could very well end up being cheaper than the multiple layers of polyester resin plus fiberglass you'll need to make for the relative lack of strength and flexibility.

Wooden kayak and canoe builders use epoxy for this reason, among others -- it ends up being cheaper in the long run over the thin plywood substrates they use.

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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I see a lot of fiberglass in the boat business- from battery boxes to dock boxes. It is usually really strong. We stand on them and are constantly stepping on them in engine rooms. Why not use the plywood, build a plug and just make cages out of the fiberglass and pop it out of the mold? Is that a lot more expensive than working with plastic? I have seen a lot of things fabricated on the spot and thought many times- man, that dude could make some killer cages!

Is that a lot more expensive than working with plastic?

Decided to do some searching on this since it's been so long since I've worked with fiberglass and polyester.

I did most of my pricing at US Composites since they have generally been the cheapest company for products like this, short of shopping for overstocks on internet auctions.

I'm going to say that a decent polyester resin is $30 per gallon, or about 24 cents per ounce.

I found an 8.5 ounce per yard cloth that seems like it would work for the type of stand alone structure both you and I mentioned (using plywood to make a mold and fiberglass to form a part that is pulled from said mold).

The 8.5 ounce cloth as about $7 per yard.

If you assume one ounce of resin per ounce of material per yard then it would take 8.5 ounces to wet out the above cloth.

So 8.5 x 24 cents equals is about $2. Add the $7 for the yard of cloth and you are at $9.

That's $9 for just a single 36" square of 8.5 ounce fiberglass. I'm guessing that the type of construction we are talking about would require more than a single layer, but I'm not completely sure. When I did stuff like this we probably always overbuilt it.

At any rate, 1/2" expanded PVC in black can be found for as cheap as $2.35 per square foot so that same 36" square would run about $21.

So factoring in waste one could lay down two layers of fiberglass for the same as 1/2" PVCX.

To me that is not worth it, especially since I think two layers would not be quite enough. There is A LOT of work, mess and odor to deal with to layer out two layers of cloth. There would have to be some compelling reason for me to use it.

Hope this helps the OP.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I appreciate all the help. I'd rather ask from experienced individuals and avoid costly mistakes. Upon further research I have found that the epoxy resin is much more flexible so thankyou. It wasnt something I had considered. While it is temting to make a "neodesha" style cage, i'll probably avoid that route and just stick to the epoxy resin without the fg mat., over plywood.

In case anyone is interested, I did a bit more digging and found that fiberglass mat is more commonly used to form on the inside of molds.

Fiberglass mat takes more resin per yard to wet-out. A 1.5 ounce mat I found needs 24 ounces per yard.

The yard of mat is $2.55. 24 ounces of resin is $5.76, so the total for matt is about $9 per yard, or approximately the same as cloth.

How many layers of mat would be required compared to cloth I'm not sure.

Still, not worth it to me when 1/2" PVCX is just over $20 per yard.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I knew a guy once that had a fiberglass company build him a few molds of different sizes, one for 4 foot cages, one for 3 foot cages and one for 6 foot cages, and when he needed more cages he just ordered them from the company. I have no idea what it cost, but they were awesome cages. They were really a shell if you will, you still had things to do for the cage to get it to where you could keep animals in it. The only problem with the cages were they weren't stackable; you had to build a rack for them to slide into as the front edge flanged out, which is what you want so you can attach a face frame and doors. There is nothing better practically than fiberglass for the inside of cages...all the corners were very rounded and the surface was slick so they were easy to clean. Very professional.
Paul Edwards