hey

calling any and everyone one that know a little something about using fiberglass. I want to try to make my own fairing but don't know where to start. I don't know what products to buy or anything. Any info would be helpful.

I don't know of anybody, but I've always been a fan of Dunstall fairings on the old Nortons.

www.fibreglast.com has some "starter" kits along with books and videos on how to use it.  essentially, it's like paper mache.  you mix some epoxy resin & hardener, lay your glass and then work the epoxy mixture into the fabric.  techniques for carbon fiber or carbon kevlar are similar.

I have zero experience with this except for doing some faring repairs with fiberglas screen and epoxy but I would think that the hardest part is to construct your molds/forms.  You somehow have to figure out a shape that will fit the bike and provide mounting points to mount it.  Not sure how this is done but I imagine there's some trial and error invloved.

There is a least one person on this site who has made a custom tail section.  

Rob

That would be me.

I've also made a complete custom fairing.


About getting into it-  
If I knew then what I know now about how hard it is I never would have bothered.  It is VERY labor intensive and requires quite a bit of skill to be able to turn out anything decent. I've been doing it for over three years now and have just now gotten good enough to be confident enough to make parts for other people.  I have spent many more times what a fairing would cost on tools, materials, and waste. I don't even want to think of the thousands of hours I've burned on it that I could have spent riding/racing, or just out doing funer things.

I hope that doesn't sound bitter, wasn't ment to.  It has been interesting, and I have some cool stuff and the skills to make more cool stuff.  If you want to go into it as a creative hobby, then go fer it.  Just know what you are biting into.

JamesG,
good to hear a true honest answer from you

Quote from: nocturnalhey

calling any and everyone one that know a little something about using fiberglass. I want to try to make my own fairing but don't know where to start. I don't know what products to buy or anything. Any info would be helpful.

Start off with a fiberglass fairing and modify it for your liking... On a related note...
For Sale... mtched painted Gas tank, side covers, front fender and full airtech fairing. Painted all pretty nice... just some scrapes in the fairing, and small nick in the tank... some bolt holes in the fiberglass need fixing... all brackets nd pieces and most bolts and nuts included... would like to sell as a set... $350. Includes headlight and front turn signals...
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: werase643JamesG,
good to hear a true honest answer from you quote]

Uh.... thanks.
I think....

hahahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahaha, sucker  you have no idea what your getting yourself into.  to say the least it is very labor intesive, takes lots of time and paitence, and you will fail many times before you get it right.  at work we use a 2 part open cell foam called Iso-foam when we need to make molds. you mix it up let it harden and sand it to the shape that you want works great if you know what your doin.  seeing as you siad that you have no experence, your best bet is to find a older faring and build it to the shape that you want. I have a little over 2 years of experience in the gun club working with aerospace composites fixing helocopter parts so i like to think that i know what I am talking about, most of the time i don't though.      the first thing that you need is a good resperator with particlate filters if your serious about this though.  fiberglass is like asbestos, the stuff gets in your lungs and in about 20years your ready for a new pair.  shoot me a pm if you need one, I have a few extra laying around the house some where.

lungs?

As with making anything the most un expected crap can bite you in the ass... Those handlebars... how much simpler can it get... metal, bend, cut weld. Its damn mild steel for god's sake... but someone wasn't watching, someone is asleep at the wheel... The first set cost me ~$32 each at the end of it... I  destroyed/screwed up ~7... like jig broke 1/2 way through, or the angles were wrong or the bars were too short or crap like that... then I get some right... and the grind off the welds... to nothing... so it will be smooth for paint... and yes the damn thing has to be painted... cos it rusted (very light surface rust at the bends and welds) in 12 hours... I sell 18 bars make $8 each, the first 7 cost me ~225 (32X7) and I lose ~$75... of fine then the damn things need to be recalled... ok... Now I have a different process... much stronger but steel costs more... and the welder wants more... anyway Before you make it and sell them make sure you have all your bases covered. Also those lung problems... well I dont like to do any of this at home... my 1 year old cannot take any of this. Welding, cutting, grinding all of it lets out tons of material that is bad for kids - hell its bad for adults ... make sure you dont have kids in the house if doing it at home.
Cool.
Srinath.