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Building a fiberglass live well/ battery box/ storage

14K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  rubberducky 
#1 ·
I have a 17ft 1985 McKee craft and I'm thinking of building a livewell battery box and storage from the transom. Want to make it out of fiberglass with no wood. How do I go about this has anyone done this or have any idles on how to go about it.

What I'm thinking is to built it out if wood then fiberglass the inside then taking the wood off of it. Leaving me with just the class mold. How do I make it strong enough to stand on and fish from. Any help you be very thankful
James


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#3 ·
To make it strong enough to stand on, laminate a piece of plywood into the top of it and a couple of vertical stringers too. Building a mold and finishing it smooth enough to make the part would be as much if not more effort than it would take to just build it out of wood and glass over it. Wood is long lasting if coated with resin first and screw holes are sealed well. For the verticals you could use one of the honeycombed foam composite panels ( http://www.diabgroup.com/aao/a_products/a_prods_3.html )instead of wood.
 
#4 ·
Its been my experience when building these types of things, regardless of materials used. Taking it to a boat/fiberglass builder and having them finish it out was not just easier but the cost difference wasn't enough to even argue about. Sometimes about the same compared to you buying the resins and cloth. Plus they'll have a chopper gun. Makes filling in the corners much easier and prettier. Good luck with the project.
 
#5 ·
Build your box out of Styrofoam sheets.
Glass over the foam inside and out.
Make a faring compund ot of saw dust and epoxy (consistancy of peanut butter) to smooth out the finish
Sand smooth
Find a good 2 part epoxy paint and the appropraite primer
Prime the box
sand the box
prime the box
sand the box
prime the box
sand the box
paint the box
sand the box
paint the box
sand the box
paint the box
sand.......
 
#6 ·
If I remember correctly. EPS foam you'll have to use epoxy. EPS=Foam like drinking cups and what you see in boxes with your TV's when you buy them. You can use those Pink foam sheets from lowes with Polyester Resin. (standard fiberglass) The cloth itself will be the same. If you want to stay away from wood the surrounds for the hatches should have starboard or aluminum glassed in to hold screws for latches and/or hinges.
 
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