>1) What is the difference/benifits of the checkered type woven matting and
>the classic random weave pattern
"Checkered woven matting", is not matting. It is cloth. Cloth is much stronger and more
pliable than "classic random weave" which is in fact mat. Mat is great for building up
thickness, and weight, very quickly. It is cheap, and what most commercial boats and
automotive body parts are made of. It is not as easy to work into corners as cloth is.
Cloth is used where you have compound curves and sharp corners. It is more expensive than
mat, but stronger due to the continuous fibers as compared to the short fibers used in
mat. Cloth is required in aircraft use. Mat is only allowed for aircraft use in areas
which are not load bearing.
>2) When applying to a semi-rough wood surface (where I want it to stick)
>should I use some sort of coating/primer first
Absolutely not! Fiberglass must be applied to a clean surface. Rough or smooth, you must
remove all paint, coatings, oil/grease etc. before applying the glass. If you don't, you
will have delaminating problems as soon as the part is flexed or goes through several
heat/cool cycles.
>3) Is there anywhere to get large (64"x83") sheets of matting, like web
>sites, or catalogs
I'm sure there is. A quick search on Google should turn up several sources.
John
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