fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

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fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:54 am

Je pense que pour la première fois constructeur Peut-être le moyen le plus rapide et le moins cher de construire
.I think for the first time builder Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build with few tools a foam glass any shape .With very little maintenance .As being built out of fiberglass and foam not much to rot. it'll be insulated and very light.

This is not a fiberglass trailtop trailer with DIY fiberglass skins


if you take look at Jess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsIE8aku1Jo composite materials for the walls and roof build .with Composites now being the catchword you need to be careful cuz remember when a dog eats a tennis ball what comes out is a composite material

I have found you don't need a vacuum table you just need to crap to put on top of it not the tennis ball
composite material

Please any comments are greatly appreciated and probably helpful even it is how your great-aunt makes moonshine from gardenias

where I differ from Jess , Scott ,JIM that have done the hard research . Will be making my own skins and laying up the foam. Bound the walls to the roof making it almost a skeleton frame

ANYONE telling polyester resin will eat Home Depot foam THE RIGHT FOAM is a damn liar!!!!! if you repeat a lie makes you just as big of a fibber
You have to get the right foam ISO cyanide . No it does not put out cyanide gas. On this foam Resin won’t eat any of it so I like to put holes in it that way it locks it going up and down. The weak point in building this way is the foam to glass bound

I found by making my own skins I can add wovening which makes the skin extremely strong and Light.
the Skins you can buy are gelcoat Mat and gelcoat you don't need that extra layer of gelcoat next to the foam. I have not found any place that will add woven fiberglass

i an doing Mike's Nano that he drew up in 2012.

should have had a Pod on her frame within 5 days with 4 hours of work a day. But
I got food poisoning or half a million dollars life insurance disease not sure. Other half has been saying she wants a new Porsche.
The panel in the picture took less than four hours to make and that includes making a template and drilling out 8 sheets of the foam it is ready to be glued to the pod that's with the exterior fiberglass skin the 1'' foam in interior fiberglass skin
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Last edited by saywhatthat on Tue Jul 06, 2021 6:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby QueticoBill » Tue Jul 06, 2021 7:08 am

It seems you are advocating for stressed skin panels with frp skins adhered with polyester resin to polyisocyanurate foam whereas the linked video seems to use frp skins adhered with epoxy resin to xps foam. All I've read on tnttt.com is that the polyester resin eats xps foam. Do you disagree?

Using the polyisocyanurate, which seems to inevitably be supplied with a foil surface, do you remove the foil or leave it or have you sourced it without the foil?

I'd be curious if you source frp that is approved by the manufacturer for exterior use or just don't find the more common interior use only products a problem.
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby saywhatthat » Tue Jul 06, 2021 8:39 am

polyester resin eats xps foam. Do you disagree?
No I don't disagree polyester resin eats xps foam
which seems to inevitably be supplied with a foil surface, do you remove the foil or leave
You have to remove the foil weak glue on foil. resin wont stick to the foil.by poking holes in it you have increase the depth of your resin . As most of those foams are closed cell except that white crap your bond is whatever scratches you can put into the foam .The green foam that they build high-end boats even have holes in it to have the resin flow into it. at $400.00 US a sheet 1''x 48 x 96''. the home depo foam is $21.00 are so.
have you sourced it without the foil
roofing suppliers. even got structural foam with fiberglass Flame retardant surface Veil on it. we even put holes in that. Angled holes is what makes this work so well

Sun will eat this in a day .but you will have it encapsulated with fiberglass and either gelcoat or paint over the top of it so the sun can't get to it.
and by doing the fiberglass band around it you basically have made a skeleton frame..

on our Trailtop trailers we've had one rear ended trailer stopped on the freeway car behind it didn't slow down and I believe because of the two density of foam it absorbed most of the Collision. knock the bound loose for a few inches and Popped a few Rivet heads. then when the auto went underneath the trailer it's bent the rims tore a tire off and broke the inner parts of the receiver.

This foam used in buildings and look how much a building will move

On xps foam there a outfit that uses poly . won't tell their secrets and they're not covering the foam with anything before they lay it up I think they're putting down a layer of surface vail letting it cure. dissolving the foam enough to give it a bite. Then just a few layers at a time it's the heat that might be melting foam.
There's a spray that you can spray over the foam and it'll stop polyester from eating it but that's more labor and material cost. Swear he's not pre-treating the foam
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fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby saywhatthat » Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:01 am

It's the holes that make this work on a angle
structural foam with fiberglass Flame retardant surface Veil on it.
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby tony.latham » Tue Jul 06, 2021 10:16 am

Please any comments...


I have been following his buid and wouldn't call it the fastest way... He started it in October 2017 and has been working steadily and ass of last month, it's not done. I might call it labor-intensive.

:frightened:

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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby MickinOz » Tue Jul 06, 2021 2:23 pm

I'm afraid that I have been unable to understand what the point of most his posts are so I haven't followed the build.
French to English translation is never straightforward, especially when using an app to do it, and I gave up trying to follow and understand it.
I have just been looking at a website called trailtopcampers.com
Assuming, always dangerous, that this is saywhatthat's, it seems that the point is he has developed some rounded fibreglass mouldings that enable you to put rounded corners and edges on your build.

Edit: Not sure whether saywhatthat is Mr Trailtop, looks more like he is just a fan of the technique.

I have to say though, that, after reading the how-to stuff, I can't see any great advantages over all-wood builds apart from a different aesthetic.
Seems like it has to be framed and double skinned, and the seam between the outer ply cladding and the fibreglass components needs to be filled.
It seems to rely entirely on the filler (Bondo!? :o ) for a waterproof seal.
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby QueticoBill » Tue Jul 06, 2021 3:13 pm

I was interested because of the frameless stressed skin construction.
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Re: Maybe the fastest cheapest way to build a real fiberglas

Postby saywhatthat » Tue Jul 06, 2021 3:46 pm

[
Not sure whether saywhatthat is Mr Trailtop, looks more like he is just a fan of the technique
Not Monsieur Trailtop they use wood not a fan of wood .and square shapes I like a little curve. Using DIY glass skins on a trailtop trailer that way can work on it at 15 minutes at a time every few weeks. didn't seem like that many people were interested in building with trailtop parts not much posting. Have been kick out a pod in 50 HR working at 15 minutes at a time .


Now definitiely like the other way better stressed skin panels with frp skin.
after making the panels . I cut Tony's book trailer cut out in under an hour including the bulkheads using a CNC template made from 1/8 hard board a router with a pilot 3/8 bit and a 3D printed pilot bit.to get that outside shelf to put the roof on. but by building Tony's way you have the classic feel of a wooden trailer on the inside.
That ok Tony all fiberglass trailers look the same . not a trailtop build. It's a stressed skin construction.

Right now we want the square top shape not the traditional shape so I gave it away.
I was to have 5 days all to myself then I got poisoned. food poisoning but I keep seeing all these Porsche brochures in wife's purse . should have had a pod done

The panel in the picture took less than four hours to make and that includes making a template and drilling out 8 sheets of the foam it is ready to be glued to the pod that's with the exterior fiberglass skin the 1'' foam in interior fiberglass skin . So when I get the other 6 done we'll just have to glue up and run a bond ring around the top. Then have to worry about maintenance in 5 or 6 years . and if someone shoots a cannonball through it I may have to worry about fixing it in a few years as there's nothing to rot damn old-time rough neighborhood
Yes 32 ford like to put together in spare time at at 10 minutes per setting

I believe it's a bit faster than with wood and if you make a mistake so what doesn't cost anything with installation that Bridges only at the doors and windows.
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Fri Jul 09, 2021 9:32 pm

As I keep posting fiberglass is so forgiving .on the fiberglass panels'. I can pretty much do a panel a day first thing I do in the morning is spray gelcoat about an hour and a half later I come back and put on three layers of fiberglass 1.5 mat woven7 oz 1.5 mat, push the foam down and put some weight on top of it about 3 hr later 3/4oz woven mat catalyze just shy of 1%

went to lay up last side panel .Sprayed gel. Came back about an hour later put the first layer of mat on . When a few minuets my legs gave out and I started to get sick .my first layer Mat had not laid flat it had big wrinkles in it so roller out best that i could. it stared to gel. scratched up with a piece of metal where all the wrinkles where added abit of uncatalyzed resin rolled it out flat. in the picture the dark lines. so tomorrow will sand it down flat and wipe down with polystyrene monitor then put on the rest of my layers and shove foam in. One more damn web lie if under 24 hours you can wipe it down with acetone and still get a chemical bond no sometimes I think they put the lie down just to hear themselves. acetone attacked the styrene but if you use the styrene monitor you can get some chemical bond.


my new lay up until I get feeling better from food poisoning will be a gelcoat 1 and 1/2 hours later one layer of ounce and a half Matt about 2 are 3 hr later the woven and last layer of 1.5 mat then then shove the foam with weights on top of it. Then the next day the 3/4 ounce mat and a juicy layer of resin then a few hr later woven and mat..

one tip that will save you money pore out all the resin you plan to use in small batches and if you using the clear cup put some tape where you want it to stop

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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:55 pm

had a few question the wisdom of using 1% Mek Catalyst with polyester resin and the right foam well it's over a hundred degrees here.
what you're trying to have three layers not gel up before you can get the foam pushed in
even if you laid up resin and forgot the Catalyst just go over it with some catalyzed resin and push it in the sun it will cure
You work from the outside in that way you'll have a smooth outside finish
gel coat ARE two-part polyester primer

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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:27 pm

I ended up in the hospital for a few days and it's all jess fault video withdraw. I have built with trailtop components and honestly like the looks of it better because of the recesses. for ease stressed skin panels seem easier and faster .Hope to be back to working on it in a week are so
trailtop .
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stressed skin panels
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:36 pm

After a bout of listeria back in July starting to get back to this build. Did not fell even human till the first part of September.

after watching numerous builds from Jim, Scott and the great the great videos from Jess and StyroMAX

Being the cheap bugger that I am I decided I wanted to try to do a build that could be done by one person as lower-cost as they can be

the difference between the previous builds I mentioned is what I use as material and the way I used it

store-bought fiberglass Skins are gel coat mat and gelcoat. With gel coat you're trying to get a bite into the bonding of the foam to gel coat. THAT A hard surface that is very smooth. so they're trying to get scratches in the gelcoat and foam to get a bond .. The skins are made with poly resin.

The main different is how they are trying to get there strength . They're bonding the foam to the fiberglass skin and the bond is always going to be the weakest point. so they need a higher density foam.

The way I building is stronger skins with woven materials and a deeper bond line so I can use less. density foam.

one drawback of buying pre-made skins is the weight in shipping. cheaper to ship a 5 gallon pail.

you can make the skins and then epoxy like they have and not fight the gel coat at the bounding line.
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fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:21 pm

hard to believe got the panels done.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1368444226924246&set=pcb.1248819802288406
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:29 pm

this is what the skins pulled apart look like. you can see the resin drizzle in the holes locking the inner and outer skin together .
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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Re: fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels

Postby saywhatthat » Fri Oct 08, 2021 10:46 pm

Spent a few hours to day .If you finished up the skins on both sides and cure. You will notice you now have a bow in the panel. polyester shrink you have a real good bond to the foam because of the holes . I levee them in the floor and roof preload. I cut the doors out of the sides. at the door opening closest to the center I will cut slots on top and bottom. Not through outer skin . You won't lose any strength because this is where the door jamb will go and also you will have a interior and exterior Bond beam top and bottom. you will pull panel flat and back fill gap .
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Il suffit de le faire
fast, cheap, fiberglass/ foam stressed skin panels
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73945

Build 4.5 by 8' using Trailtop fiberglass Components
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70729
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