Lifting roof XPStream - making improvements

[noseoil]

I sent away for some teflon sheet material to use in my build, for gliding surfaces where needed (under the galley stove, ice chest drawer bottom & air conditioning box bottom). The stove & ice chest drawer are both hung on ball bearing guides, but I'm adding a "rub-strip" under each of them as cheap insurance against grinding or scuffing, under weight & bouncing along. It's good to about 500f, so it shouldn't be a problem under the stove to act as a skid. Figure it can't hurt to do it.

I don't know if it would be of any use in your build or not. The problem with teflon is installing it. There's no way to glue it down & laminate with it, without spending some stupid money on adhesives ($66 an ounce?). Contact cement doesn't work at all, it just peels off when it's dry & nothing sticks to it. I'm just screwing it down with flat-head screws to lay it in place where needed under things. Not sure about the tolerances you will need & have available to work on things, but it might come in handy at some point in your build. It's available in many types & thicknesses, so you can pick & choose what you need. Here's a web page you can look at or file away for later on.

http://www.eplastics.com/PTFE_Sheet

The build is looking great! Nice job on the blocks, they should work very well. Amazing how much time the little stuff eats up, isn't it?

[KCStudly]

I was just reading yesterday about metal dust fillers being used with epoxy to create hard wear points in composites. I would be concerned that any felt like material would end up collecting debris and become an abrasive wear point. I agree that plastic wear pads are probably the most sophisticated solution, but you also have to consider your goals for the project intended usage, too.

Are you building to exercise your engineering and fabricating skills, and tending to over design every detail (ask me how I know about such things and I will direct you to my build thread link below), or do you want to find a happy medium where you can get out camping and still have a reasonable service life from something that will realistically only ever see maybe a few hundred cycles, not thousands?

(slipping back into over engineered mode) I wonder if there is the possibility to insert little rubber tired roller wheels into the leading edge of the sliding piece... with just enough of the wheel sticking out past the face of the surface to set the gap that you want?

[aggie79]

Following up on KC's idea, you could use a replacement rolling luggage wheel assembly that has an inset rubber skate wheel. Another possibility - I can't remember exactly what they are called - are inset roller balls that are placed in flat surfaces to convey boxed materials.

[S. Heisley]

It's too bad you live so far away. I'd like to see your build in person someday.

[aggie79]

Following up on KC's idea, you could use a replacement rolling luggage wheel assembly that has an inset rubber skate wheel. Another possibility - I can't remember exactly what they are called - are inset roller balls that are placed in flat surfaces to convey boxed materials.

Edit - the "roller balls" I referenced above are called "ball transfers. Here is one example from McMaster:http://www.mcmaster.com/#6421k66/=zohbgr.

[OP827]

Thanks very much for input everyone, appreciate that.

In this particular case as I mentioned there is no load bearing required for this sliding surfaces, it is just occasional loads related to transport vibration, shocks and up and down sliding action with no load. I am trying to build to fit the purpose to keep the design light and clean.

[Atomic77]

If you decide to come this way let me know...plenty of places to camp between your place and mine.

[OP827]

Yes Michael, I want to travel East some time and your city is not far from my route plans.

[OP827]

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[dales133]

Coming along nicely mr oleg

[Bluebunny]

Watching with great interest!

[OP827]

Coming along nicely mr oleg

Thank you kindly Mr.Dale

[OP827]

Watching with great interest!

Thanks Bluebunny, I did not hear from you for a while, good to hear from you again.

[KCStudly]

I'm still a little fuzzy on how this is all going to come together, but it is surely obvious that the quality of your work is top notch!

[Atomic77]

Looking really good! I'm kind of like KC in the respect that I don't really understand how it's all going to work. But again, your craftsmanship tell's the tale. Nice use of carbon fiber reinforcement. Here's a tip. Before you cut your carbon fiber piece, give it a light mist of 3M Super 77 or even some dollar store hairspray. Let that tack up a bit before you cut it and all your strands will stay nice and crisp. Your frayed edges will be down to an absolute minimum. Just be sure not to use too much because you don't want it to interfere with the epoxy soaking through the weave.