FoamStream...

[tac422]

Wow, you're moving right along ...
Why did you switch from TB2 to gripper ?
tac

[GPW]

Cause we bought 5 gallons of it ... and it was just another “test” ...

[swampjeep]

Cause we bought 5 gallons of it ... and it was just another “test” ...

I thought you also said something about the thicker canvas soaking up TB2 a LOT, but not as much with gripper? yes? no?

[Mary C]

Ok I am waiting for your answer, GPW. I am going to be covering mine now just need your decision on gripper or glue?


Mary C.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Just re-read a bunch of this thread. It's been 2 years since the thread started, and 9 months since the ribs were cut!

[GPW]

OK, my final word ... JMHO FWIW ... Gripper is a great primer , but not as good a T2 for attaching canvas to foam ... It doesn’t stick as well as the T2 ,even after a most Generous coating ..and I have a few places that have bubbled /detached from the foam under the canvas... Never had that problem with T2 ... will try the iron trick and see if that works with the Gripper as well as T2 does... If not we’ll have to inject some glue under the canvas to try and reattach it ... That should be fun ...

For attaching canvas to foam ... T2 ... SI !!! Gripper ... NO !!! I’ll finish the rest of the job with T2 ...
Drat!!! Now I’m wondering if T2 will stick to the Gripper ???

Cliff ... yes , time flies eh ???

Mary ... Glue !!! It worked SUPER on my Foamie #1 and is still in great shape ... even living outside all this time ...

SJ, At least the T2 stuck ...

[Wobbly Wheels]

Just a thought, but do you figure it would work to thin the TB2 so that it can penetrate the voids in the Gripper ?
With glass, you sometimes get bubbles and blisters over time. The fix (with the smaller ones) is to inject resin with a syringe to fill the void. In your case, maybe slice the bubble with a razor blade and use TB2 to stick it back down ?

After all the time and thought that you've put into this, a materials failure would be disappointing to me, regardless of how easy it is to fix. I can sympathize with your frustration right now .

[GPW]

That’s OK, I’m only a little PO’d ... Now to find a cure ... which shouldn’t have been necessary ... but sometimes testing goes the wrong way , and at least my failure will help others in a sticky situation ... Hopefully !!!
Gripper won’t go to waste , there’s the rest of the wood in the trailer that needs priming ... and some house work too .. Now here's the Odd thing , the drivers side top panel isn’t showing any bubbles (Gripper) , just the other side ... could have been Operator malfunction ??? ...

I’ll try the iron trick as soon as it cools down outside a bit ... 90F now , feels like a lot more ... (heat index)


Just thinking , with a long enough tube , we could inject glue into the bubble from the back , through the foam inside ... no slicing or holes to deal with ... just a thought....

[GPW]

And here’s something odd, with the Gripper we noticed a significant lengthwise shrinkage in the canvas that wasn’t apparent with the T2 ... I have no idea why ...

[GPW]

OK, the Hot iron trick worked ... marginally ... Kind of a PIA to have to iron things down , but it’s better than bubbles... The iron was HOT and once heated I pressed the canvas down with a rag to prevent burning my delicate little hands ... Seems to be sticking for now ...we’ll see how long that lasts ...

Unlike the T2 , the Gripper doesn’t soften much when re heated ... I put the Hot iron directly on a glob of Gripper and it didn’t appear to do anything ...

[Mary C]

OoooooKkkkkkkk!!!! Glue it is, I have the same amount of each but I will go with my original plans TBII glue it is!!!! I will thin it down just a little, helps with the viscosity so it wont be quite so thick and will go on a little more evenly!!!! You are my hero today GPW. I will start gluing tomorrow after I get my car aligned. then it will sit while I hang the doors and hatch. then it can dry till Sunday.

Mary C.

[GPW]

Mary , we Know the T2 works .. so It’s all good !!!


I cut out the two pieces of canvas to cover the lower nose, test fitted those .... guess we’ll try (another test) to see if the T2 sticks to the gripper ... Should huh ?
we’ll try and get another early start tomorrow , hopefully get that part done and move on to the balloon gores ... and then we can do that last keystone strip on the top and we’re finished with the covering ... ... getting close now ... finally eh ???

Just a note .... You’ll notice I cut the reinforcing strip on the bottom (relief cuts )to wrap around the bottom onto the floor , but didn’t glue them yet... The idea was to add the other panel on top of that , cut the little relief cuts in the middle of the other cuts , staggering the cuts in the two pieces , so they would overlap like shingles , and then just glue the two pieces together and glue and staple them under the floor all at once ..... I think that will make a better job ...

[wagondude]

Really coming along quickly now. And the results are looking really good.

[GPW]

Thanks Bill, not quickly enough ... still have to do the inside ... but that should be Fun , and I won’t have to drag the HUGE tarp on and off every time it looks like rain (frequently)...

Another day ,another test ... Guess we’ll find out if T2 sticks to the Gripper ... I guess it does ... we’ll find out huh?

The Garbage man picked up the two large contractor bags of foam bits, scraps , etc. , and we raked up as much of the rest as we could .... still the foam dust everywhere... going to take a while for that to completely dissipate ... but the yard looks better ... and the wife is Happy about that ...

Thinking about a vent ... First thoughts are we’ll need one for a rounded roof ... That may be hard to come by ... Might have to “invent” something
Looking at your little trailer pic ^ gives me an idea for covering the rounded part ...horizontal gores ...

[GPW]

Ps. had some thoughts about the Gripper and canvas... we only tried putting the gripper on the foam and applied dry canvas over it ...when peeled back it was obvious the canvas wasn’t Completely contacting the glue (spotty) , so now wondering if applying the gripper to Both surfaces would work better... kind of a PIA applying it to canvas , but good if it works ... Sorry, I’m just obsessed to find out the mystery of the Gripper ... It does dry Nice and secure, the parts that get stuck ... I’m sure it will work , just have to find out how ... Only one way to find out eh ???