Chipboard outer skins , no canvas...

[GPW]

Chipboard outer skins ??? Why not , if we can find it in big sheets .... or perhaps put it on in smaller plates , much like metal aircraft is built ... Technically , what we’d do is sandwich a sheet of foam between two sheets of standard gray chipboard , glue all that together in a vacuum bag to get the best bond , and build from there ..... Once completely dry and cured , the foam panels could be treated with "the mix" to thoroughly waterproof the chipboard skins , then painted over ... Foamie' Sips ... They would be very Strong , smooth finished (no weave) , and structurally sound as if you’d used thin plywood ... with ZERO chance of de-lamination or Rot ...
Nothing says you have to use a Canvas skin exclusively ... These finished panels could also be easily cut on a CNC machine ....


Also thinking a sheet of Foam with a chipboard skin glued on one side only could bent somewhat , with the chipboard taking up the tension work ...

Lots of possibilities ... crumbs for Thought...

[GPW]

.... And , in typical Foamie ‘ fashion , is easily repaired the same way you’d repair a canvas skinned foamie ... but with a chipboard patch .... Which when painted should make a very hard skin ... The Thicker chipboards ( .090" -.120”) more like Armor ...

And in typical SIP construction , you could make all your wire run recesses under the hard surfaces prior to glue up....

[rowerwet]

Cue the "where do I find chip board in X dimension panels" threads!

[GPW]

Row A Quick google search produced many results of chipboard by the Ton ... Further searching may reveal exactly what we’re looking for, in reasonable quantities ..... This is no help , but I remember we used 4’X8” chipboard (sheets) to back Large framed pictures at a Art Gallery I worked at ... in early 1970... Somebody is making it , or somebody is stocking it ...
Otherwise , the overlapped “Plate’ idea seems workable , especially when vacuum bagged to remove any voids formed by the overlap ... Naturally all this is just talk without testing so it’s just an idea , another alternative , and for those who want a smooth outer skin...

[dales133]

Probably isnt any reason you couldnt cut lap joints with a router to join sheets.
You just have to be a bit careful until you joined them as the edge would be a bit delicate

[GPW]

Perhaps ... not as delicate as a canvas covered edge , which really isn't that delicate anyway ...
Just trying to think out the box , preventing staleness of ideas ...

[GPW]

We’re looking around for a SQUARE -ish cheap foam cooler to cover with chipboard skins .... another test ... The only way to know if it works as good as we think it should .

[aggie79]

GPW,

Instead of chip board, how about using a layered paper mache type skin? This is how the Western Trailer Company did wheel wells and body corners for breadloaf trailers used for war housing during WWII. Here's a few pics of the wheel wells from the Library of Congress.









The title of the pictures says:

" Paper replaces steel as material for trailer wheel wells at the Western Trailer Company's plant in Los Angeles. The picture shows the close bond between successive layers of paper smoothed on over a forging mold. The secret of the final hardness and the strength of the material lies in the formula of the solution with which the paper is impregnated. Round corners of the trailer toes, formerly made of metal, are also made by this process."

Take care,
Tom

[KCStudly]

Awesome. Just as I was wondering how GPW was going to get the chipboard to conform to the nooks and crannies of the cooler ribs, up pops the solution. Now we just have to decide what is the best special solution; "The Formula". TB3 maybe? Then scuff and coat with the mix?

I wonder if you can shoot paper mache with a chopper gun? But then again, at what point does it start making more sense to look closer at epoxy and glass?

[wagondude]

I would think you could skip the TB3 and go straight to "the mix" to build your paper parts. Bonding/plasticizing all in one step. Sharon used straight poly to do the craft paper floor in her trailer. It turned out beautiful. Although, I believe paper saturated with TB3 would also end up fully waterproofed with nowhere for "the mix" to go. So either might work well. Now to determine which works better.

[KCStudly]

I haven't tried laminating with poly, so I just assumed the TB3 would grab faster and be easier to work with on shapes.

[tony.latham]

I haven't tried laminating with poly, so I just assumed the TB3 would grab faster and be easier to work with on shapes.

I assume you are talking about laying it up all in one shot... but keep in mind, TB says that TB2 sticks to dried TB2 but that TB3 doesn't stick to dried TB3. That's why I shy away from TB3 unless the project is going to be nailed to a fencepost with a sign that says something like, "for rent, bluebirds only."

T

[loaderman]

I have always thought a paper mache foamie would work. That is sort of what parade floats are.
The foam is a mould to lay your paper on. And really the chipboard is a paper product.

[GPW]

I believe we discussed paper mache a long time ago ... TB2 works for me , having used white glue on previous paper projects long ago ... Including a 2 story “rock” waterfall made of paper covered chicken wire ...

Ps. If anybody doubts the glue’s waterproof integrity , a friend had several guitars that soaked for a couple weeks during Katrina (flood ) ... None of the TB2 glue joins let go ...

[aggie79]

Whether it is chipboard or paper, I think laminating either to foam is a viable technique. I could even see using both. My thoughts are to have two layers of 1/2" or 3/4" foam. The outer layer would be a solid sheet cut to the profile of the teardrop. The inner layer would be cut out like is done for plywood "framing". Chipboard would be laminated on the flat exterior and paper would be used on the back side around the foam "framing". My thought on using the framing is that it would have added rigidity compared to a laminated flat panel.

Of course, I'll have to issue the disclaimer that the above are random thoughts and not actual foamie experiences. (I've thoroughly enjoyed the evolution and testing of foamie construction methods.)

Here's one last picture for you from the LOC:



The title says: "Paper of forty pounds weight runs from rolls to a tent containing a glue-like solution. After it absorbs this solution, the operator breaks its stiffness by wadding and squeezing."

I wish there was more details about what the "glue-like solution" is. Given it's water like appearance, I'd say it is a high percentage of water with a little glue mixed in.

Take care,
Tom