grp, foam, grp panels help please

We have designed a new boat, the hull is alloy and the decks too, there is a flange , upstand to take what was going to built in ply(houses)
But a friend has factory that manufactures very large, glass foam glass, panels, up to 12mx2.5m, any thickness, any weight of chopped matt/foam
the outer is high gloss gelcoat the inner, even but stippled gel, is the best way i can descibe
We are thinking 40mm foam that way we achieve great insulation, , this guy supplies panels to the refridgerated truck industry
My questions, as most of you know, I know Fanie Uncle Charlie Katy all about sticky stuff
So how will I glue timber to the inside, how could I finish the cabin corners, given that the ends of the panals are showing foam, for instance roof, will be same, I could cap the roof edges with timber, and cap the aft cnr house same . I guess would have to cap the coach roof corners too
They are very fair these panels,
Quietly excited abt the labour saving

 

Lazy,

You lucky bugger, getting them cheap will make all the difference.

One simple way to seal the ends of foam panels is to simply remove some of the faom and bog then up using epoxy and baloons.

I might contact you when i get home to buy some for my ute to make it into a camper, they would be perfect.I was going to make some myself on a sheet of glass and vacuum them down, but these would most likely cost about the same without all the drama.

Have fun mate.

 

If you are making a houseboat type design, then alloy extrusions (powder coated) riveted and white Sika make good seals too, just look at all the caravans and refrer trucks running around.

 

i cant do this, it all must be top end for Eu market no alloy caps, but hey hear you abt filling ends thank you, this guy has huge amount offcutsCHEAP, come up see me, have spare bed!
i

 

Lazyj, your mate with the glass panel business should be able to scheme up some corner molds for you, I sometimes mold corner sections off PVC storm/sewer pipe & you can easy make a molding that kinda cradles the panels, just start "thinking inside out" for it & use some melamine faced mdf/particle board too. Quick tip on the pvc pipe but- use a heavy sprayed pva realease agent on it to stop the styrene bite & stickup to it. All the best in your endeavours from Jeff.

 

thanks Jeff, ,
my biggest worry, getting stuff certified, he supplys mo home builders, truck builders, riviera, , and many others. But it mind boggling, in abt one hour I can loft out the coamings, which are abt 10m, and in abt 15 mins cut the thing out,
Whereas in past I would build alloy shell, then insulate line, like 100,s hours saving here,

 

Lazyj, sounds like your ready to come over to the "sticky" side of the boat building world, not sure about your certification but if its local & the manufacturers premises, proccess & your NA/engineerings all in order you should go ok. All the best from Jeff.

 

Jeff,

Lazy may have a few problems changing to the Dark Side, I have found it a ******* to weld fibreglass.......i guess he will just have to learn to turn down the amps.......

 

Lazy,

What about pultruded angles, we are doing them in the boat factory here in China, they are very neat and exact of course, just need to be finished on the outside for cosmetic reasons. You can buy them in Aussie, look up Pultruded angle strips.

 

strange name, ok Lubs
I went saw this boat being built entirely of this muck, not one screw in it, 46 foot cat, I mean its like eggshell strength, you could ram a scewdriver through the hull? now why would people go to sea in these boats?
However he told me how to glue it and for the houses of our boat, it,ll save so much labour and cost

 

Lazy, i make composite boats here in China, some of the designs are frightening, but it is the witdth of the beam section that the foam that generates such rigid panels. Engineering wise, they are very strong, however i am like you, old school thinking if it was to be my boat, she would be in steel for ocean work still.

Have fun mate.

 

Lazeyjack,
I live on the noth side of Brisbane, if you like come over and I can show you a number of ways to join foam panels.
I think the panels you are talking about are made with 80kg polyurathane, thats why they are cheap but not recommended for boats.
I suggest that you talk to a composite engineer before you decide to use this matterial, I can recommend one.

Cheers
Andrew