Resin/fibreglass usage

[aliebling]

Can anyone give some pointers on usage of fibreglass and/or resin (website with detailed howtos would be perfect...or locals in the bay area to assist in return for beer and art car rides on the playa)?

We need something that hardens translucent (not completely transparent...we will light it from the interior so it will glow), nicely rigid (it will be used to build up a structure on an art car), able to withstand playa conditions (how fast does yellowing set in...a non-issue?), and of course the cheaper the better!

Any hints on where to get started?

Thanks!

[some seeing eye]

Start at TAP plastics. Your challenge is more the mold. In addition to your own interwebs search, those materials are used by display companies and giant puppet makers, which should be found in your city.

[Elliot]

Consider building a framework and covering it with cloth, maybe spandex. The framework will show, but nobody expects perfection. It would be a thousand times easier. This thing...



...is aircraft fabric over an aluminum framework -- very light weight.

[SouthernExposure]

A lot depends on how large and resilient a project you are wanting to do. Most polyester resin will be translucent once it has set up, so if the panels/shapes are not too large or if you don't mind some of the support structure showing once internally illuminated, you should be good to go. The easiest preliminary step would be to layup several samples of varying thicknesses and test their light transference capabilities. If you are sufficiently sneaky, you could even model varying shades of translucency into an image in the panels.

A possible source for resin in quantity would be at a boat repair/builder business. Depending on their volume of work, they could be getting resin in 55 gallon barrels.

Hope I haven't caused any confusion.

SE

[teardropper]

Consider building a framework and covering it with cloth, maybe spandex. The framework will show, but nobody expects perfection. It would be a thousand times easier. This thing...



...is aircraft fabric over an aluminum framework -- very light weight.

Hey, was that at the race in Klamath Falls?

[Elliot]

Hey, was that at the race in Klamath Falls?

Correct state, wrong city. The picture was taken in Corvallis a month later. But you are correct that Klamath Falls has a Kinetic Sculpture Race, in June. I've done the K Falls race a number of times, but the pictured kontraption has not been there yet.

[teardropper]

Yeah, I usually go to the one in K Falls. Way cool event. You bringing that this year?

[Elliot]

Warning. Thread drift in progress. Warning. Thread drift in progress. ....

No idea what I'll have ready to use come June. The blimp body does not actually belong on that chassis. Time will tell.

[teardropper]

I don't have a lot of experience with other forums, but from what I hear from newbs to this one, thread drift is what we do best...

OK, I'm done here...

[Elliot]

I talk about KSR on the Da Bar #3 thread fairly regularly, with pictures.

[BlackRockCityPimp]

Elliot as usual has given the genius solution.

But if you are dead set on glass.. I use evercoat. Fumes are bad and there is a fair amount of heat from the chem reaction.

In all honesty what Elliot said is what should be done and is done quite often by builders. Lighting shows up nice and bright through the fabric and the frame can be made sturdy enough to support weight.

Going with fabric also works on bicycles, one year I saw a pair of backlit eyeball bicycles I thought were pimp as fawk.