Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:55 am**

Has anyone used this product or know someone who has?

http://www.bulitex.com/default.htm

I was thinking it might be a good alternative to aluminuim or plywood in my case. If I used thier formula right for lbs per sq ft. a 4x8 sheet would weigh like 13 lbs :applause:

I found it a 4x4 magazine they were using it for skid plates.

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:39 am**

now that is some damned interesting stuff :thinking:

if the regular panels are UV protected it could be the ideal material to skin a tear with, that is going in harms, way since it is basically bullet proof. Looks to be plenty bendable and workable...at a cost of less than 20 bucks(for 90 sheets) it should retail at a rate cheaper than aluminum...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :thumbsup:

madjack

p.s. hey DD since you brought it to our attention, I hearby nominate you to go get ya some and use it inna TD building/skinning situation and report back here on its virtues :eyebrows:

madjack

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:46 am**

I am going to inquire on a few things about this stuff.
Is it paintable?
Is it really 13 lbs per sheet?
Do they sell to the general public?

And if they do I just may have to pick up a sheet to play with at that cost

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:59 am**

...it looks from the site that they sell in bulk...however a truck trailer manufacurer or repair/refurbish facility for the same, might have some...if nothing else they should be able to point you towards such a place...let us know what ya find out
madjack

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:05 am**

Thanks a million, Terry. That stuff looks mighty interesting. :thinking:

(I'm not too crazy about working with thin aluminum.) The only thing I'd be concerned about is it passes light..........as in "translucent trailer ceilings". That let's ultra-violet light penetrate the trailer. I know of someone else using a translucent outer and inner skin on their trailer. They missed a little area in the insulation process somehow and now have a "mini" skylight. :thumbdown:

Light equates heat...................something I hate but in all but the coldest weather. But this material certainly rates looking in to. Thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:51 am**

I had a large Word document at one time about boat building. It had instructions on how to make your own fiberglass panels using resin and 3 layers of glass cloth. All I can remember is using masonite as the platform, coating it with gel coat, then laying down 3 layers of cloth and resin. Once cured, it is peeled off the gel coated masonite and is supposed to have a shooth finish on the underside. I will try to find the document and read it again. I see no reason why several pieces of masonite couldn't be put on a frame of 2x4s to make up a larger area then 4'x8'. The joined edges could be first beveled, then filled with bondo and sanded smooth to make one large seamless surface. You would be limted in size only by the area in which you have to build the frame for the masonite.

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:54 am**

Sorry, that "shooth finish" should read "smooth finish"

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:12 am**

cracker39 wrote:I had a large Word document at one time about boat building. It had instructions on how to make your own fiberglass panels using resin and 3 layers of glass cloth. All I can remember is using masonite as the platform, coating it with gel coat, then laying down 3 layers of cloth and resin. Once cured, it is peeled off the gel coated masonite and is supposed to have a shooth finish on the underside. I will try to find the document and read it again. I see no reason why several pieces of masonite couldn't be put on a frame of 2x4s to make up a larger area then 4'x8'. The joined edges could be first beveled, then filled with bondo and sanded smooth to make one large seamless surface. You would be limted in size only by the area in which you have to build the frame for the masonite.

Dale, if you find that doc, can you put it up on your site someplace & post a link to it?

Thanxx.

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:18 am**

This looks like a nice material.

It would depend on what you wanted to use this for, but as it is glass-reinforced polypropylene, it will be a devil to get a bond to anything. No doubt silicone sealants will stick to it, but there are very few glues that work on polyprop.

Andrew

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:25 am**

cracker39 wrote:All I can remember is using masonite as the platform, coating it with gel coat, then laying down 3 layers of cloth and resin.

Dale is just describing the normal process of laminating. One of the best sheet materials to use for your own flat mould is Formica, or a similar laminate. The gloss finish makes a very smooth mould, it is tough enough to be re-used indefinitely and there is little chance of the sticking problems likely with masonite - waxing the mould is still required, but it isn't too critcal.

The trick is to find someone with a large sheet of gloss laminate in a very unfashionable colour - as they will never sell it for its original use, the price can be right.

Of course if you are a slave to fashion, laminating on a uncool colour mould may be too much for you..... :lol:

Andrew

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:23 pm**

...at a cost of less than 20 bucks(for 90 sheets) it should retail at a rate cheaper than aluminum...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

It looks to me to be $19.00 each and 90 sheets would be $1710.00 total. Or am I lookin' at it wrong.

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:34 pm**

Dooner wrote:
...at a cost of less than 20 bucks(for 90 sheets) it should retail at a rate cheaper than aluminum...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

It looks to me to be $19.00 each and 90 sheets would be $1710.00 total. Or am I lookin' at it wrong.

that is correct...it is a quote from there website on some partial bundles they were offering for sale...they probably don't do retail sale(re:single sheets)...so I was just guestimating that at their wholesale price that it should retail by the sheet for less than say.050 AL would....I really wasn't proposing to buy 90 sheets....
madjack

Posted: **Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:38 pm**

How about using aluminum edging and gutter pieces to hold this material on? The sides and top could be floating and not glued down.

I assume this material can be painted? Something else to investigate.

Dave

Posted: **Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:43 am**

Hey Madjack, I didn't mean to make you Madderjack. I was just confused

about the "less than 20 bucks (for 90 sheets)". I took my meds now and am doing better. I see what your sayin now. :thumbsup:

Posted: **Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:50 pm**

...ain't nothing toit....I am still smilin'

and I definitely an still cool...

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

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