Filon expertise?

Important Information and Stickies...
(Threads with essential information about building teardrops)

Filon expertise?

Postby gene so » Sat Feb 20, 2016 6:28 pm

Hello,
Facing the clear sun problems, with no smog at 6,500 in northern New Mexico that absolutely wipes out paints and stains. I also have seen some campers who have endured one of our hailstorm that every five years or so is capapble of breaking windows in homes and make aluminum covered trailers look horrible.
So, I have decided on using filon as a cover for my custom trailer: 5' high, 66" wide and 108" long. I realize this product is fiberglass based, and am wondering if the material in large sheet could be heat moldable over several different angular facets. I really would like to cover the front and the top in just one continuous sheet, if possible. That would require four different angles. If this sheet could be kept in one solid piece the potential for leakage would be less, than four different pieces seamed together. I really want to do this right the first time and am in no rush to do this correctly by myself.

I hope there is somebody out there who has used this material in such fashion and also knows the best supplier for sheets of these dimensions. If I can cover the top in one piece I also would like the sides to be the same way.

Thank you in advance,

Gene So
gene so
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 9:47 pm
Location: las vegas, new mexico

Re: Filon expertise?

Postby JeepThing » Mon Mar 07, 2016 1:35 pm

I used filon on my first build and is a great product as far as durability and being weather tite. also for bending it at any angle your out of luck, it Will not bend to any angle even if heated, the most radius you'll be able to achieve is about a 8" one and that would require a way to hold it in place from the out side as you put it in place. The way i installed it was to use contact cement , but this gives you only one chance to get it right if you miss align it and stick it down your done! two or three people needed to do that job. Filon is expensive at about $6.00 a square foot where i live, and does come in 96"x what ever length you'll need. I was able to get it through a local RV dealership that has a large repair shop as well. its easy to cut the basic dimensions with an straight edge and a sharp utility knife, than attach and trim with a router. good luck with this
Tact is for people who aren’t witty enough to use sarcasm
User avatar
JeepThing
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 59
Images: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia

Re: Filon expertise?

Postby bobhenry » Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:57 am

I used the Sequentia Panel used as bathroom liner walls. Perhaps this is a somewhat different composition than the filon but it would heat form with a high output heat gun. These panels have a joining strip that make the transition from sheet to sheet and with some good 100% silicone the joint would be water tight. I had a very tight 4" return on Rip Van Winkle my little 4x7 teardropImage

I simply heated the material and hand formed it. You can feel it relax and then form it. You have to wait and feel this or it will crack but I had no problem tightly curving a 4' section around the tight return. I have done two trailers with this material and truly love it. It is forgiving and carefree as well as being scratch and impact resistant.

Image

Image
Growing older but not up !
User avatar
bobhenry
Ten Grand Club
Ten Grand Club
 
Posts: 10353
Images: 2609
Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:49 am
Location: INDIANA, LINDEN
Top


Return to Essential Information about building teardrops

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests