Full size pick up air dam . Quick and dirty prototyping. With aba cost down test

[gumby79]

I tested the UV stabilized industrial used on my topper, with rattle can that had the proper additives for plastics. But not this product(tape). I used a tan hammer tone turned out more copper. Good adhesion, but did not add UV filtering and caused increased skin heat load , resulted in additional slackening of the plastic .the plastic however would return to its original shrunk shape and size as soon as the vehicle started movingand it cooled. Toper V1.0 lasted 12 months before spots I got too hot while shrinking ( excess heat defeats the UV inhibitor in the plastic) started UV damage cracking and thermo welds delaminating( getting it hot enough to melt/weld it together releases the UV stabilizer). I think a plastic suitable paint with a UV blocker would help, question is how much? In fabric skinned airplains they add Aluminum flakes to the last 2 layres of dope( shrinking and air tightening agent) as UV protection to bump the skin air worthy time fram from 8yr to upto 15yrs before dry rot compromises the integrity of the weave.

The tape has lasted long enuph to deam it suitable for prototyping, short-term (3-6months 9-12months with careful observation and a limp home strategy and kit). However I think the 12mil, UV stabilized, flame retardant, industrial shrink wrap is better suited for longer than 3-6 month tests.

Dream Big Chisel Down To Reality


Hope this helps

[Piotrsko]

In aircraft, the 2 coat filler is a mandated minimum, also with cross coating. The test is a 100 watt light bulb inside the structure, in a darkened hangar looking for light bled through, usually at the reinforcement tape seams. Keep adding silver dope until you cant see bleed through. 1: not practical in this case, 2: your paint is also not high enough uv blocking solids. Rutan did find that most automotive primers had enough solids after 2 coats. He also recommended white as a primary color