Project Extended Pop-Top Aerodynamic Camper Shell ('99 Tacoma)

[JRP3]

The thing to remember with epoxy is the hardener is not really a catalyst like with polyester resin. The ratio of A to B must be exact since the molecules need to cross link with each other. Extra of either part means molecules lying around with nothing to cross link to. In other words it may feel hard eventually but it won't have the same properties and strength. It may not matter much in a non stressed area of course.

[ron]

the hardener was with poly resin as i recall 1986-7 we made containers for aircraft ,I didnt do the digging the layup dept did that . It was one of there x employees that sabotaged the tank . and without it they didnt work. I didnt know the dif between epoxy and poly thanks JRP3 .

[a8ksh4]

The resin got hard enough that I could sand on it, so I decided to call it good and use the part. It's not structural anyway. I mixed up a bit more resin and finished saturating the glass that wraps around the edges (pictures next post) and got started on the other side. If all goes well, should be doing body filler and primer in the next week. I don't expect I'll get much done over Turkey Day weekend.

Oh, I found that epoxy resin does not seem to loosen masking tape along the edge of fiberglass... it might be different with polyester resin, but all the bits of tape I used on this piece are a part of it now. :`}

[a8ksh4]

Oh, I also cut some pieces of lexan and glued them into the air holes in the plastic valence below my bumper! Progress!

[Xist]

This has been a very interesting read. Very impressive!

[a8ksh4]

Alright, here are some results from last night's work. I had started the other day by pouring resin in the middle of the front of the passenger side panel. Last night I worked resin in around the edges of the front and around the back. Had to just use my rubber gloves to work most of the stuff on the back because it was odd shapes and folds and kinds of messy. All of the surfaces that are visible from outside the truck came out pretty clean.






I found a better way to drape the fabric over the driver side panel so that I don't need to make any cuts, except at the corners to cut down on bulk on the back. It's amazing how much this twill weave can be contoured around weird stuff:


And the resin hardened in the middle of the second panel:


I think that the mix ratio wasn't as bad as I had thought on the first panel. Once the second batch was applied to the rest of the fabric around the edges and onto the back, the middle tightened right up (didn't add any additional resin to the middle). I think that, maybe, having tension on the fabric from getting it wrapped all the way around took some of the give that I was feeling out of the middle of the big smooth front surface.

[a8ksh4]

I got a little more work done on the 2nd panel this evening. It's looking a lot more clean than the first one.


The adhesion isn't going to be super good on the back, but I'll be able to trim out the couple of big wrinkles when it cures. I didn't use any peel-ply type stuff this time. I just wet the fabric down and pulled it around the edges. It seems like the sharp edges came out really clean this way. The peel ply might still be a good idea for any flat surfaces like the back.

[NeilBlanchard]

Question: what are the weights of the fiberglass fabrics that you are using? Just curious - and where did you buy them?

[a8ksh4]

The fabric is 8.8oz twill E glass. I also got some 6" wide 9oz stuff that I'm planning on using to back up any corners and edges that I want to be stronger. They're from TAP Plastics.

[Varn]

I would recommend that you lay the fabric on the bias. It will conform better. If you use a second layer or more change the angle of the fabric threads to improve overall strength.