Trolling for coroplast

[Tango Charlie]

whoops. 'trolling' may have a bad connotation on a forum...but I'm using it in the fishing vernacular, alright?

I went trolling for campaign signs today on my lunch hour. Only found two. With as big a flap as everyone made over the elections, I thought there'd be a bunch. Or maybe they're all taken down already.

Anyone have better luck?

[bhazard]

Which signs are coro? All the little signs are that plastic bag material. What about those huge signs? They look like theyre at least 3 by 5 feet.

[BlackDeuceCoupe]

Don't mean to hijack this thread - I know you're trying to boost some coro, but...

Anybody here ever try Kydex???

I used to make skid plates out of this stuff - bought it @ Cadillac Plastic in Phoenix.





Kydex is unbelievably light and unbelievably tough!

Here's how I used it...

• Turn the motorcycle upside-down.
• Take a rough measurement.
• Cut a piece of Kydex from a sheet with a jigsaw.
• Put it in my oven until it got maliable.
• Mold it around the motorcycle engine and frame.
• Let it cool/harden.
• Pry it off the motorcycycle.
• Trim it with an angle grinder (this stuff is tougher than steel).
• Drill it and anchor it in place on the bike.

I've thought about making a 'underbelly plate' on my Honda with Kydex - but I haven't figured out a way to flip my ride on its roof without wrecking it.

Anyway, just a thought...

[mtgeekman]

The Kydex seems like interesting stuff. But I would think the main reason for not many people using it is cost. A 4x8 sheet of coroplast is $10-$20. The same size sheet of kydex at 1/16th of an inch thick is $120-$140 (at least from the place I checked)

[BlackDeuceCoupe]

Originally Posted by mtgeekman

The Kydex seems like interesting stuff. But I would think the main reason for not many people using it is cost. A 4x8 sheet of coroplast is $10-$20. The same size sheet of kydex at 1/16th of an inch thick is $120-$140 (at least from the place I checked)

Yep, but your car will be ready for the scrap yard long before the Kydex wears out...

A lot of the plastic I see here looks very flimsy and brittle - only slightly better than cardboard.

I can see using Coro for making templates/testing, but if you want to make it permanent and/or market your idea, I think Kydex would be the way to go!

[order99]

You could always mold, cut and tape the Coroplast to your liking (using a few thin strips across the inside for strength). Then-once you get the perfect shape-you could harden it with a few thin layers of Fiberglass mat and epoxy.

The resulting composite is a little heavier and slightly less flexible, but gains quite a bit of durability...the only downside is that you'll need to sand, apply Glazing Putty here and there, and maybe a few coats of Sandable Primer for a great finish coat.

I made a REALLY cheap boat this way- PVC frame for the skeleton, Coroplast for the shape and 2 layers of Fiberglass for the outer skin. The exposed interior PVC was then covered with 'socks' of Fiberglass to reinforce the entire structure, and then a single final layer of Fiberglass over the exposed Coroplast interior. The remaining Coroplast was then attached to the floor with Velcro fastenings for a cheap, removable flooring. My former neighbor liked it so much he bought it off me for $500...not bad for $80 and three weekends of Elbow grease!

Now I wish i'd snapped a picture...Oh well.

Sometime after I earn my Certifications and get a decent career off the ground, I intend to construct an EV Trike-my inspirations will be the Twike and the City-El vehicles, minimalist design and sturdy construction. So far it looks like i'll be using a chassis of light steel bike tubing, multiple layers of Coroplast and Fiberglass for the finished outer panels, cut foam layers covered by Fiberglass for the interior. With any luck i'll be well under 800 lbs with batteries, motor, electronics and motorcycle wheels/suspension cradle.

Mind you, ALL prototypes look good on paper...

[Sean T.]

I went out Wednesday around noon, and spotted 2 other vehicles collecting signs (old people in minivans... obviously not ecomodders),

but by Thursday all except for (a few each of) two candidate's signs have disappeared.

[Tango Charlie]

In the town where I work, a local candidate was using coroplast signs. I contacted him via email. He said he's got a stack of signs in his garage I could have!
They're small ones, not nice big ones like SeanT got for his Taurus, but I should be able to peice them together if I get ambitious with an underbody tray.

[EVDRVR]

Originally Posted by BlackDeuceCoupe

Don't mean to hijack this thread - I know you're trying to boost some coro, but...

Anybody here ever try Kydex???
..............
I've thought about making a 'underbelly plate' on my Honda with Kydex - but I haven't figured out a way to flip my ride on its roof without wrecking it.

Anyway, just a thought...

If you're not heat forming Kydex would it have much advantage over abs on the underside of a car? What would you use for a heat source on a really big piece like a underbelly?

Looks like a great product for those little aero projects. UL and all those other approvals likely add to the price and value.

EVDRVR

[Tango Charlie]

Ahem, may I have my thread back, please?
On my lunch hour today, I went and picked up a load of signs from my local friendly candidate. Got a stack of 25! He may not of won his election, but he's an OK guy in my book! The signs are 18 x 24 x 3/16.