Aluminium or Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) as outer skin in a composite panel?

[Peter_n_Margaret]

The term "plastic" is very broad and include "thermoplastics" which means they soften with heat to be moulded (lots of common stuff) and can be re-softened and re-moulded many times.
Then there are "thermo sets" which start as powder or liquid and set through a non reversible chemical reaction. These include the phenolics and all the 2 packs including polyester (although there are also thermoplastic polyesters) and epoxies plus things like super glue.
All are "plastic" which collectively are long molecule synthetics.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Mats.P]

Who?

Not sure, but it will be a European one (preferable Swedish one, since I live here). I will investigate and compare, please let me know if you can recommend one.

 

[rruff]

No, it's just that in North America most are buying from Total Composites. I wondered if you had another source.

 

[Mats.P]

No, it's just that in North America most are buying from Total Composites. I wondered if you had another source.

Sounds like a business opportunity

 

[ScottReb]

You also have Box Manufacturing in Southern CA

 

[Kolockum]

You also have Box Manufacturing in Southern CA

Do you have a website?

 

[ottsville]

No, it's just that in North America most are buying from Total Composites. I wondered if you had another source.

Composite Panels - Sheets - Carbon-Core Corporation

SANDED: ADD $ 0.45 per square foot per side GELCOAT: Fiberglass panels have a T102 pigment mixed in the skins. For regular Gelcoat add $.43 per SqFt. per side, for both sides $.86 SqFt. 40 gelcoat colors available, consult your sales representative for details. OTHER THICKNESSES (UP TO 18″) ARE...

www.carbon-core.com

in Virginia

 

[rruff]

Composite Panels - Sheets - Carbon-Core Corporation

SANDED: ADD $ 0.45 per square foot per side GELCOAT: Fiberglass panels have a T102 pigment mixed in the skins. For regular Gelcoat add $.43 per SqFt. per side, for both sides $.86 SqFt. 40 gelcoat colors available, consult your sales representative for details. OTHER THICKNESSES (UP TO 18″) ARE...

www.carbon-core.com

Yes, I've bought PVC foam from them. I don't think they sell panels except with plastic honeycomb core.

Someone mentioned this place; said they will do foam cores as well as honeycomb. https://www.plascore.com/

 

[billiebob]

Late to the party but I prefer welded frames and screwed aluminium panels. I doubt thermal conducivity or thermal bridging is a practical concern in a camper with less than 400 cubic feet of air.

What I love about a screwed on skin is how easy it is to remove or repair. Or modify. I added a side door to my cargo trailer. Took 4 hours. Unscrew the skin, cut, move, weld a stud, add a header, screw the skin on. So simple.

This is a work trailer and it gets abused plenty but even tho the skin is dented and scratched it is still tight. I might reskin it this summer. I'll buy prefinished skins, likely more colourful, screw them on and be done in a day. I'll likely buy new screws too but it will be the fastest cheapest way to repair, reskin a trailer. If it were a camper it would have 1" EPS insulation cut to fit between the 24" stud centers.

If it was an arctic camper, I'd double the layer of EPS on the inside bonding baltic birch to it and screwing to the studs. And there goes the budget.......

I look at my trailers, this one has over60K miles on it, many of those over forestry roads, and look at how light the frames are. Then I look at the home builds and go wow are they ever over built. Not a criticism cuz I'd likely do the same thing but just an observation of the engineering that goes into a manufactured trailer. If you are building your own, check out the commercial manufactured units as diligently as you follow the forums.

 

[ottsville]

Yes, I've bought PVC foam from them. I don't think they sell panels except with plastic honeycomb core.

Someone mentioned this place; said they will do foam cores as well as honeycomb. https://www.plascore.com/

They have this product, but I don't quite understand what the foam is in it(second product down): https://www.carbon-core.com/products/laminated-panels/composite/

I know somebody built a camper out their panels. I think it was in the truck camper forum here.

 

[rruff]

When I talked to them, they didn't actually sell the foam core panels. They had the plastic honeycomb panels.

Yes, here is the build thread: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/ultra-compact-slide-in-sleeper.167347/

He used the panels with luan skins and plastic honeycomb core.

 

[opp]

No joke the glass foam panels are called Puf panels .Never did I know as we back are trailers with foam There puf trailers . maybe we should paint them pink

 

[ScottReb]

Do you have a website?

boxmanufaktur.com

They've been around for a bit in EU. Not as long as some but they are available in the US.