Texman Build Begins

[dirtweazle]

Use offerup or FB marketplace for a used welder. Your going to need one. Even with bolting everything together (they come loose after time) You will still need to weld tabs and other things. You will find many uses for the welder and also become the neighborhoods favorite fixer when they find you are savvy at fixing broken things. Long run it will save money vs. hiring a mobile welder multiple times throughout the build.

Find a metal shop and brows the cutups for deals. Read up on my BUILD for ideas and the deals I found.

 

[opp]

¼" hdpe is heavy have you seen jess video we are doing are own skins with poly resin 1'' foam .if anyone tells you polyester resin eats cheap Home Depot right foam it just a damn liar right foam.
you don't need a vacuum table. the one we done is under a $100 for a 4 by 8

 

[RedRaider1]

What gauge did you use for the 2x3" frame steel?

 

[texman]

3/16"

 

[dbhost]

That frame is awesome, somewhat overbuilt IMHO but if your tow vehicle is up to the task why not? As far as the box is concerned, fiberglass over foam isn't nearly as hard as you seem to think it is... And once cured, well done fiberglass offers a fair amount of structural strength. There is a good reason lots of boats are made with the stuff... I'd do some sort of basic steel skeleton structure and then fill the voids with foam, skin with fiberglass... YMMV of course.

Use offerup or FB marketplace for a used welder. Your going to need one. Even with bolting everything together (they come loose after time) You will still need to weld tabs and other things. You will find many uses for the welder and also become the neighborhoods favorite fixer when they find you are savvy at fixing broken things. Long run it will save money vs. hiring a mobile welder multiple times throughout the build.

Find a metal shop and brows the cutups for deals. Read up on my BUILD for ideas and the deals I found.

Check Craigslist as well. I have seen quality tools up for cheap.

¼" hdpe is heavy have you seen jess video we are doing are own skins with poly resin 1'' foam .if anyone tells you polyester resin eats cheap Home Depot right foam it just a damn liar right foam.
you don't need a vacuum table. the one we done is under a $100 for a 4 by 8 View attachment 671359View attachment 671360

I have seen lots of videos demonstrating Polyester resin melting foam board insualtion. Mind you, poly is at least 50% cheaper than epoxy resin. Care to give an example of what foam poly resin and foam are a good combination? You might just steer me back to a fiberglass instead of Poor Mans Fiberglass build.

 

[high-and-dry]

I have seen lots of videos demonstrating Polyester resin melting foam board insualtion. Mind you, poly is at least 50% cheaper than epoxy resin. Care to give an example of what foam poly resin and foam are a good combination? You might just steer me back to a fiberglass instead of Poor Mans Fiberglass build.

What he is using is the polyiso foam from home depot, it normally has a foil face on it. It is polyurethane foam, which does not get eaten by polyester resin. But the foam is incredibly weak and crumbly. The standard xps foam at home depot and lowes is 15 psi, jess and I used 25 psi, the poly iso is maybe 5lb, and has almost no strength.

The polyiso foam is fine if you just using it for support until the resin cures and for insulation. But the fiberglass is the strength in his panels, unlike jess and mine which are structural using the foam as part of the structure.

 

[texman]

thanks for the ideas!

 

[texman]

 

[honda250xtitan]

3/16"

Dang. I thought mine was overbuilt. thats awesome. cant wait to see this finished

i built my box outta sheet metal with thin walled 2" square tubing. Pre pandemic prices

 

[texman]

cooler mount in and cleared door!
back door galley test fit
two water ports
back galley started

 

[texman]

two coats of epoxy and two coats of durabak on the bottom. it is ready to set on the trailer frame and continue. I did not sand the bottom edges smooth since it is the bottom.

 

[texman]

corners in and sanded smooth and round. 1st coat on epoxy on almost all holes sealed. next i need to weld some mounting brackets to the trailer frame and then the box will go in frame for the rest. should go quicker now i think.

 

[texman]

 

[texman]

3 coats of durabak

 

[texman]

doors and most of electrical in. full of water and no leaks ! (yet)