Well, I still have to wait for the backhoe, but I used the time to make the roller mechanisms for the door, and make the new ring and track with rollers for the dome to sit on. This will replace the crude castor arrangement that is currently on the dome. Its all on the site, but heres a couple of pics anyway.
Well, started fibreglassing today and .....oh no.... I ran out of resin! B##ger!
I have plenty of catylist, lots of chopped strand mat, (medium), and the shop calculated the resin based on the 18 square metres I had to cover. They even sold me what they said was too much, because theres nothing worse than running out before your finished!
I bought a 10 litre drum of polyester resin, but it looks like Ive got about maybe 2 and a half to 3 square metres left to cover.
I can only conclude that either we calculated wrong or I didnt use enough thinners to make it go further.
The only other conclusion is that the plywood sucked up more than anticipated.
Oh well, now I have to wait another couple of paydays to go buy more. I can see why others call this the Infinity project.
baz Baz Baz, you didnt listen to me did you. I did say that you would need a 20 litre bucket of resin its a lot cheaper that way, and that the medium mat was too thirsty. Are you wearing 5 layers of latex gloves, ? ..thats a good trick handling mat and resin, you just peel a layer off everytime you need to move mat. and the catalyst I used a 2% it gives a lot more time for working.
Anyways why didnt the original castors thing work?. Im using them they seem OK, or am I stumblig up a blind alley..
Also, you may need to re-enforce the inside of the dome, just the erea under the slit, with glass on the inside, I had to the slit was flexing in a little under the weight of the rest of the dome...
PS
Whomsoever invented Chopped Strand Mat, should be made to wear a piece in his underpants...
Yes mate, your advice was noted. However, when at the shop, I looked at the fine mat and it looked a little too fine. I want the glass layer to be sturdy and long lasting. The shop and I calculated the amount of resin needed, and factored in a little bit of spare. Obviously something was amiss. Never mind. Its only short by a couple of square metres.
Even now that over 90 percent of the dome is covered, Im looking at it thinking I would have liked it a little thicker. I might get a nice thick layer of tinted flowcoat yet. either that or lots of layers of paint. This will UV protect the glass and also fill in any fine holes missed in the glassing process.
As far as flex is concerned, because I used little polygons in the apex of each triangle to join them on the inside, the thing is more rigid than john holmes platinum edition.
I took your advice and used less catylist to give me more time and that worked a treat mate. Thank you.
The castors were old and kept binding. They were also very noisy and squeaky. I enjoyed making a little more professional track and turned rollers anyway. Later Im thinking of spot welding motorcycle chain all the way around on the inside of the track, then installing a small electric motor in the wall with a sprocket fitted and a forward/off/reverse switch on the wall.
Yes mate, your advice was noted. However, when at the shop, I looked at the fine mat and it looked a little too fine. I want the glass layer to be sturdy and long lasting. The shop and I calculated the amount of resin needed, and factored in a little bit of spare. Obviously something was amiss. Never mind. Its only short by a couple of square metres.
Even now that over 90 percent of the dome is covered, Im looking at it thinking I would have liked it a little thicker. I might get a nice thick layer of tinted flowcoat yet. either that or lots of layers of paint. This will UV protect the glass and also fill in any fine holes missed in the glassing process.
As far as flex is concerned, because I used little polygons in the apex of each triangle to join them on the inside, the thing is more rigid than john holmes platinum edition.
I took your advice and used less catylist to give me more time and that worked a treat mate. Thank you.
The castors were old and kept binding. They were also very noisy and squeaky. I enjoyed making a little more professional track and turned rollers anyway. Later Im thinking of spot welding motorcycle chain all the way around on the inside of the track, then installing a small electric motor in the wall with a sprocket fitted and a forward/off/reverse switch on the wall.
Baz.
Its a challenge, your doin a great job..
And the shops allways underestimate the resin required, nothin you did wrong buddy,, And have you priced Flo-coat....
Im using a pneumatic tyre, and gearbox assy, that presses against the underneath of the dome ring,, Its easy and cheap, and with a rev counter on the wheel itself lends itself to full automation fairly easily, Ive been a engineer most of my life, and its difficult near impossible to keep sprockets and chains quiet...even at low rpm...
Today and last weekend I had a few things to do. Line the inside with some felt pad to cover up the ugly green crinkles insulation. Then this weekend its fabricating the rails for the rollers to run on..(slot door) Heres a few pics.....
Can anyone tell me where I can get approximately 4 litres of fibreglass resin?
No catylist or anything is required as I already have it.
Also, I think I need about 9 kg of tinted flowcoat to go over the top and finish off the dome.
Quotes I have local are about 300 dollars for the lot so far. Is that good?
Just looking for good prices and see if I can get it to canberra with relative ease.
Last weekend, I MIG welded 9 metres of motorcycle chain to the inside underside of the dome ring. The sprocket will engage vertically, same orientation as the support wheels. From there I have a small gearbox that I can use manually or later motorise.
I got another 4 litres of polyester resin from Canberra Car Styling in Fyshwick for 47 dollars. I finished the dome last night with about a litre to spare. This time I put it on nice and thick. The reason some of the fibreglass wouldnt stay down smooth last time, was that I tried to make the resin go to far! I have since perfected the art and the last couple of square metres was magnificent.
With the remaining litre, I mixed it up and went over any suspect patches.
Next week, the flowcoat goes on and that will dress off any light bits beautifully. Unfortunately the council has decreed that I cannot paint it white. I have to tint the flowcoat a natural colour to blend with the surrounding foliage. This is because of streetscape impact, being in the front yard and all.
Only a couple more things to go. The sliding door and a pier makeover. Not happy with the metal pole. Too long and too much vibration because of its length. Might put in a tall steel tube 1.8metres high, 300mm diameter and fill it with cement, then mount an adjustable plate in the top of it for the wedge to bolt on to.
The dome with its new coat, and the spring loaded rollers I designed and fabricated to ensure that they are all loaded evenly with the domes' weight as the ground shifts or the frame warps in summer and winter.
