The cracks aren't a problem Jen, it's the time it will take to fix. Glue takes days to dry when it's wet. This could take up to 2 weeks to fix just waiting for glue to dry
Epoxy works really well with polystyrene Robin, much better than PVA. It does not eat the foam and will set in the time prescribed on the tube. The best thing is that it really strengthens the foam along the joint. I used to use it all the time when building foam wing RC planes.
It would be too expensive to use to any extent Mark.
I've poured 10 litres of PVA glue into the wood alone and used so many tubes of no more nails I've lost count
I was thinking more along the lines of using it in your high load areas (e.g. ring to foam and around your doors etc). I used to buy 2 litre cans of the stuff from a construction supplier here in Perth at quite reasonable prices as you skipped the middle man. It came in part A and Part B 2 litre cans so you ended up with 4 litres of glue which spreads for ages on styrene. You just mix up what you need and put the lid back on the cans. Sticks like you know what to a blanket and forms a really strong bond.
ATL Composites a local firm make a product called Techniglue which is filled with fibre (rayon I think) and is a sort of thixotropic glue with a pot life of about an hour. Somewhere in the region of 35-40 dollars a kilo. But it goes a long way and I've used it for boat building. So it is weather proof and VERY strong - but remains slightly flexible so it won't crack or shatter
Thanks for the suggestions but the glue phase is almost over. Jen polyester resin (Bog) is no good, it melts the foam, I tried that this arvo. Mark, the dome is reinforced to the ring using wood triangles, see inside the dome in the image, and it works too well. I used nomorenails to glue the dome down and a combo of pva and nomorenails to glue/screw the wood. It's not going anywhere and that has been proven this week with the wild storms that have swept the city. But honestly, it needs a glue with a gap filling ability comensurate with my abilty to build stuff
I have filled the gaps around the shutter with canned foam and will reattach my wooden triangles between the shutter and the dome internally for strenght. I have pulled the shutter into shape with hooks and string but fully expect to have to make a new door and window, when these storms stop of course.
I'm still tossing up if I will spring for fibreglass or just do render for the skin. It's $20 compared to about $400. Weight is the main difference I guess, 6 kilos compared to 40Kgs, and as it is, 2 of us can still lift it on and off.
I've got hold of some armawall cheap off ebay. It is a 3 part render system and is a thin base primer, a premixed acrylic roll on render, which is foam safe, plus a membrane top coat which looks a lot like really thick paint. One day the rain will stop long enough to apply it
I've got hold of some armawall cheap off ebay. It is a 3 part render system and is a thin base primer, a premixed acrylic roll on render, which is foam safe, plus a membrane top coat which looks a lot like really thick paint. One day the rain will stop long enough to apply it
Today looks like your day -clear and dry. Have to get it done before Xmas
Ha .. today was unexpectedly clear but I planned for Tuesday, it was looking like the go, but equally unexpected, it seems every one of my clients with a pending BAS form is trying to empty their bank accounts before xmas. Being busy with work is good for a change too
Finally, it has stopped raining. I jumped in yesterday as soon as the sun came out and rendered the dome. This armawall stuff is quite odd, it's like super thick paint with fine gravel in it but it sticks like crazy. I got some on the wood and it's very difficult to get it off once it's gone off.
I started running out so it's a bit thin bottom right of the shutter but all the joints are sealed and I don't want to fork out for more of the stuff, off the shelf it's not cheap. Strangely enough, it's fexible when set. You can knock on it and it's solid as, but if you push a triangle, you can feel it flex. Obviously it's not as smooth as I wanted so I won't be doing this for a living but he top shield coat seems to fill all the pits and smooths it out a lot.
I sanded off the shutter wood as best I could and painted some of it and it's joint with the dome render and it's obvious the top shield works best on the render. Tomorrow I'll paint the lot, if it keeps clear and I don't have a roaring hang over
Naaa, it's not that good close up, there's lumps and bumps all over the place, we are calling it rustic
Forgot to put the tarp back over it Saturday, we were out, and it rained all day. That softened the thick bits and turned em into putty. Sun came out today and it looked hard enough to paint by 5pm so I did. It's now 2am and the paint is still wet. It better not rain tonight or tomorrow or the back yard is going to have 2 liters worth of white grass I've had enough of the rain now thanks.
Quick picy, no rain overnight so the first flat coat dried and I put a texture coat on. Looks a lot better with a texture coat on it
Robin,
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Considering the horrible weather we are having, I think you are doing a great job! It must be frustrating with all this moisture in the air.
hopefully soon you will be laughing and all that hard work came to frutation.
Now we need clear skies for at least one year, I think you and everyone deserve it!
cheers,
Peter
Same to you pete. Last images on my pc are dated September, it has to stop soon, surely.
In the mean time I've gone bedouin to try and get the window finished in the rain
The council got proactive a few months back and cut the trees back. They where the trees blocking the street lights I only have one neighbour, to the left, the council cut the trees behind the house. I'm hoping they'll grow back a lot But the jasmine on the fence flowered early this year and needs to be cut now, it restricts my view north if not kept in check, but I'm not game to order the skip with all this rain about, I need to use power tools to cut the hedge
Anyway, got the window plus the pulley to open it and the lower flipout door sorted tonight. Painted inside the dome and got some flat black in the obvious places, more of that paint is needed. I'll upload some pics tomorrow. Oh, and the tent is water proof, that's a bonus
But the jasmine on the fence flowered early this year and needs to be cut now, it restricts my view north if not kept in check, but I'm not game to order the skip with all this rain about, I need to use power tools to cut the hedge 
