Jim@HiTek
Gresham, OR, USA
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Joined: 07/17/2004
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While you consider that Sikaflex, remember that large manufacturers have engineers and procurement agents that negotiate with suppliers. Sometimes to improve or change an off the shelf product to be more applicable to that manufacturers operations or procedures. Or sometimes to cheapen it a bit so it meets their cost structure.
So, don't assume the stuff you get off the shelf is the same as what some RV manufacturer might be using.
Right?
Jim@HiTek
Have shop, will travel!
Visit my travel & RV repair blog site. Subscribe for emailed updates.
Winnebago Journey, '02
Cat 330HP Diesel, 36.5', two slides.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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Right. That's the reason for the testing.
If you want to do something, you will find a way.
If you don't, you will find an excuse.
-------------------------------------------------
Good judgement comes from experience.
A lot of experience, comes from bad judgement.
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Bruce Brown
Northern NY
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Newmar also uses Sikaflex, and has for years.
I grew up on a farm. When I was a kid we had some Harvestore silos built (the big blue ones), the panels of those was sealed with Sikaflex. 30 years later, when trying to take them down, just unbolting the panels wasn't enough to get them apart, the Sikaflex seal had to be cut with piano wire to separate the panels. That was after 30 years of sunlight exposure on the outside and the corrosive nature of the crops stored in them. The stuff is simply amazing.
There are 24 hours in every day - it all depends on how you choose to use them.
Bruce & Jill Brown
2008 Kountry Star Pusher 3910
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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One of the reasons for some of these tests that I have done, is to make sure that what I plan to do, is going to work in the "real world".
That is, the way I intend to use the product, and how I prepare the surface for said product, is it going to work for me?
Doing things in a lab, or controlled environment is one thing. Attempting to do the same or similar without an identical set of circumstances, can sometimes yield different results.
So, I figure, a little extra time doing some of these tests ahead of time, will allow me to feel confident that what I am doing will work for me.
So, while it may appear at first glance, that some of this is just random, it's not. There's a method to my madness.... Lol...
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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So, here's our frozen plywood again. After being in the freezer for 24 hours, I pulled it out tonight. We'll let it thaw, again.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/frozenplywood2.jpg)
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Time for our plastic bag test again.
Time to ratchet up the weight a little.
Last time we had about 45 lbs.
This time we've got about 64 lbs.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/breakingpoint.jpg)
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/breakingpointscale.jpg)
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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And here is our result.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/breakingpointpapertowel.jpg)
We have our failure point, sort of.
If you look at this failure closely, it appears that the bottom grommet may not have been fully seated at the top.
So, it's possible that this paper towel could have supported more weight, had the grommet been seated slightly differently.
Either way, I still call this a success.
It did take a little while with the weight hanging, before it broke. Probably a minute and a half or so.
On the bright side, the bags held... Lol...
Short night tonight.
Snowed a little today. Changed my plans. Hope to get that left side welded back in within a few days, depending on weather.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Found this nearby, this evening. Somebody doing something different.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/merrychristmas.jpg)
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Now, back to our plywood, that has been fully coated with Por 15.
I pulled it out of the freezer last night, and left it soak in water all day today.
Pulled it out of the bag, wiped it off, and then put it on the scale.
Here's the results.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/plywoodsoaked3.jpg)
So, as we can see, there has been no weight change with the plywood. That means that the Por 15 has done it's job, and not allowed any moisture through.
That's a win in my book.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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So, in order to put things into perspective, I cut a piece of plywood similar to the one used in the Por 15 test.
It is almost the same weight, and not quite the same dimensions as the coated one.
This one has no finish on it at all.
Here is the weight.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/plywooduncoated.jpg)
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