I have been trying to spread the word about a product I used on my '40 Ford interior: Sintra. It is a 1/8" PVC sheet with a foam center. It cuts like ABS, it can be glued with PVC glue, it can be heated and bent, it will not curl up or distort from moisture, and IT CAN BE STAPLED WITHOUT CRACKING. I get it from a signe/graphics company here in Maryland, but I do not know where else it can be procured across the country. Here is a URL for the product from the manufacturer: http://www.graphicdisplayusa.com/sintra/substrate/
Thanks. Sintra is a closed cell PVC foamboard-highly touted on an alternative hot rod forum. I understand it is less easily bent without breaking than ABS (no experience, just rumor). My problem with both ABS and Sintra is that I'll have to borrow a truck and drive a considerable distance to get to a supplier. I was hoping for something closer to home.
I used luan inmy Shoebox but they are mainly flat panels. They comformed nicely when I screwed them in with stainless screws.
Never heard it called wiggle board/wood before. My supply house stocks it under "flex ply" and its really great stuff to work with. There is a layer of rubber between the plies on the stuff available here & orientation is available both ways. It easily wraps a radius but will not stay without some attachment, its natural state is semi sort of flat. If you need something to stay in a radius free standing, Plexiglas can be heated and formed easily and then there's always aluminum. Cool thing about aluminum is you can curl it and then put it in an English wheel and get the compound curves too.
Door skins. Yes. Door skins. That's the key, all veneers are in same direction, or there is only one veneer (see below). Door skins. This cuts through all perpendicular veneers so that you're left with one veneer (one direction). Problem with this is it is too thick. But I'm with Brian and whomever he quoted . . . aluminum.
OK. So those of you who have do something-aluminum-ABS-Luan-Sintra-HOW did you attach it ot the inside of the car? Doors are easy-I've got Auveco clips for those-but how about fastening panels to the wood/steel "ribs" inside the car and around the windows?
just a tought if your going to use wood put plastic on door panel first keep water off them i use dumb dumb ie. tar strips to attach just stick it aroun perimeter squish plastic on cut to fit
If it must be wood,check a google search on how drums are made.They been bending wood a looooooooooooooooog time!
Clips, "christmas trees", whatever it takes. I'm not there to see exactly what you dealing with, so I can't give you a specific answer.
if you can make a buck with correct radius shape, you can glue multiple layers of wood veneer glued together,put a back up of tempered masonite ,and progressivly clamp together, use wax paper bewteen the buck and veneer, I am sure you can buy all this in small piece's at the big box building center's, I hope this helps,
bend some .060 aluminum and be done, attach with christmas trees.. epoxy the trees to the aluminum before you wrap it.
I'm in the process of building a carson top and used flexible plywood when making the buck also use it when I made the buck for the tonneau cover on my altered and can get it any only buy the size I need don't have to purchase a 4x8 sheet at the local home supply store that plastic laminate sounds good maybe i'll try it next time it's a half hour drive to the local supplier.
Maybe you can't bend masonite but I can. There are 50 year old trailers made of masonite that say it will stand up to a reasonable amount of moisture. If you plan on driving your car under water, or leaving it outside in the rain for long periods with the windows down, or not protecting the door panels with plastic, don't use masonite. The easiest way to fasten panels in place is with Velcro. It's secure, allows you to position things where you want them, and panels can be easily removed. No screws or fasteners show.
Masonite does bend easy but it springs right back to straight , It needs some good positive attachment. WAY better attachment than Velcro. Another thing the op could use for the radius parts is a section of "Sono-tube" concrete firms. It comes in a pretty wide range of diameters and sold where ever concrete is hemodopet even has some in limited sizes.
I use sheet metal. (Aluminum works also if you can find a supplier). It bends easily. Use the garnish mouldings around the windows to hold it in place. Just remember--Alot of times, anything thicker than 1/4 in thick is to thick. Thats with foam and matarial added. I think you will have problems with the thickness of Luan. You can bend door pannel board in a slip roll but the layers will want to sepparate.
I'm really leaning toward PVC closed cell foamboard or ABS-not sure I can find aluminum anywhere close, although there is a surplus place not too far away. Still trying out how to attach it-Velcro just doesn't seem right, and, while I can "Christmas tree the doors, a lot of the panels will be over wooden or solid metal ribs where the trees won't work, but screws will show.
I tried luan in my '35 International but couldn't get the bends tight enough. I used some stuff called FRP (fiberglas reinforced plastic) form Home Depot. Thin, flexible, textured on one side. Comes in a 4 x 8 sheet. Contractor cement and clamps. Just another option.
YEP! Sometimes called "Bendy Board" All the plys run in the same direction. Usually used for making bars etc. I used some in my old '34 coupe and it worked out well.
Thats what i use, Bendy ply is perfect for this job, once in position just paint with fibregl*** resin both sides and allow to harden.
Using cloudy ammonia to bend sheet for large speaker enclosure from another forum with pix. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/127653-frankenstein-becomes-cindarella-i-hope-2.html see page 2 \ Test Sample I just used cloudy ammonia and 'painted' each side twice, not soaked or anything but as long as it took to paint (dampen with cloudy ammonia) it was then turned over and the same done again, then repeat. two coats on each side.
Use .090 ABS Haircell plastic. The B stands for memory, you can run it through a slip roller to form it. It will keep it's shape permanently. You can you use glue and staples if desired. Lowes sells Locktight spray glue that is the nuts...Good Luck!
interesting the tread asked....how, not every one elses veiw on bendable products. what some of you don't know by inexperience is the back of this body curves both ways, nor are the curves parallel, yes you can bend the luan
Actually he asked what's the best way to form them and to get them to stay formed Any thin sheet good material is easy to bend including luan but The simple fact is that without some attachment the luan is going return to straight or close. The "& get them to stay formed" is the operative here and different materials will do this much better. Tgats why you see other materials being suggested. There are a few ways to get luan to stay on its own but none are simple or easy . Steam, fibergl***, laminatetd in tge shape and the clowdy ammonia trick ( new to me and might be asy ) I also see "Cab" and to me that denotes truck. As far as I know, there is no way to obtain a compound curve with plywood. You can't shrink it or stretch it
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