Precise1 Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 Ok, I got some sheets of UHMW polyethylene that have skid plates trapped inside of them so I need to do some hot forming to let them out... Since I'm unemployed, I no longer have access to the 8' steel table I used before. I need something fire proof. I'm figuring the material will be some sort of construction material, but not necessarily... The parameters are that it can not be too brittle as there will be some C clamping and maybe BFHing going on. Hopefully, it doesn't have to be more than an inch thick. It can be a flexible material like a woven mat, but the softer it is, the more difficult the job will be. I tentatively plan to clamp the fire retardant material to a saw horse or deck with a layer of sheet aluminum or steel on top of that, then clamp the PE to the top and start torching and bending. Any ideas to get me looking in the right direction ?? Thanks much y'all ! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 maybe some header wrap just stick it to a table top and make it think im not sure if you bfh it or maybe nomex thats what fire suits are made of but its just clothing and cost alot of money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 Header wrap may work in a pinch, but I'm more thinking a solid if possible and the area I need is basically 1'x2' minimum. I found something called mineral wool or rock wool that I can get in sheets, but I'm not yet sure how brittle it is... Nomex probably isn't the right thing (and I probably cant afford it). Thanks for the input though !! Come on, you engineers, fire fighters, contractors, or welders got to have some suggestions. Personally, I think it would be handy to have a sheet of some fire proof material around, but then, maybe you dont smoke as much crack as I do... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 how about you just heat it up on your drive way if you need to hit it kick it over to a cold spot smack it then kick it back to hot spot (i am a firefihgter if you couldnt tell) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 smokin da rock, eh? lol.. ask a firefighter if they could give you one of their old fire proof blankets.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hmm MZ, thats a thought, I'll stop by the local fire station and ask; even if they say no, I'm sure they could tell me what material to use... FLAp, the key here is to have it clamped down and get straight even bends. Also, it is 3/8 thick so it takes some force and needs to be cooled in position, if you let go it creeps back to origional. It cant be done on the driveway... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 (edited) oh i see i thought you were just going to beat the crap out of it to get the plate out in that case im not sure, a fire proof blanket (and nohthing is fire proof the gear we use can catch fire so you have to be carefull not to catch the stuff you may use on fire) is just a space blanket a coat is expensive like 500 dollars, how hot do you plan on getting this thing, good idea to stop by the fire house they may know something that we dont Edited July 21, 2005 by FLApathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 They do make fire retardant ply wood, but it's not something you'd find at Lowe's or Home Depot. If there is a "real" lumber yard close by ask them about it. The stuff will smolder a little with direct flame, but it won't catch or sustain a fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hey, now that sounds promising GG !!! I'm on it tomorrow !! FLAp, I'm just using a hand held torch, but it takes some direct and continous flame right at the supported bend point to do it right... sheets of UHMW polyethylene that have skip plates trapped inside of them so I need to do some hot forming to let them out... Thats an obscure reference to the mentality some sculpters (sp) and carvers have. The shape is already inside the raw material, they just have to set it free. Sorry about the confusion... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 well it all makes sense now thanks and good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hey, now that sounds promising GG !!! I'm on it tomorrow !! FLAp, I'm just using a hand held torch, but it takes some direct and continous flame right at the supported bend point to do it right... Just put your layer of alum plate between and you should be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 What the hell GG, worst I can do is burn the landlady's deck to the ground. I'm off and running with it tomorrow... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 sheets of UHMW polyethylene that have skip plates trapped inside of them so I need to do some hot forming to let them out... Thats an obscure reference to the mentality some sculpters (sp) and carvers have. The shape is already inside the raw material, they just have to set it free. Sorry about the confusion... B :cool2: i liked that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 OK, I bought some .025" stainless sheet and formed it to the edge of the deck after hosing everything down really well, clamped everything down and started torching. Worked just fine with no sign of charing. Thanks for the input; maybe I was being overly cautious but I prefer to be that way with flame, things that can go boom, or caustic chemicals... Maybe I've just read too many Darwin awards, but then I still have all my skin, fingers, toes and orbs... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) cool, now you can make some for everyone that replied glad to hear it worked out Edited July 22, 2005 by FLApathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 hey gg can you write some info on the fire proof (i know) wood i've never heard of it, i bet its very expensive so they wont use in biulding, so thats probaly why i never heard of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 Yeah FLAp (Justin isn't it ? I'm crappy with names; besides FLAp makes me laugh) I can make them for people. Thats not why I tried it, but was definitely considered... Problem is that my Pathy is too bent right now for proper fitment so I can't provide a truely finished product. This prototype is for a forum friend who was good to me. He'll still have to drill some holes and maybe do some minor bend adjustments, but it'll be darn close. I'm looking forward to him abusing it and getting feed back, not to mention the more I mess with the material, the better I get. If I were to sell them, they would be available in white, black and blue. $40, $50 and $60 respectively for skid material alone; I don't work for free so consider +$100 labor estimate. Then there's hardware... Still if I can get this right, there may be some demand for them; it's just the front skid replacement right now, but I could line the whole underbody if I tried... We'll see, be patient... I'll sell no skid plate before it's time... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Well, we use it in commercial buildings here. It's usually reffered to as "non-com wood", one of it's uses would be by electricians behind their electrical boxes. They'll attach it over the drywall and attach their boxes onto it. The main use we had for it, being a carpenter, was for wall blocking. Most of the buildings I would work on have steel studs, but we would add the wood inbetween the studs behind the drywall where we knew cabinets and such would be mounted. The treatment they give the wood makes it look all crystalized and they usually dye it pink so it's identifiable as fire retardant. It's used in commercial buildings because they are continuously trying to eliminate any type of flamible substances in the construction. http://www.archtp.com/fire-descriptions-noncom.php4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) wow i cant believe they use it in biuldings they would never do that down here since we are the fastest growing county in the u.s. (really its flager county but voulsia and flager are pretty much the same thing, for any who know about the area) every thing is cookie cutter, large wood frame multi story family homes left and right, the comm biuldings are a little better, heres how fast we are growing (a little off topic but i think it ended so hey) in 02 we (the fd im at) ran 13000 calls now its like 15000 thats a big jump since 13000 was average till 02 oh and since the hurricanes hit it knocked down all the little ma and pa hotels making way for the big condos: 600 units planned 2 24 story biuldings in planning i stopped listening to the news there was to many ideas on there, i was getting dizzy but heyfine with me, when we have repeat of chicago and london (not the bombings, the fire, god forbid it happens again) i'll be getting paid to put it out thanks for the info Edited July 22, 2005 by FLApathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 "highest point in Fla is 300 feet". Dude, with global warming, you will wind up swimming.... Ice shelves are breaking off, glaciers around the world are melting, Mt Everest has record run off, and the north pole spot is water ! *sigh* Maybe the condo's float... LOL, ok, maybe that a doomsayers view, but I wouldn't invest too heavily at sea level... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 I saw a report about newer homes built down in the Huricane areas using concrete. While it's a good idea for wind, it is heavy and will sink in that swamp land in a flood. There is floating concrete out there, it uses pumice. Maybe they should think about building out of that, then if it floods the house will at least float on the water and not flood and damage the inside. Sorry, still in mechanical side of my brain..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) hurricane homes.. http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0922/p14s01-lihc.html http://www.zdomes.com/ Edited July 22, 2005 by mzxtreme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Highest point is 300 feet? Gads :-) I'm sitting at about 3000 and thats before I head to the mountains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 I'm in Ohio and sitting around 850ft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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