Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 17:59:44 -0400
Reply-To: Joe Federici <joefederici@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joe Federici <joefederici@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Lightening the load
In-Reply-To: <5.2.0.9.2.20040712173415.02f14260@mail-hub.optonline.net>
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I work a lot with fiberglass and but haven't been reading all the
posts. I can tell you weight can very quite a bit depending on the
layup. Wood generally speaking is one of the lighter materials to work
with. I would think using a 1/16 veneer plywood and fiberglass layup
would be light super strong and still look nice look.
that said even though I have the tools to do it I wouldn't bother.
JFF
On Jul 12, 2004, at 5:37 PM, Tim Demarest wrote:
I agree... the cabinets are surprisingly light.I was wondering
how
much weight could be saved if they were made of fiberglass instead...
Probably not enough to be worth it, but I was hoping someone who has
actually worked with a lot of fiberglass could confirm/deny that.
At 01:58 PM 7/12/2004 -0700, Jeffrey Schwaia wrote:
> I'm confused (again). Just last week I removed all the cabinets out
> of an
> '82 Westy. They are not heavy. As a matter of fact, I would describe
> them
> as light.
>
> As for the poptop... I helped a customer load one onto his SUV about
> an hour
> ago, this is just a WAG, but I doubt it weighed more than 100lbs.
>
> Seems to me, the heavy components in a Westy are the bed frame and the
> appliances.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
> www.vanagonparts.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Chris S.
> Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 12:10 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Lightening the load
>
>
> By far the best solution for Westfalia owners would be
> honeycomb-and-panel-aluminium sandwich material for the
> cabinets. Combine that with a carbon fiber and kevlar composite
> pop-top and we've got ourselves a very expensive winner.
>
> As an enthusiast bicyclist I always wonder about the folks
> who'll spend hundreds of dollars to reduce the weight of their
> bike by one or two pounds while the spare tire around their
> waist is not getting any smaller. :-)
>
>
>
>
> =====
> Chris S.'85 Westy Camel -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/vws/camel/ '84
> Westy
> Hershey -> http://www.knology.net/~vwghost/hershey/ '01 NB TDI ->
> http://www.knology.net/~vw/Beetle.jpg
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