Date:         Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:44:50 -0700
Reply-To:     David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: alternatives to fiberglass insulation
In-Reply-To:  <dad0e8a40702260756w2f4b51eod27daa9ced82d9f0@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

This is what I have been using except that I spray glued a foil
emergency "space blanket" purchased for $2.00 at Zellers over top of
the foam.  They are folded into a 1 x 3 x 3 inch packet and open up
to an 7 x 7 ft. sheet. Two or three of these plus a vapour barrier
over the relevant sections, do just fine.
        You can feel the heat of your hand radiated back.
For all you "Canucks" out there... Crappy Tire sells the foam.
        It's very impt to 'prep' the metal first..  Remove any
surface rust, Clean with a paint cleaner -to remove grease, dust and
to take the shine off the paint - spray with 'Rust Destroyer'  if
needed - then spray  a good primer - then spray with Crappy Tires
'paintable undercoating'  let all this dry then spray glue the foam -
let dry then spray glue the foil ( shiny side out) then apply vapour
barrier where applicable.

The paint cleaner is toxic and smells and feels a lot like lighter
fluid-- even with reasonable ventilation I was feeling sick for 4
days afterwards.
The 'paintable undercoating is a rubber based paint and comes in
Ivory and black. The Ivory matches my basic van colour too. It took
12 spray cans to rubberize everything up to 18 " off (including) the
floor. I did the inside of everything.
        I could spill acid in my van and it wouldn't matter any more.

                                David (dsl82westy)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>Hi,
>
>IMO that bubble stuff is not the best out there, though it does help. I am
>an architect and dealing with insulation on a daily basis, and there are few
>things that beat a material that is extruded/foamed. Reason is that the most
>insulation is gained by making the heat change mediums, like going from
>plastic into air. now if you use bubble stuff, the heat only has to go from
>air to aluminum foil to plastic foil to air to plastic foil to aluminum to
>air. yes, the air pockets do insulate, but not that much. with foam on the
>other hand, the heat has to pass thousands of mini bubbles.
>that is why all the european adventure campers use foam mats for insulation.
>you must use closed cell foam so it cannot take on water. companies like
>reimo sell it in varying thicknesses, but its nothing special, its just the
>exact same material as good camping pads use. the cheapest place to get this
>in the u.s. is:
>
>http://tinyurl.com/34zp4z
>
>now, at $6 a pad and free shipping you can afford to put two layers in your
>van? you can glue it in with 3m sprayglue for foam (i will test that in  the
>next few days.
>p.s. amazon used to offer the grey mat for the same price, but just raised
>the grey mat price to 15$. if you consider using this, you might want to
>order the blue ones now as they are still  cheap.
>
>
>have fun and warm nights, as well as cool days in the heat.
>flo
>
>
>
>On 2/25/07, Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>Hey all
>>I am pulling all my fiberglass insulation out of my panels because I am
>>noticing they are holding moisture.  What alternatives to fiberglass can I
>>use in the panels in my syncro westy??  Obviously something that does not
>>hold moisture, even with a vapor barrier, and still insulates well
>>TIA
>>jason'
>>87 syncro westy