Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

My First (Stupid) Question

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic1383.aspx

By downforce - 4/24/2012 12:23:31 AM

Hi

I am an absolute rank amateur with no previous experience other than a few GF/GRP Moulds at school (a long time ago).

In Order to keep my question simple I wont go into the detail of what I am trying to do but the closest thing I can suggest is if I wanted to build a CF caravan (yes the thing you tow) and I get that I can buy some flat sheets of sandwich and stick them together and end up with a very square caravan but I am thinking a bit more adventurously than that.

So here goes... I would like to build a caravan and I assume (but ask the question anyway) is it practical to build a BIG box using vacuum induction forming techniques or do I have to create it in sections and I have a fairly good understanding of bonding and area vs. strength and concepts like tensile strength and stressed members, but what I don't get is where I start. For example do I plan to build a nose-cone and tail then fill the middle in with square flat sheets?

If I go down that route how do i get the right strength / cost ratio and on a practical note - how do I fit doors and windows? 

I also assume I'd need a big thick sandwich construction floor and am thinking about honeycomb but I don't seem to be able to find anything that tells me how to construct a section of rigid panel using the honeycomb.

Any thoughts?

PS I appreciate this size/scale isn't something a beginner should be having a go at, but it's the only thing I'm interested in building at the moment! 

PPS - just watched the video of the indian guys building a 42ft boat in one go so it must be do-able if very complicated!
By Ballistical - 4/27/2012 3:07:56 PM

I am also no pro on the composites stuff but have done similar(ish) projects in the past.

I would have thought that you're most difficult hurdle to overcome would be getting the thing road legal and would suggest that you would firstly want to find out from the DVLA etc. what standards exist for caravans as I would assume that its going to need to be tested once complete, for its road-worthiness.

If it were me, I would definitely look into getting a donor caravan for your chassis, wheels etc. and then build the carbon fibre around the existing chassis. To start from scratch would be far more expensive and difficult.

I do agree though, that you could probably get the required stiffness from a monocoque structure without the need for an internal frame.