N8Bishop
XS400 Addict
So I've been watching Hack-a-week on youTube and Dean Segovis's Honda Sabre Cafe racer is pretty cool
. When he started the Fiberglass tank I immediately thought "I can do that!" I have wanted a different tank design for a while, but have never welded or bent metal to shape so I have been tied to modifying stock designs. Fiberglass seems like a perfect solution! Upon researching the idea further I have found a few sticky questions I hope some of you can help me with. (I searched and found no information of fiberglass tanks on here so far).
First what I know to be true at this point:
1. Extruded Polystyrene foam gives a smoother surface than expanded, possibly less mess, and is what I am using for my initial mold (we’ll see how well I can carve it before I get into playing with the Glass…)
2. Polyester resin is a bad idea.
a. For one thing it melts the Styrofoam mold
b. More importantly, it isn't very moisture resistant. It soaks up gasoline and ethyl alcohol which deteriorate it.
c. Worse still the dissolved esters stick to valves and such potentially causing serious engine problems.
3. Epoxy resin is substantially more expensive.
4. From what I’ve read it is pretty much accepted that even with epoxy resin, you need to use Caswell’s tank sealer, which is just another epoxy layer.
And the questions:
1. All epoxy resins are fuel resistant, but is there one preferred brand or type?
2. Do I really NEED Caswell’s or is it just as fuel resistant as a good quality Epoxy? It’s an extra $50 that I am willing to spend to protect my engine, but….
3. I’m thinking about basing my first foam mold (I may or may not actually Glass it) on the 70’s box style tank. Anyone have the dimensions?
I’ve already started taking pics and will post them when I can. Thanks in advance!
-Nathan
. When he started the Fiberglass tank I immediately thought "I can do that!" I have wanted a different tank design for a while, but have never welded or bent metal to shape so I have been tied to modifying stock designs. Fiberglass seems like a perfect solution! Upon researching the idea further I have found a few sticky questions I hope some of you can help me with. (I searched and found no information of fiberglass tanks on here so far). First what I know to be true at this point:
1. Extruded Polystyrene foam gives a smoother surface than expanded, possibly less mess, and is what I am using for my initial mold (we’ll see how well I can carve it before I get into playing with the Glass…)
2. Polyester resin is a bad idea.
a. For one thing it melts the Styrofoam mold
b. More importantly, it isn't very moisture resistant. It soaks up gasoline and ethyl alcohol which deteriorate it.
c. Worse still the dissolved esters stick to valves and such potentially causing serious engine problems.
3. Epoxy resin is substantially more expensive.
4. From what I’ve read it is pretty much accepted that even with epoxy resin, you need to use Caswell’s tank sealer, which is just another epoxy layer.
And the questions:
1. All epoxy resins are fuel resistant, but is there one preferred brand or type?
2. Do I really NEED Caswell’s or is it just as fuel resistant as a good quality Epoxy? It’s an extra $50 that I am willing to spend to protect my engine, but….
3. I’m thinking about basing my first foam mold (I may or may not actually Glass it) on the 70’s box style tank. Anyone have the dimensions?
I’ve already started taking pics and will post them when I can. Thanks in advance!
-Nathan
