Due to the current Uk flooding crisis, we are testing our pontoon, walking board & flood door prototypes (see early pics) .

We are in contact with various orgs, aiming to supply our prototypes for further testing.

Thanks to Alan who provided at low cost, 9000 new Hilti collated screws to cabinz project, We'll be using these on the flood defences

Pontoons

Thanks again to Phil for letting us use his lake & field for testing.

Initial testing of door window cut outs pontoons is promising.

The seams, rigidisation  & wood effect on grp surface appear to provide a slip resistant surface when wet.

Each pontoon takes approx. 100kg of weight, 135mm thick ( 3 doors ) & aprx 1sq m. they will likey have metalclad beam strengthening on sides . Explanantion here http://www.instructables.com/id/Clad-Composite-Beam-From-Waste/

They will be likley be bolted together with 20-24mm metal bolts,  with tyre rubber  / plastic off cut edging  between them to stop wear due to  movement in water.

They may have walking boards on top (see below) , made from door edge off cuts (grp / plastic core) 

Commercial pontoons appear to be around £170 a sq m

Walking Boards

Cabinz delivered 1.25 tonnes of a4 / a3 paper / plastic folders to 4 scrap scheme charities. Seperately 1/2 tonne of door & panel offcuts were delivered to them.

They were Merseyside Play Action Council Scrapstore  
 Play Resource Centre Scrapstore
   sefton play council
wirral play council 

The paper was doanted to us by Cheshire West & Chester Council  who moved a print dept.

We got a major boost for the Cabinz project & our supporters.

Out of a friendly scrap yard, came over 2 tonnes of new, (but with light surface rust) nuts, bolts, washers & mounting plates .We now have enough bolts & screws to make a village or a bridge !. Some monster bolts were 24mm diameter.

If bought new, they would cost £15-£20,000!

The smaller ones are for joining panels. Large 24mm bolts can be used to support & form adjustable footings under small outbuildings.

24mm dia m24 bolts

Basic strength test for a 25mm x 48mm length of "metalclad" (metal clad is my invention of a door side off cut of grp skin upv core glued & screwed inside drywall lining steel'

This sample had grp on 3 sides & drywall channel on 3 sides . Apollo adhesives glue was used with slant drilled drywall screws (42mm.) As it was the dimple sided c-stud, I think this did not glue well. Flat sided stell would glue better imo

I weigh 16 stone (101kg) . Yes, the beam survived!

We will be doing more elaborate strength  / destruction tests in the new yr with thicker & longer samples.

Wood Framed Hexayurt Inspired Featherweight Panel (3.5-5kg) 

I did a bit of research on the excellent HEXAYURT shelter. A masterpiece of simplicity from  Vinay Gupta the Inventor  . He has some very informative videos. on a wide range of subjects.

Inspired by a posive email reply from Vinay, I thought I would have a go at a featherweight panel using other offcuts from the door factory (Rough prototype 1 in pic ).

Off cuts are from the inside of a specialist panel.  Weight is 3.5-5kg, as panel  / mdf  width varies


 I did a 1 yr outside test where panel was exposed to all weathers . Aparet from a few mm swelling of mdf edge , the panel was fine. A edge coating of paint might stop this.

The outer frame is 30mm thick & 1800mm +/-  high . Composite with outer skin of plastic both sides, then 6mm or 9mm mdf, polystrene or rigid foam core.

The cross bracing  is single sking plastic approx 3mm, a door side off cut, strong in tension.

I have put 3 screws in corners, but would like use small bolts & washers. The cross strips will extend a bit at bottom,  as well as top to attach roof panels, and for ground tethering.   

The shelter is designed to be covered in fabric or a tarp. 

Basic tent peg test from grp / plastic composite door side off cut. 

 Point made with chop saw with wood blade ( grp - wear mask)

Bashed in with normal hammer ok, solid top survived well with no splits, few dents. 

Could have barbs or slit on side added to fix better. \best not to cut grp skin as its composite strength

Needs hole drilled in top to take guy rope .

 

New panel designs using door off cut "window cut outs". Pics are side & stronger roof.

 All will be clad on sides with drywall stud or tracking steel metalclad (cutaway sides in pic 1.)

Note: finish is a bit rough due to trialling a new 1 part non toxic glue from apollo adhesives. 

This is working great!  £9 a litre for 12 x 1 ltr box. It is like superglue that foams up a bit to seal.

 Edges may still need a quick finger run of silicone (i've bought a pallet off ebay for 30p a tube in mixed colours)


I have contacted the local coast guard / fire brigade / army /Gov. as they could be used as crawling / walking / floating boards in flooded /boggy / muddy areas.

Pontoons I've designed using panels bolted together or tyres filled with door panels, & extra side / under strenghtening may be needed for buoyancy. 

I will test this in a lake new yr.