The Great Aluminum/Epoxy Resin Laminate Rusted Floor Fix Caper"

Hey All,
Alright, we're going to do this in real time, and you know we can't keep this up all day...

This is an ongoing, step-by-step phlog (photo-log) of the fixing of Ms. American 3.14159's rusted front floor pans using the revolutionary, ultra-high-performance aluminum foil and epoxy resin method that JC (me) thought up while watching Judge Judy!

This first JPG is all the stuff that you are going to need: From bottom to top:
A pair of pliers to get the caps off of the cans.
A No.11 Exacto knife to punch the hole in the catalyst tube.
A wooden spoon (use the handle to mix the resin and catalyst).
An inexpensive small brush to paint on the resin and catalyst.
A pair of needle nose pliers to punch holes in the can of Acetone that is used to clean the resin and catalyst out of the brush.
A tin can in which to mix the resin and catalyst.
A can of resin, and on top of it is the tube of catalyst.
A can of Acetone to clean the brush.
and a rag to dry the brush after it is cleaned.



This next JPG is of the rusted area to be repaired after it has been liberally coated many times with Phosphoric Acid which turns the Iron Oxide (rust) into Iron Phosphate, which is harder than Sapphire.



This next JPG is of the area to be repaired after it has been liberally coated with a layer of resin and catalyst. It is curing, EVEN as I am typing, and I'm doing this post so as to have something to do while it does THAT! I've also got the passenger's side coated with resin and catalyst, but to do the tutorial about how to do this, it is not necessary to show THAT side too.



This is where the project stands at the moment.

More breaking news and pictures will be added as events happen, coming to a Ford Muscle Forum near you. Watch for it.

This is Irving R. Levine reporting from Onalaska, Texas, home of the world famous Ms. American 3.14159, the ONLY 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, Four-Door, Hard-Top, Police Interceptor that Google can find on the Whole World Wide Web! (Actually, I'm not REALLY Irving R. Levine, but then again neither is Gary!)

Hope you are well.

JC

So far so good lets hear more...

All these capers...............I think we need to call in Batman and Robin.

Turn on the bat signal!

Originally Posted by biglaw22

So far so good lets hear more...

Hey Mr. B,
One of my first jobs when I got out of high school was working where they built Larson Boats. And one of the first things that I learned was that the less catalyst one used, the slower the resin would cure, BUT the harder it would be. Well, I used very little catalyst with this first coat, and I just got back from checking on it, and some of it is cured, but a lot of it is just slightly moist. I'm going to let it set overnight, and get back to it tomorrow after the predicted fog is burnt off.

I don't know if you are aware of the reason for doing this experiment or not, but maybe an explanation would be in order.

I was thinking of how to get the proper contours, compound curves, ridges, indentations, and etc., on the floors. I don't have the technology to form metal of the thickness of the floors in the 3.14, BUT I can form aluminum foil, but it is not nearly the needed thickness.

So I came up with the idea of doing a lamination of aluminum foil and epoxy resins. I could build it up in many layers, and it would take maybe 4, or 5, or maybe even more layers to get to the proper thickness.

So that is the premise behind what I'm doing. Hey, if this works, it might just be what the doctor ordered! Fortunately it isn't irreversible. AND if it works, it isn't where it's going to be noticed anyway.

My job at Larson boats was applying the Zolatone paint to the splice between the deck and the hull. I had to wear a full pressure suit. That's an outfit that has a helmet with a view plate window in it, and it has a hose going to a compressor that kept the suit inflated. The premise behind that was to protect me from getting the Zolatone fumes in my lungs and eyes.

BTW: Zolataon, in case you aren't familiar with it is a "speckled" two-tone paint, that is thinned with carbon tetrachloride. VERY dangerous stuff.

One time I was cleaning out the spray gun and I got a splash of the stuff into my eyes. Hurt like hell. Anyway, the remedy for that was I had to lie on the floor, and they broke a raw egg into each of my eyes, and I had to stay there for like a half an hour! Amazingly, it worked, and I didn't go blind!

Anyway, it turned out to be really nice here today. 78 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

Will keep you updated.

JC

Originally Posted by danv

All these capers...............I think we need to call in Batman and Robin.

Hey Danv, we don't need no steenkin' Batman and Robin. You've got me: The Caper-ed Crusader! BAM - POW - SPLAT !!!

Heh heh heh heh (Not genuine AllisonWonderland without this chuckle.)

JC

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

Turn on the bat signal!

Hey mon Deb,
Turn off the bubble machine! (oops, wrong show!)

Heh heh heh heh (not genuine AW without this chuckle!)

JC

JC this not a proper repair unless a (ahem), "liberated" road sign or an out of state license plate is incorporated!

Hey All,
I just finished putting in the first two layers of aluminum and the second and third layers of epoxy resin.

I then took the JPG seen below.

While working with the aluminum, I found that one has about ten minutes in which to press the aluminum into the epoxy before the epoxy gets too viscous with which to deal. BUT with a piece of cloth, rubbing on the aluminum makes it to where it conforms, and molds to the contours of the floor below. One has to be careful while working over the actual holes to keep from tearing through the foil, but once the first layer of aluminum is in, the forming of the second layer feels just like there is solid metal below where the hole is.

I'm making each succeeding layer of aluminum about 1/8" larger than the last one so that there is no build up a ridge. The larger sheet of aluminum then fits flush against the metal of the floor pan.



Another thing that I've found is that one doesn't have to wait till the resin is cured to continue the aluminum laminate build up.

Hey Guys! I think that this may just work GREAT. Only time will tell if the aluminum won't adhere to the epoxy. If it does, this is a pretty neat fix for holes rusted in the floor!

Hope you all are well.

JC

Never know, but the edges where the epoxy escapes the foil sandwich might also help to keep the layers from seperating. Being under carpet once you are done will help with the longevity if it works out well for ya.