Really tough plastic sheeting

[Ratbag]

Gidday folks

I have been looking for some really, really tough plastic/"rubber" sheeting to use as underbody fill panels, rear bumper protector, general use in and around Roo2.

Found this stuff at Bunnings:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ideal-1m-black-large-rib-fluted-sbr-rubber-matting_p6611099

Cost me $21.50 for a generous metre.

This stuff is so tough that it needs to be cut with aircraft/Wiss snips ... .

So far, I have made a new attachment fitting for between the front radiator support cross member and the top of my grill out of it. I had to drill the holes through it for the bolts and body clips ...

I have trimmed off some of the excess since I took these photos, just to neaten it up a bit .

 

[ateday]

Mud flaps too?

 

[Ratbag]

^ Yeah, mate.
Mudflaps for my trailer guards from what's left over :biggrin: :lol:

This stuff is far tougher and stronger than the OEM mudguard liner material.

I could just push an extremely sharp centre punch through it by hand, with some wiggling back and forth. Not quite as difficult to drill through as 3mm soft grade aluminium bar, but there would be little difference if the aluminium were 2mm thick ... .

 

[ratboy01]

cool idea, gonna stop a lot of muck and dust being thrown round the engine bay
wonder if we have anything similar in blighty?

 

[Ratbag]

I've had a bit of a play with this stuff over the last couple of days.

Discovered several physical characteristics that have value IMO.

While it's bendable, it basically behaves a bit like memory plastic, returning to its previous shape, as one would expect.
I bent a 4x1" strip into a right angle, and it more or less flattened back out again.
However, bending it at right angles then holding just that part in near boiling water for a couple of seconds made that part the consistency of a dead squid. Quenching it in cold water while holding it in that position 'set' it again. A day later, it remains as a sharp right angle shape with no desire to return to its previous shape.
There is no surface cracking or hardening, and it is as flexible as it ever was, but now returns to its new shape .

Secondly, I poked a small hole through another offcut using a very fine, sharp centre punch. Then screwed a cadmium plated appliance screw through it. The self tapping type with a domed head, formed flat washer, Phillips head drive. I have done this on both thick and thin sections.
Using a smallish screwdriver (about 1" diameter handle), it is very hard to strip this 'thread'.

This stuff appears ideal for use around the car, boat, trailer, etc.

 

[lefty]

price is showing as $29.90/m
or is that because of WA tax

 

[Ratbag]

Same here, Lefty. In the store at Mentone, the actual price was $21 something a metre.

I have occasionally noticed that Bunnings' web prices are (considerably) higher than the store price, FWIW.

Back on topic, I have wanted/needed sheeting like this all my adult life! I reckon I could just about tap a thread in it!
I have tapped robust threads in 100mm sewer pipe and fittings ... :iconwink: .