Claims
- 1. A method for manufacturing an article of composite construction with at least part of the article having an appearance imitating natural wood, the method comprising:
(a) providing a first skin sheet including a transparent outer gel coat layer having an outer surface molded to imitate a wood grain, a subsurface pigmented gel coat layer and a reinforced synthetic resin structural support layer; (b) providing a second skin sheet; (c) providing a frame structure for said article; (d) fastening said first and second skin sheets to said frame structure, thereby defining a cavity between said first and second skin sheets and surrounded by said frame structure; (e) filling said cavity with a structural resin foam adhering to said frame structure and said first and second skin sheets; (f) curing said structural resin foam, thereby forming a substantially rigid core structure adhered to said frame structure and to said first and second skin sheets; and (g) thereafter applying a protective finish to said outer surface of said first skin.
- 2. The method of claim 1, including the step of applying a stain to said outer surface of said transparent outer gel coat layer of said first skin sheet to provide a desired finish color to said first skin sheet prior to applying said protective finish coat thereto.
- 3. The method of claim 1, including the further step of supporting and pressing said first and second skin sheets against said structural frame in predetermined positions while said structural foam cures.
- 4. A method of producing an article of composite construction having an appearance closely imitating real wood, comprising:
(a) preparing a mold including a mold surface configuration closely resembling a surface of a wooden article to be imitated by said article of composite resin construction; (b) forming an outer layer of a transparent gel coat material applied to said mold surface to produce an image of said surface of said wooden article as an outer surface of said article of composite construction; (c) forming a subsurface layer of a pigmented second gel coat material adhering to said outer layer while said outer surface remains on said mold surface; (d) allowing said outer layer and said subsurface layer to cure; (e) thereafter, applying a layer of uncured fiber-reinforced resin to said subsurface layer of pigmented resin and causing said fiber-reinforced resin to cure, as a structural support for said surface layer and said subsurface layer, thereby forming a skin member; (f) applying a stain of a color selected to resemble a selected species of wood to an outer surface of said outer layer; and (g) providing a protective finish over said outer surface and said stain.
- 5. The method of claim 4, including the further step of incorporating said skin member in a composite product structure.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein said protective finish is transparent.
- 7. The method of claim 4 wherein said outer surface layer has a predetermined thickness.
- 8. The method of claim 4 wherein said subsurface layer has a predetermined thickness.
- 9. A method for manufacturing an article of composite construction, comprising:
(a) forming a main component of an article of composite synthetic resin construction; (b) defining an opening extending through said main component in position to receive a panel; (c) defining a fastener receiving hole through an exterior skin of said main component in a predetermined location with respect to said opening; (d) providing a panel-retaining molding; (e) mounting an elongate fastener securely in said molding in a predetermined location with said fastener extending from a mating face side of said molding; (f) placing a panel within said opening through said main component of said article; and (g) placing said molding into a required position against said skin and said panel, with said elongate fastener extending into and securely engaging said fastener receiving hole and thereby retaining said molding in said required position with respect to said skin and said panel.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said panel retaining molding is of composite construction.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/779,199, filed Feb. 7, 2001, now U.S. Patent No. ______.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09779199 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
10269522 |
Oct 2002 |
US |