Customer Focus: The future of personal protection.

Yes, we have all seen the future, films like Robocop, Terminator and the like. Post-apocalyptic gangs are ruling the burning remains of what we used to call England, how are we going to pop down the shops without being shot, laser'd or blown apart. I always imagined "Mech-suits" are the future and CFS customer Jo Betteley gives us a preview of what it means to look cool and be deadly when picking up 2 pints of blue top and a lottery ticket in the year 2052.

"Just nipping to Costcutters, dear"

"Shattered Man" is 10ft tall, equipped with 'working' rocket pods and mini gun.......

GRP thefts on the up?

Looks like Australian police had their work load increased after a fibreglass Utahraptor was stolen from a Dinosaur Museum (a REAL Dinosaur Museum and not CFS admin dept.) according to this report.

At 1.6 metres tall and worth $2400, the museum's Ben Wardle said, "we'd left a couple of the life-like fibreglass dinosaurs unsecured overnight, and in the morning we discovered that one was missing."
Mr Wardle says the museum would love the dinosaur statue to be returned.

He added, "we've got a couple of large ones by the road and they definitely bring people into the museum."

I am sure they do.

Superintendent Brett Kidner says anyone who spots the life-like dinosaur statue should call Crimestoppers.
"It's brown in colour with dark stripes across the back," he said.
"It would probably stick out fairly obviously on a trailer or possibly someone may have put it into the back of a truck."

I suspect the thief also has a hangover and a bad back.

This fibreglass Utahraptor declined to comment.

Rumours of a Fibreglass iPhone?

There have been rumours floating around the web for a while now that Apple is intending to create a lower cost version of the iPhone featuring a plastic and fibreglass casing.

Current colour options for iPod may be made available for iPhone

Tips for Restoring Faded Gelcoat

Time takes its toll - sun, salt and sea water will oxidise gelcoat, stealing the shine and leaving a rough, dull surface. The question is, if GRP is so good, why does this happen? It's simply that Gelcoat suffers from both oxidation and UV attack. Now, oxidation and UV damage are not the same thing. They don't have the same effect on a boat's finish and it's important to know the differences between them. Oxidation, caused by exposure to oxygen, results in the chalking you see on the palm of your hand when you touch an unprotected boat. This process is slowed by good maintenance and this means regular waxing, protecting the gelcoat from the elements.
UV damage is increased if you don't maintain the shine of your gelcoat. Shiny surfaces reflect UV rays better than dull surfaces and UV rays not only cause discolourations but can mechanically degrade the Gelcoat.
While oxidation only affects the surface, UV damage penetrates the full thickness of the gelcoat and can even damage the fibreglass beneath it. So, keeping oxidation under control will also keep UV damage at bay.
However, despite your best efforts, you will, eventually, find yourself losing the shine. Surfaces may look dull and tired and also feel rough to the touch. It may be time to consider some plastic surgery.

Blue turning white. This neglected gelcoat requires more than a quick wax!