I’m in a Live Action Roleplaying Game. It’s kind of like playing Dungeons & Dragons like paintball with foam padded swords. We play in public parks and often rent out private or public campgrounds for large events.
Here’s the thing. I’d like to make a transportable castle which we can fight on. The challenge is going to be a tower platform. Ideally I’d like a 5 ft x 5 ft platform up 8 ft high, with some additional protective wall around it. It should hold two people under aggressive movement and with no wobble. I also would like to make a walkable span over the gate if it all possible.
I want this not only light, but the parts should lie as flat as possible for transport. I do have some composite experience. My initial plan is for a core of 1" styrofoam wallboard, faced with fiberglass. I’ve used 8 oz cloth before, but now I have found a deal on lots of 24 oz woven roving.
Does this sound strong enough for a platform? Is the 24 oz a good idea? Is thicker glass even useful, or will the glass separate from the core under high impact negating the benefit of stronger glass? I don’t vacuum bag, will the coarser nature of this thick weave create poor contact on the bond line?
Having corner joints I can disassemble is another issue. I’m sure bolts would be too much of a point load and tear through the material. I came up with the idea of doing corners just like a door hinge, where loops on each side mesh together and a pin is dropped in. The overall geometry of the structure would need to prevent the hinge from hinging around. Anybody got a better idea? This type of joint is going to be a great deal of work to make.
