polyethylene foam

[chris bradshaw]

hi does anyone out there know where i can find a manufacturer/ supplier of polyethylene foam, i am building a new type of rib boat and i want to use the polyethylene foam as the bouancy the RNLIi use it for some of there smaller ribs and safe boats international use it for there boats( see there web site ), but trying to find it in the uk seems to be difficult

[DanishBagger]

This isn't meant to sound like one of those "do a google-search", but there seems to be some places to find it in the UK, or at least some where to start. Take a look here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...uk&btnG=Search

[chris bradshaw]

hi thanks fot the info, i have looked at many of the web sites and cotacted quite a few of these but have still not had a lot of succes there is several more ive picked up on with info you gave me ,and i shall be contacting them later, theres plenty of manufactures out there, but it seems to be difficult to try and explain to them what you are looking for, and its really annoying at times,, i need to get this project of the ground,, well thanks anyway , keep you informed

[DanishBagger]

I can imagine that it's quite difficult. I'm sorry I can't help more than this.

[grp.boat]

hi, have you tried

http://www.tridentfoams.co.uk/tripor.html

steve

We use polyethylene foam as shape for stringers on FRP hulls as this is 99,89 % impermeable compared with the 97 to 98% of usual PU foam and it is not friable. Also can easy follow the hull shape because it is flexible and can stick to the hull with a heat gun.
A similar product of the same material it is sold worldwide for boatbuilding by www.Sicomin.com under brand name Omega shape (http://www.sicomin.com/prod.asp?scat_num=38).
As Sicomin told "this foam is light, waterproof, resistant to most solvants, and cannot rot.
It enables the use of polyester resins, polyurethanes or epoxies. Its flexibility conforms to concave and convexe shapes. It can be worked with cutters and wood tools. Its offcuts can be rapidly heat fused to obtain solid junctions".

If You need relevant quantity You can order from your country dealer of Dow Chemical Company (www.dow.com ). For floating purpose You can use 30Kg/m3 density (or less). They have and can make any shape. Or try them finish product dealer/supplier www.fagerdala.com (Fagerdala World Foams). We order this custom shapes from Fagerdala Thailand.
But if You need normal shape and/or small quantity or scraps You can find it to an electronic or jewelry shop as it is used for packing fragile items. This one is usually 35 kg/m3 density, grey or black, the color do not mind.
A similar boat application on RIB it is core tubular of Wally power Yachts ( http://www.wally.com/jumpch.asp?idCh...r=0&attivo=2-1) covered by hypalon or more cheap PVC cloth.
Note: For what I know Trident have just Polyurethane two component foam, not polyethylene.

[chris bradshaw]

Hi , Thanks For The Info On Polyethylene Foam, I May Have A Supplier In The Uk Called Foam Engineers, I Have Had Samples Sent Both Black And White Foam ,and Have Tried Diferent Adhesives To Bond The Foam To Foam And Are Having A Few Problems, We Need To Make Up A D Shaped Collar For A R.i.b Type Of Boat That I Said We Are Going To Make The Foam Come In Thicknesses Of 100mm In White And 80mm In Black, So We Need To Bond The Sheets Of Foam Together To Stack It To The Required Thickness Have You Had Problems Yourself Bonding The Foam To Its Self Any Idears Would Be Mutch Welcome Is Ther Any Difficulty In Heating It And Any Speciall System Needed To Be Set Up For Bonding It This Way

Kind Regards
Chris Bradshaw

Dear Sir,
try to joint with a normal heat gun, if it is polyethylene will come as a single piece. Collars for luxury tenders such as the Wally power and some rescue RIB are in this way covered with hypalon or other material, in RIB it is usually used 100 Kg/m3 density polyethylene sometime. For my use (but are small dimensional shapes) we never had problem, just keep the heat gun under 300 C degree, otherwise You will destroy the foam. But as said You can order special shape from Fagerdala as they have big automatic hot wire machines (look at my stringer shape) and You can have a single 100 mm thick piece. In Fagerdala Thailand I found a really cooperative staff, I do not know about Your country distributor. Another solution could be to use EVA foam and order 100 mm thick panels, could be easy glued with polyurethane and other glues, but it is expensive.

[yokebutt]

Chris,

When you abbreviate "United Kingdom" to "UK" both letters should be capitalised.

Same thing goes for RIB.

Yoke.

[daniel2]

Originally Posted by yokebutt

Chris,

When you abbreviate "United Kingdom" to "UK" both letters should be capitalised.

Same thing goes for RIB.

Yoke.

well then while we're nitpicking grammar and capitalisation errors, he should not have capitalised every word in his last post either.... but in my experience the web is not the best place to find even whole sentences and words, let alone properly spelled and capitalised words and abbreviations. Either way I'm sure you understood what he meant and that's all that matters correct?