Polyumac foam ??? (Aircell polyester foam core)

Aircell polyester foam core.

So, has anyone used this foam to build a boat? The manufacturer is Polyumac in Florida and they show boats on their website and have the foam in all the usual configurations. I will be contacting them on Monday but it would be nice to get input from actual users.

Steve.

 

air cell foam is ok for low speed hull applications, or in higher speed hulls where you can afford, weight wise, to use a higher density......that's why Searay was using the 8lb in their hulls ......as it is pretty 'crisp' sorta brittle......alittle more brittle than Klegecell, divinycell H.

the air cell guys push their 8lb.

divinycell HM is a new product with very close to the specifics of Core Cell.

 

I would look at using SpaceAge Thermo-Lite Board. Fiberglass reinforced urethane foam with great quality, consistency and service. High strength also.

http://spaceagesynthetics.com/

 

Really, you've joined today and dropped 6 nearly identical plugs for "Thermo-Lite", but the site has no real data other than it being a 9 pound urethane foam. How about some pricing compaired to similar core products.

 

Different application, the polyumac foam is a core material, although you need to go to a higher density to equal the more common pvc and san foams. The thermolite as far as I know are a similar product to coosa board, not something you would use for a core in a composite panel.

 

You must know something more than I could gather, from a quick look at the site Steve, as I read a 9 pound foam, which is structural, but nothing like the stand alone properties of Coosa. I just find it interesting that Bryanemer7 needed to plug this product this way.

 

Updates?

Any updates on the Polyumac foam? I have been looking at this stuff as well, mainly because I have a local distributor that carries it, so I can save a bunch of money by not having to get it shipped. Here in the midwest there are so few options for this stuff, and shipping really drives up costs.

Did anyone do any tests with this stuff yet? Thanks.

Mike

 

It's just alittle brittle and you have to go up in density 30% to get the same compressive so.
But for not an extreme application, like a crushing sailboat, it'd be fine.

 

I am looking at this to build a 30 foot catamaran. So are you suggesting going with T80 versus T50 then? Thanks!

Mike

 

Approximately yes, from my memory, without going through the strength specifics comparisons again.
I would contact the manufacturer and talk to their techs, it would not hurt to do that.
This is the conclusion I reached, tho I did talk to them.
In such an important decision as this I would research this to the fullest to assure myself.
Afterall, research takes time not money.
The table of specific strengths are readily available off the internet for all the foam cores.
I do feel that as long as this is not an extreme all out cost-be damned racing cat you are building that polyumac is a core to be considered as long as you can live with just alittle more core weight.
But this is my opinion only.