Cheap foam construction

Discussion in 'Materials' started by SamSam, Mar 16, 2018.

  1. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    This guy shows how to use foam and titebond glue, cheap cloth and latex paint to make things.
    It sounds familiar, maybe it's been posted before.

    Poor Mans Fiberglass, Permanent Exterior Paint, Never Paint Again (almost), Waterproofing With Out Epoxy, Fiberglass Epoxy Allergy Relief

    Poor Mans Fiberglass, Permanent Exterior Paint, Never Paint Again (almost), Waterproofing With Out Epoxy, Fiberglass Epoxy Allergy Relief http://www.instructables.com/id/Poor-Mans-Fiberglass-make-nearly-anything-weatherp/

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  2. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Yeah, you can imagine as many things as you'd like, but the reality of these contrivances, are they don't last very long, can't take any serious loading and have a host of other concerns. Basically in a nut shell, they'll hold you up and keep your socks dry for a while, but they will delaminate, have very poor strength/stiffness attributes, can't carry much sail, gear or people, etc. So, if you want to have fun for a summer, while playing around with your handiwork, go for it, but if your needs require a more significant structure, speed or abilities, you'll be disappointed, pretty quickly, though not broke as a result of the effort. Lastly, these are "twenty footer's" in terms of finish at best.
     
  3. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Well, I do not want to rain on anyone's parade. Looks like SamSam is doing fine.
    I am also interested about synthetic foam and fiberglass building methods.
    May be not styrofoam, but poly urethane foam. Best regards;
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2018
  4. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Most of the physical properties and attributes of the various and most common applications of these low density foams are well known, so no parade raining. This is the basic problem with these methods, not enough localized research, in the attributes of the various combinations.
     
  5. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Yes, thank you. Just keep thinking like that.
     
  6. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    Location: Florida

    jorgepease Senior Member

    this is used often for creating stage sets and has pretty good strength, is fast and easy to create cool stuff, especially if using hotwire cnc, I would never try to create a serious boat out of it, though I think it would make a good mold. Saw another guy use it to create costumes, coats it with PVA and then paints a plastic compound on it from smoothon. Looks real and has decent strength.
     

  7. makobuilders
    Joined: Feb 2009
    Posts: 131
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    Location: Seattle, WA

    makobuilders Member

    I like the idea of building a simple inexpensive foam boat/kayak/dinghy. Nice looking kayak and he carved and shaped the foam well. However, fiberglass resin and cloth are rather inexpensive and then he would have a real boat with actual "strength" to it.
     
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