EPS Foam and Styrofoam....again, and again, and again!

Discussion in 'Materials' started by PPRINT, Jul 19, 2018.

  1. PPRINT
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: Texas, USA

    PPRINT RobT

    Hello all,

    Disclaimer: This information may already exist here somewhere, but I admit I did not search before making this post. I apologize for bringing it back up again if it is already posted here.

    We have all seen the multiple post here concerning EPS foam board typically purchased at the big lumber box stores. We all know it's limited usage and the fact that it pretty much only works with epoxy resin.
    I was at my fiberglass material supplier today and saw a product that I found interesting for use with foam products. It is a line of products by Hawkeye Industries.
    The first product is a Primer that is applied directly to EPS or Styrofoam and once cured allows the application of traditional polyester laminating resins. The second product is a special polyester resin that can be applied directly to the foam products. Both appear to be targeting the mold making market, but I can also see usage for "one off" products where fiberglass is applied directly over a carved forms.

    I do not have any information beyond that.

    Just some information I thought I would share to the boat building industry.

    StyroSafe Distributed by Hawkeye Industries | http://duratec1.com/Styrosafe/


    Rob
     
    jorgepease likes this.
  2. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Interesting. I am a little confused about whether the resin has to be used in tandem with the primer, but no doubt it does open up possibilities that previously were not there.
     
  3. JamesG123
    Joined: Mar 2015
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    Location: Columbus, GA

    JamesG123 Senior Member

    I would be concerned with the sheer strength at the primer/barrier boundaries in the composite. Mold making and static art pieces are one thing, something that has to take loads like a boat is quite another. The Universe does not often hand out free lunches.
     
  4. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Location: Australia

    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    It does open up non-structural possibilities, though, as an alternative to PU foam, in ice boxes, for example, which seems more prone to water infiltration than polystyrene.
     

  5. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    It works, it's used mostly in tooling projects where someone wants to use lower cost EPS instead of PU.

    The primer can be used and then coated with any resin, the EPS friendly resin can be used with the primer or alone over EPS, but if the primer is used there isn't really a need for the resin. If someone wants to use the EPS for a core then it makes sense to use the resin in the laminate and no primer.

    There are some rather large tooling companies that use EPS and the primer on most of their jobs
     
    Doug Lord likes this.
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