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Forum Member
 
Last Login: Yesterday @ 6:38:50 PM
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| I'm building something where I want to have styrofoam inside of fiberglass (like a surf board) I know that the white styrofoam will melt upon contact with resin. I was wondering if I could use that pink styrofoam from home depot. From what I can find the answer seems to be yes, but I want to make sure. thanks
"there ain't no bat!"
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HAWK
Last Login: 11/20/2008 7:16:38 PM
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I suggest you go to a marine supply and buy epoxy resin which will not melt that type of foam or get urethane foam, which surfboard blanks are made of and they won't melt
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Forum Member
Last Login: Yesterday @ 6:38:50 PM
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Ok, thanks I need to go to the fiberglass supply store anyway. None of the hardware stores near me carry bubble rollers.
"there ain't no bat!"
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 11/25/2008 12:43:34 AM
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| Hey Chilibean you can go online with TAP Plastics and get that foam and fiberglassing stuff. Even carbonfiber material. If you can't find a bubble roller you could make it out of a paint roller using various sizes of washers. But those are usually available at fiberglassing stores. The foam at Tap is expanding foam put on a wood buck. You can use a heat wire tool to shape the foam. Then bondo the rest to finish the buck. Use masking tape over the buck to prevent the fiberglass from sticking. Wear a mask that stuff is toxic, well ventilated areas with no flames. Don't blow yourself up we would like to see what you are creating...BWD
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Forum Member
Last Login: Yesterday @ 6:38:50 PM
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| I was looking up the urethane foam and it looked like what my wife uses for prosthetics. I asked her and its the same stuff, so I've used it before Its a little different because her stuff is flexible when it's set. I was using some "Great Stuff" foam the other day and noticed it acted similarly to the urethane foam. So I did a few tests yesterday. First I tried fiberglass on the Great Stuff and the glass stuck without melting the foam. Also I had been wondering if the 2mil thick contractor trash bags that I use all the time would stick to fiberglass. I sprayed some of the foam and layed a strip of glass on a piece of a bag and neither stuck. I know the foam in a can does not have the even consistency of the urethane foam but it should work for my purposes as a filler material. I will have to compare the prices first. One big drawback of the can foam is it takes 8 hours to set up when the urethane the I have used takes about 10min. ok, that all
"there ain't no bat!"
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 11/25/2008 12:43:34 AM
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| Hey Chilibean, the key is to have a foam product that is easy to work with. Then get it all set up. They call it a mold when you drop the fiberglass into it and the surface to the mold will be smooth. I think you are trying to make a "plug". For instance my Ferrari dash was made as a plug. First a wood frame, then foam can be hot glued to the wood, you could bondo in over the foam, then cover the whole surface in masking tape and fiberglass over the masking tape. That will not allow the fiberglass to stick onto the plug. After hardeniing you can remove the plug and finish filling in the low spots on the fiberglass with bondo. Hopefully not a lot. On one project I cut pieces of 2" PVC pipe and overlapped the circles filled with bondo, covered in masking tape and fiberglassed it. This created a dash that had a base for the guages to set on. This is kind of Okified but it will work..... I personally like the idea of checking out a fiberglass shop and maybe getting together with one of the workers that do some side work. The guy I have working on my 89 is awesome. He normally works at a fiberglass boat shop. He does major work on watercrafts that have been damaged and the jobs have to be perfect. When you watch him work he is a professional. Professionals always make it look easy. Since he is not reliant on my Batmobile to pay his bills I think I get a little bit better deal. If I wanted to learn instead of just watching I'd ask a guy if I could help him for free just to learn. Its hard for these guys to get reliable help and if I'm not asking to be paid and I am not going to compete with his business later they are usually very open to teaching you. But be prepared to do some of the crappy work first. It will be a while before he's going to let you do the fiberglass on a major job. But all the shortcuts, free information and help you will get for your personal project is easily worth the effort. Just a thought.....BWD
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 11/25/2008 12:43:34 AM
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| Will someone please post how to do fiberglassing. That last guy BWD fiberglasses like an Okie....Dave
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Junior Member
Last Login: 7/29/2008 1:52:24 PM
Posts: 15,
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| I would strongly advise against using the pink foam. In my experience you can get any good shapes on it and no mater what kind of paint or resin you use it always melts even with the paints and glues that say foam safe.
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