Liquid pour expanding foam

[thylacene]

We have a seat box that has a tub moulded into it that would make a great drinks esky, however it has no insulation. Does anyone know where I can buy polystyrene or similar foam that I can mix and pour into the void surrounding the tub?

Has anyone else done similar? What should I know before I start?

Box has a seat on top that lifts out with a ply panel glassed over, does anyone know what type of foam (in block/sheet form) I should use to be able to resin over it?

Thanks

Thy

[Roughasguts]

Why not go to Bunnings and get the expanding foam filler in a can should do the job.

Cheers.

[Noelm]

even though it is not needed, buy the proper marine type of foam, the reason being is it does not absorb water like polystyrene and other cheaper foamsm, for the amount you need, the cost will be bugger all anyway, but be careful to mix the correct amount, if it is contained when expanding, it can be very powerful and push out mouldings and so on.

[Noelm]

OH, I forgot, if you want to glass over it, you need a foam like a surfboard, polystyrene will vanish in front of your eyes with resin or solvents.

[thylacene]

Noelm,

Do you happen know a product name? or a supplier?

Would prefer to use marine type to avoid it getting wet and taking on odours.


Cheers

Thy

[Noelm]

I have used it before, I will see if I can dig up the info for you, someone on here will probably know the name of it.

[peterbo3]

Hint: If the inner lining is ply, drill 25mm holes at around 200mm centres as this will allow the excess foam to escape. You can trim the bubbles off later prior to glassing. Do a 2 stage pour if possible & use internal cross braces to keep the interior ply nice & straight.

[GLXMAN]

We have a seat box that has a tub moulded into it that would make a great drinks esky, however it has no insulation. Does anyone know where I can buy polystyrene or similar foam that I can mix and pour into the void surrounding the tub?

Has anyone else done similar? What should I know before I start?

Box has a seat on top that lifts out with a ply panel glassed over, does anyone know what type of foam (in block/sheet form) I should use to be able to resin over it?

Thanks

Thy

I forget the actual product name but if you go to a fiberglass supplier, (yellow pages will do it), they will give you the advice you need,
I'm getting old now;) but seem to remember it being called polyurethane expanding foam, you mix a part A and B
As said before, be careful and have a large hole for it to escape and wear gloves,

Do a test run first to get a handle on it, I got 2 litre cans, (A&B), which would fill the inside of a car and with pressure you cant stop
Regards,
Gary

[Nathan Tuskes]

FGI is the place that sells this stuff (among others), located at Wacol and Labrador search on the net they also sell foam sheets in all different sizes and types, go talk to the guys they know their stuff and are friendly to talk to.....

[thylacene]

Hint: If the inner lining is ply, drill 25mm holes at around 200mm centres as this will allow the excess foam to escape. You can trim the bubbles off later prior to glassing. Do a 2 stage pour if possible & use internal cross braces to keep the interior ply nice & straight.

Yep, figure I will have to do multiple pours as when turned upside down this looks like a mould for an esky with 2 inch thick walls, it is all fibreglass and all surfaces are either visible or form the inner liner, except where it will need to be partitioned where I will use a bit of perspex for a neat finish to glass over to protect the foam from the locker in front of it. I anticipate that the rate of expansion will mean that I will do the three pours to build it up in 200mm thick layers or bands, calculating carefully the final pour to avoid having to trim too much as the bottom is screwed to a flat floor.

Thanks

Thy

[oldboot]

most of the boating shops or chandleries should be able to supply pour in foam products.

The aerosol foams can be a problem, some of them wont go off of they don't have access to enough air.

cheers

[matt fraser]

I just picked up an 8kg kit of Ecofoam GP330 from Volksglas at Springwood for under $150. You can get 2 or 4kg kits as well. 8kg kit is supposed to expand to over 8 cubic feet.

Cheers,

Matt

[thylacene]

Yep, went to ACT Fibreglass and scored a 1 litre kit no name urethane foam kit for $27 and a 1200 x 600 x25 sheet closed cell foam for $24.

Just need to wait for warm weather, its freezing down here


Minus bloody 2 this morning

Cheers

Thy

[PinHead]

what type of polyurethane did you buy. Some of those cans are used to fill holes and so are some of the mix and pour types..no use for an esky as they have no "U" rating. If it does not have a "U" rating then it is not real good to be used for an esky.

[thylacene]

Looking at the can now, is Polyurethane Foaming Resin, states on the label suitable for buoyancy and insulation. 1 Kg of resin expands to 27000 cubic cm.

The guy who runs the glass shop is a boatie, he reckons he built a custom fridge with it and it works well, used the compressor out of a 12v camp fridge.

Should be a fun project once it warms up enough to use the stuff. Recommend a temp of 23 degrees or hotter for best results.

[PinHead]

Looking at the can now, is Polyurethane Foaming Resin, states on the label suitable for buoyancy and insulation. 1 Kg of resin expands to 27000 cubic cm.

The guy who runs the glass shop is a boatie, he reckons he built a custom fridge with it and it works well, used the compressor out of a 12v camp fridge.

Should be a fun project once it warms up enough to use the stuff. Recommend a temp of 23 degrees or hotter for best results.

can I come and watch..usually a good laugh watchng a first timer use it..as it starts spewing out and they try to stop it.

[cormorant]

My hints for the day are

It sticks like sh ugar t to a blanket. It loves fingernails. 2nd only to sikaflex. Wear gloves and glasses and use moisturiser up arms if you don't have proper cream.

You can warm ( warm not hot !!!) complete seperate cans of components in seperate buckets of warm water ( lid not sealed ) until it is warm through ( stir it with seperate stirer) and warm the surface area ( fan heater) it is going on and any mixing container. That way in cold weather you actually get closer to the cubic feet it says on the label. It will react quicker the warmer it is. The bigger batch the more exothermic heat it will produce and continue the reaction with some versions.. Small batches probably won't reach full size.

Use exact measure ( usually by weight.)



I've seen blokes use special heat pads for resins in industrial jobs.

PS Get someone else to take photos to save us all coming and watching mayhem..

[PinHead]

hehe..it is fun..I used to build -70 freezers..6" walls of foam..we had a jig to bolt to the floor to stop the internal liner lifting..even then if i was not paying attention and mixed too much it went everywhere..bugger.

[thylacene]

Will ensure that we video it just in case it does go to custard.

I intend to seal off the section and fill to the desired levels with measured amounts of water to determine how much to mix to do it in a couple of layers and hopefully it won't "spill over everywhere".

The guy at the glass shop recommended warming it before mixing also. Fingers crossed it turns out OK. Will post the vid one way or the other.

It will either be educational or very funny and educational;D

[PinHead]

Will ensure that we video it just in case it does go to custard.

I intend to seal off the section and fill to the desired levels with measured amounts of water to determine how much to mix to do it in a couple of layers and hopefully it won't "spill over everywhere".

The guy at the glass shop recommended warming it before mixing also. Fingers crossed it turns out OK. Will post the vid one way or the other.

It will either be educational or very funny and educational;D

DO NOT put water in there. Unless you are prepared to wait until it is completely dry. Otherwise you will not have sufficient insulation qualities and possibly cold tracking which will see lots of condensation on the outside. Just measure and multiply for the volume. Also..try and do the entire job in one go. By layering you will have air between the layers and cold tracking again.