FOAMULAR for hull?

[massnspace]

Just met a guy who was prototyping some parts for a custom mini camping trailer he was designing/buolding. He showed me a test part. It was 1” pink foam that he had bought for $30 a 4x8 sheet at Home Depot. Had epoxy and cloth on it.

I told him you can’t use epoxy on Home Depot cheapo foam, it will melt it, and he said “Look at what you are holding. That’s it, it works. POLYESTER resin will totally dissolve it, but epoxy is fine”.

I flexed it. Totally ridgid. Tried to peel off the resin. No way, it was stuck.

So. Why spend $375 (last time I checked) for a 1” sheet of Divynicell, when you can use closed cell FORUMULAR for $30 a sheet?

Has anyone built a boat with this stuff?

[barnakiel]

I have used what I think is a EU mod of Foamular to make a servo rudder.


I used epoxy. The rudder is about 10 years old now and crossed the Atlantic 4 times.


Apparently, no problem.


b.

[Kello]

Originally Posted by massnspace

Just met a guy who was prototyping some parts for a custom mini camping trailer he was designing/buolding. He showed me a test part. It was 1” pink foam that he had bought for $30 a 4x8 sheet at Home Depot. Had epoxy and cloth on it.

I told him you can’t use epoxy on Home Depot cheapo foam, it will melt it, and he said “Look at what you are holding. That’s it, it works. POLYESTER resin will totally dissolve it, but epoxy is fine”.

I flexed it. Totally ridgid. Tried to peel off the resin. No way, it was stuck.

So. Why spend $375 (last time I checked) for a 1” sheet of Divynicell, when you can use closed cell FORUMULAR for $30 a sheet?

Has anyone built a boat with this stuff?

Whoa ho, thanks for your post !! I've been wanting to build a nesting dinghy (of my own design) for YEARS and haven't yet primarily because it will require $everal prototype$, but also because even crap 1/4" plywood isn't inexpensive and is heavy and difficult to work with ... compared to foam board.

Dang, thanks!! I also thought epoxy would melt foam. I might even build the final dinghy out of Foamular - I'm getting old, and heaving a dinghy onboard is getting harder every year.