- Joined
- Jan 12, 2017
- Messages
- 669
Question for you composite folk (or anyone else who works a lot with foam):
For a Sky Pup (foam & wood hybrid) there is often a need to build up foam blocks which can be shaped by hotwire cutting. The problem is that epoxy seams can't be cleanly hotwired. In his Construction Text, Steve Wood recommends spot gluing the foam together, cutting to shape, separating the blocks, and re-gluing them with a permanent adhesive such as epoxy. In a newsletter published later, he writes that "several builders" have used other adhesives which do not present a problem for hotwiring, and that these are acceptable, as long as they retain a strength greater than that of the foam, even when exposed to moisture. Unfortunately, he doesn't name specific adhesives.
So far, no one on the Sky Pup FaceBook site has suggested a solution.
A member here on HBA, who has a lot of experience building RCs, has suggested to me MinWax Polycrylic, which is marketed as a clear top coat. He says this can be hotwired nicely. However, others (including someone who sells paints for a living and has tested Polycrylic) say that given how thinly Polycrylic spreads, it would be difficult to get good & consistent bonding of the foam with it.
Any suggestions/comments?
Thanks
For a Sky Pup (foam & wood hybrid) there is often a need to build up foam blocks which can be shaped by hotwire cutting. The problem is that epoxy seams can't be cleanly hotwired. In his Construction Text, Steve Wood recommends spot gluing the foam together, cutting to shape, separating the blocks, and re-gluing them with a permanent adhesive such as epoxy. In a newsletter published later, he writes that "several builders" have used other adhesives which do not present a problem for hotwiring, and that these are acceptable, as long as they retain a strength greater than that of the foam, even when exposed to moisture. Unfortunately, he doesn't name specific adhesives.
So far, no one on the Sky Pup FaceBook site has suggested a solution.
A member here on HBA, who has a lot of experience building RCs, has suggested to me MinWax Polycrylic, which is marketed as a clear top coat. He says this can be hotwired nicely. However, others (including someone who sells paints for a living and has tested Polycrylic) say that given how thinly Polycrylic spreads, it would be difficult to get good & consistent bonding of the foam with it.
Any suggestions/comments?
Thanks
