Foam Board panels

[CARS]

I was at a metal shaping gathering and a few of the guys asked me how the tear was coming along. "slow". "Foamies" are not that new. We all saw one of our fellow shapers had one at a gathering over a year ago. Anyway, one of the guys pulled out this piece of very dense foam board called Sintra.

http://sintrapvc.com/

We tested it out. With a body hammer (low crowned surface) the board hardly dented on the top. No transfer to the back side. With the pick end of the hammer (not sharp but sharper than a ball pein hammer end) it would break the surface on the top. Again, no transfer to the back side!
I wasn't being nice to it either.

I can damn near bend it in a circle (the piece is too small for me to get a good grip and bend it).

The stuff in my hand is 6mm thick. Unless you are beating it with a hammer or in a big hail storm this product will hold up great. Flexible, non-rotting, available in colors, and in 5' wide sheets.

I haven't checked with any local sign shops to see if they use it. I know the last couple signs I had made were more of a plastic corrugated cardboard type product.

It isn't cheap, but is probably the same cost as a couple layers of luan and an aluminum skin.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Definitely not cheap!

http://www.foamboardsource.com/sintra-p ... nt810.html

5 sheets of 4x8 for $746... $149/sheet.

[CARS]

Ya. http://tri-dee.com/sintra_plastic_pvc.htm

3mm 5'x10' is right under $100.00
6mm 5'x10' is $183.00

If I can find a shop that buys it by the skid I just might pursue this idea. Especially if that shop has a med. grey color sheet! No painting!!

[GuitarPhotog]

The corrugated plastic stuff is called "coroplast" and is used for signs and the like. It is light-weight, cheap, and easy to work. It is however almost impossible to paint or glue. Most paints won't stick or require special surface prep. Sign makers screen print on it with special ink.

I tried using high-temp hot-melt glue and it doesn't bond at all.

Sintra is excellent material, light and easy to work, but as others have pointed out, expensive, and I don't believe it has good UV resistance. Something worth verifying before using for a trailer skin.

<Chas>

[GPW]

Foamies may not be new , but the idea of building one in the THRIFTY manner sure is , at least for we 99% ..

[JuneBug]

There was a link to something comparable to Sintra called KOMATEX.
Possibly cheaper? I'm guessing that all of these fabulous characteristics apply to Sintra as well.

Komatex® (compare to Sintra®): Material is closed-cell, expanded plastic, high-density poly vinyl chloride sheet. At half the weight of solid PVC, may be stapled, nailed, riveted, glued, and thermoformed. It is available in 1mm-13mm.

Komatex® can be compared to Sintra® because they have a regular, fine-celled foam structure and are light in weight. They conduct very little heat and thus provide excellent insulation.

Komatex® is suitable for printing, painting and lacquering and can be easily and economically worked with conventional tools. Due to their tough and rigid structure, they can be drilled and screwed without splitting. PVC foam can be bonded using Weld-On adhesives for vinyl.

Due to their weathering resistance, Komatex® sheets in white can be used for outdoor applications.

Komatex® PVC sheets have been approved for the "low flammability" class according to UL94 - V0. The advantageous size means that waste is kept to a minimum.

Cutting and Sawing - up to 3mm thick can be cut with a knife. Flat Sintra can be die cut with steel rule dies, warming the Sintra slightly to achieve smooth edges.

Fastening - Screws or blind rivets can also be used. Remember to allow for substantial temperature changes; expands 0.05 mil/ft. per degree F.

Painting - Recommended paints are vinyl, acrylic lacquers and 2 part polyurethanes. Paint can be applied by brush, spray gun, roller, or dipping.