How thin is too thin?

[GilinMem]

I've been looking at different thiknesses. Finally was able to find in the same 'Orange box" store 2" and 3/4" the price, space gained in interior, etc. makes the 3/4 attractive, but I'm affraid it will be destroyed by just towing it. I'm planning on something small 4x8 tops maybe in the 4x7 range. Planning on using paint and canvas on sanded (roughed) foam, inside and out, with interior "arches" and reinforcements. Reinforced wood for anchoring hinges, locks, frame seals, etc. It has to be light as I'm planning to use a motorcycle as a TV.

Got most of my materials, just mainly missing the foam.

Opinions? Thoughs?

[atahoekid]

I think that 3/4" might be too thin. GPW has stated that 2x thicker is 8x stronger, so there is a significant strength loss by dropping to the 3/4" foam. What about doubling the 3/4" to make it an 1 1/2" thick? Personally, I went with 2"

[GilinMem]

If I was able to find 1 1/2" foam, I guess that would be my gauge. The prices that we have at the local HD, are 15 for the 3/4 and 25 bucks for the 2"

At 30 per sandwich, plus glue, it would probably make sense to go to 2". But I can find free wood on the 1 1/2" and 3/4" thickness.

I'll probably get a sheet of 3/4" to play with, just to have a better idea of what I'm looking at once it's wraped with canvas, kerfed, braced. Then I'll try to structurally "abuse" the samples. It's only 15 bucks to toy with. And it will probably give me ideas on shelves and stuff even if I go with the 2".

[eaglesdare]

i used the 2" for my sides, and the 1" for my roof. i am not a technical person by any means. however, just from my small amount of experience, i would never go with 3/4" for the build. it would scare me. it might work, but i would never trust it. i have trust issues. i still use a cinch strap to hold the whole foamie down on the frame.

[GPW]

Eagle ... Na Unh !!! Still cinching it down ???

FWIW, My little 4X8 is pretty strong , nothing special , but 2â€

[mezmo]

Hi gilnsheila,

One other thing to consider/check is the ACTUAL thicknesses of the foams
AND the standard/nominal wood sizes. There seems to be a lot of
discrepancies discovered when just going with what the thicknesses are
supposed to be and then with what they actually are. A difference of 1/16th
or 1/32nd can be a problem sometimes - depending on what you are doing -
and then there is also the factor of some sheet goods seem to be sized
metrically sometimes too these days.

Just a heads up.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[swampjeep]

I would use the 2" and use the free 1.5" wood, I'm sure you could make it work, maybe cut teh 2" thickness in a way that would leave 1/2" of foam?

[GPW]

SJ, I did that and used some 1/2 “ filler strips ... Worked out fine ...

[pete42]

when eagle and gpw mentioned straps

made me wonder that if two layers of cloth were being laid on the foam placing straps between the first and second layer over the top and down the side

so that the straps would not flop around going down the road like ones over the outside of the foamy and they would be out of sight and permanently installed

Or is that even needed would it be like wearing a belt with suspenders?

[GPW]

I didn't use any straps ... not yet anyway ... As with anything else Foamie , can’t hurt eh ??? Kinda’ overkill but what the heck ... if it makes you feel more “comfortable" ...
Even more overkill idea would be run the straps up, over , underneath and back up again , like a belt ... “ It ain’t going nowhere that way ! “