Was skyline now Mercury, tear inspired camper for six

[GPW]

Interesting idea !!!

[rowerwet]

interesting, but lousy...

Pl300 was still wet two days later with gauze or the bandage, not really any different from the bare sample

TBII also was still wet for all three samples, the fabric just caked up around the edges and kept the vapor in

Gorilla Glue stuck so well I couldn't get it apart with my bare hands. Bare GG worked best, the gauze caused swelling, bandage swelled a little. Looks like I know what I want for my joints...

[rowerwet]

while Glidden Gripper didn't stick worth anything in the first test, perforating the foam surface first caused it to stick so well the bed sheet tore trying to remove it.

TBII stuck so well the sheet also tore. unless I can score some more dented cans of Gripper, TBII gallons are cheaper, and TBII may also make a tougher shell than gripper. The thermoplastic properties allowing it to be ironed back into shape when dented (hail) are also a plus.
I know I covered the stuff everybody else did, but I'm a hands on guy, you don't keep airplanes safely flying for 20 years without double checking the important stuff. (or be completely debt free without careful spending)

[GPW]

Great testing Row !!! ... Just more solid proof that we need a few different adhesives on a foamie ... GG for joining , TB2 for covering , and Gripper for primer ...

And when laminating foam , Time is your friend .... Even inside foam , it dries EVENTUALLY ... I let my laminated (Gripper) dry a whole month before fooling with it ....No problems ... (same as with TB2 ) ...

[atahoekid]

Great testing Row !!! ... Just more solid proof that we need a few different adhesives on a foamie ... GG for joining , TB2 for covering , and Gripper for primer ...

And when laminating foam , Time is your friend .... Even inside foam , it dries EVENTUALLY ... I let my laminated (Gripper) dry a whole month before fooling with it ....No problems ... (same as with TB2 ) ...

For laminating jobs, I prefer to use epoxy. Though normally waiting for epoxy to cure is a killer of time, it seems to cure a lot faster than any of the other glue methods. The biggest negative is the slop and having to mess with 2 parts and the cost is something that needs to be considered also.

[rowerwet]

Marine epoxy? I have plenty of that from all my boat building, back to the lab... er, workshop!
the foaming issues with GG kind of scare me just a bit, I know how epoxy behaves. Since I will only use this along joints in main panels I'm willing to spend a bit more for strength.

[atahoekid]

Yup, epoxy such as System 3, West Marine, Raka, etc. One note of caution, make sure you make it plenty thick or the heat from the chemical reaction can melt the foam. I did all of my laminating work and edge to edge joints with epoxy. Worked great!!! I used GG for any other glue joints that I thought needed some strength, everything else including all of my wood joints was TB II.

[GPW]

One of the main glues we’ve used for many years on foam planes is Epoxy ... sticks to foam like crazy,and if you perforate the foam it makes epoxy “nails" further increasing the gluing area... But for planes you only need a little bit ... for trailers , that’s another story .. and can get expensive Fast ... and since Epoxy is a chemical cure it loses no weight ... so is Heavy... What ever the can weighs , that's what the glue will always weigh ... even if you spread it out ... And it is Messy .. And some people are allergic , or eventually develop an allergy to it ... Nasty stuff really , but Great glue for foam ... if you’re used to handling it ...

[rowerwet]

the price would scare me off of full tear coverage, titebond II for that, I just want my joints to be solid in a reasonable time (hours not days) I plan to dowel the joints anyway, GG may still work but the foaming swelling issues could ruin the roof for me (I'm gonna do a raindrop front)

[Mary C]

The reason my foam to foam didn't dry when I used TBII was because of our humidity. the last foam I glued dried very fast. I was totally surprised. Humidity plays a part in the drying process. I know that from experience. I used the skewers to hold the foam to foam. when it completely dried I was surprised with the strength and as I covered it with glued on canvas it became even stronger what amazed me is that the paint also gave it strength. as I painted it the places I didn't fill became either gone or still showed. I have filled several spots and will cover with another coat of paint. I just want it to look smooth and fill those places that need it. When it gets warmer I will give it another coat of paint. It really surprised me with the way the canvas hid all sorts of imperfections. I did not scruff up my foam. It worked fine. I have had no problems.

Mary C.

[rowerwet]

the foam mouse is on the way to becoming 3D, all the hull panels were cut today, ran out of time to try stitching the hull together. I'm considering using tywraps like I do with my plywood boats, or try gorilla tape, like I did for one mouse.
https://www.facebook.com/61324239535821 ... =3&theater Hope that works, some knucklehead at FB needs to have their fingers broken, they want me to embed stuff in my webpage instead of just ginving me a link to share.

[rowerwet]

no 4x8' panels for sale near me, 2x8 works fine for a mouse with a v bottom, I'm using 1" foam

easier to follow plan for the original mouse, my teardrop is built with methods I learned building my first two mice, this mouse will "learn" me about foamie building.

I used the razor knife to start the cuts and a steak knife to finish them

using screws and nails to secure the first side to the second to match the shape.

[rowerwet]

evening up the edges to make the panels match (on a mouse these are very important, they do the same job as the side walls on a tear and make the profile)

the uncut panels are what the bottom pieces will be cut from, a good mouse builder leaves them uncut until the sides and bulkheads are wired together, then the bottom is trimmed to fit (kind of like a top crust on a pie)
I had to use a third panel to make the inside bulkheads, the material left from cutting the hull panels doesn't leave enough. I think 1" foam will give enough flotation I won't need the decks on the ends to make sealed air boxes, If I do, I will end up laminating foam panels to come up with enough width.


next step, wiring or taping the hull together,

[Jst83]

Wow now I'm thinking about a foam boat after the duck tear is done this spring with the big flat roof on mine I could carry it on top no trouble. Keep the pictures and info coming

[GPW]

Foam makes good sense for a boat ... it FLOATS eh !!!! In the past when your humble narrator was in dire situations (sinking ) , it was the Flotation that’s the reason we’re here today to talk about it ... !!! True!!! Just sayin’ ...