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Blue foam

Hornet2008

Well Known Member
Hi all
I'm half way through attaching the wing tips using piano hinges. The method I'm using calls for a blue foam rib glassed into the wing tip about one and half inches to two inches inside with epoxy. I have the blue foam, however, it is too small in height to fit. Is there a way to successfully join the foam to do the job. Is there another material I could use? Complete novice at f/g.
 
Foam

Blue foam is sold 1" and 2" (Home Depot).
The rib you need should be able to be made
vertically from this stock. Or you can glue it together
with epoxy.
 
Hi all
I'm half way through attaching the wing tips using piano hinges. The method I'm using calls for a blue foam rib glassed into the wing tip about one and half inches to two inches inside with epoxy. I have the blue foam, however, it is too small in height to fit. Is there a way to successfully join the foam to do the job. Is there another material I could use? Complete novice at f/g.

Here in the states they sell this blue (and pink from DowCorning) foam in 4' X 8' sheets, so what dimension is too short? If the building supply is close by I would just get a larger piece than invest time in making pieces fit and stick together.

BTW - DanH referenced using a mixture of resin and microballons in a relatively dry mixture to join the pink foam together. I don't know the strength of that joint. You might have to experiment with that.
 
BTW - DanH referenced using a mixture of resin and microballons in a relatively dry mixture to join the pink foam together. I don't know the strength of that joint. You might have to experiment with that.

The weak/failure point will be the foam itself.
 
Thanks very much for your responses. Forgot to say Sydney is a 7 hours round trip and some guy wanted to freight me up some for $180. Said he had to cut it down to 19mm and wanted $10 per cut. I have a block but it is too narrow hence the query regarding joining blue foam. Hit the forum up for an answer and hey presto I'm in business. Looks like Doug will get a little more in his pay packet this year with what I saved on freight.
 
The trick to jointing foam blocks together is to use some 60 second epoxy. I buy mine at the local auto parts store. It is much stronger than the foam itself. Just keep it away from any joint that you might sand. It doesn't sand at all and you have to dig it out of the joint if you get some too close. Works great and is a common technique among plastic airplane builders.
 
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