Quote:
Originally Posted by jimepting
...Question: I did some experimental sanding today on a piece of packing type styrofoam. I used 80 grit and I noticed that I had to get the pressure just right to avoid ripping the little balls away whole. Of course that made the surface very rough. Does the construction grade white and pink sand better?...
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Yes, the pink/blue Styrofoam is MUCH better than the white packing foam.
The white stuff has a lower density, and will allow it to get crushed very easily, even with a layer or two of fiberglass cloth over the outside.
The pink/blue Styrofoam is better, since it has a higher density.
While being picky when I say this, but for best results you would want to find industrial foams that are two to five times more dense than Styrofoam.
IndyCar and F1 race cars use Hexcel aluminum honeycomb for really high quality and really expensive carbon composite structures.
I stick with Styrofoam for ease of purchase and it's workability.
Speaking of which, I use the following tools almost exclusively for shaping/working with foam:
1) Hand saw (for cutting wood, to make long foam cuts)
2) Hack saw blade
3) 1/2 round rasp file
4) 60 grit sand paper glued to 4 inch square foam block
5) 120 grit (ditto)
6) Elmers Wood Glue for gluing foam blocks together
7) 1.5 inch long wood screws for holding blocks together until dry
Jim.