Hardeners for Styrofoam

[joe]

Larry,

I appreciate your kind words and offers of assistance. I'm always looking to improve my tecniques and signs and could use your help.

I've had the pleasure to study your website. They are some of the best signs I've seen. I get charged up seeing portfolio's with this kind of depth.

I'm somewhat knowledgable about the hardcoat you've used. That may be the direction I follow. Please provide me with your supply and product line. At this time I've had this spray applied to two signs. Like you say, it's a good hard coating. I don't mind the orange peal effect since we end up spraying with textured acrylic stucco. Our local cost is between $450 to $800.

I believe the spray aparatus costs about $750. I'm not sure about the fresh air equipment. Probably about the same cost.

I'd like to find a more user friendly material. It may be beyond the scope at the time but I'm searching.

Like you, I enjoy the of HDU but shouldn't be over used. I'm leaving it behind for this sort of work. While HDU carries fine detail it a poor structural material. Way too costly for structure alone.

Tomorrow I start another 2lb beadboard ground sign. It measures 7'X5.5'X8". I'm have the shape cut by the local foam dealer. They have a hotwire router and do an excellent fabrication. As stated earlier, I carve the detail work on the router and apply it to the foam board. This process will take a week.

Your suggestions are appreciated.

Joe

[kevin]

first off I have no experince with foam
But I do have huge experince with paints and clearcoat.I use to work at private jet interiors and painting.
I think that no matter what your finish is only as hard whats below.
Its like an egg anything you spray on may be 3 to 5 mils thick its not like your spraying steel
If there is movement below it will crack .
Unless you get into fiberglass
Hope i made sense I am terible typist

[joe]

Yes Kevin, your question makes perfect sence. Like you, it was difficult getting my mind around the process.

When Peachtree and Howard Industries came on the market there was no going back to the old superstructre of wood and angle iron. Those techniques are expensive and time consuming.

I'm still looking into using fiberglass, chopper gun, much like boat building. Also I'm including plywood in some of the interiors where removeable panels are placed. It's not much diffeent than the Lost Wax process used in bronze casting. Once the shell is complete the foam is immaterial.

Lets not limit ourselves to surface treatment. I'm considering combining mahagony, cedar, and redwood also.

I wouldn't rule out the baseball strike as a stregnth test.

Hope this provides some answers.

[navigator7]

Joe,
Just brainstorming along with you....

Along the lines of Lost Wax, have you considered making a mold with Portland, Acryl 60 to replace water and lots of fiber?
Kinda lends itself better to multiple products ... but I know this mold making method is waaaaay cheaper than fiber glass, is not flammable, requires the simplest of tools, gloves is the only protection you need, no vapors to tick off neighbors and no enviro laws to knock on your door.
With the proper application technique, this mixture will reproduce finger prints. You get back what you cover with mud.
I've pulled this mixture off glass and plastic and can see a reflection.

I've seen panels made like this as big as a man used over and over and over.
Strengths to 12,000 psi (In compression)

Back to foam. I'm imagining you produce the work in positive foam. (But you only produce the surfaces you need.)
I'm thinking fiberglas resin attacks foam. What does gel coat do to foam? Not sure. Regardless, the fiberglass still becomes the mold and you still need to make a positive.

But concrete would readily accept sealer, release agents, readily accept gel coat and reproduce sharp features.

Does this make sense?

I got links if you are interested.

[nschlee]

You might try building coats of System Three's Yacht Primer. It's a thick 2 part water based epoxy, it can be sprayed, rolled or brushed. The stuff sets up rock hard after 3-4 days, probably not gonna pass a baseball bat beating tho.

[jerry_stanek]

Joe you may want to check out this post.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/mes...tml?1241583512

[joe]

Thanks fellows,

I've sent an Email requesting information and assistance from Gleb K,.

Good lead Jerry, Thanks

Perhaps

[scootie]

Joe,
Being new to the forum I was unsure if posting product names was acceptable didn't want to get reprimanded for breaking the rules.
Here's the info on what we use:
http://www.chemicaldesigncorp.net
They're in Loganville, GA and have always been a pleasure to deal with. Call them at 800-578-8555 they'll set you up with the sales-rep for your area. Check out their website, there's a lot of info on all their product lines. The coatings for foam will be listed as Chem-Coat 9-2538-1.
http://www.chemicaldesigncorp.net/PDF_Files/2538.pdf

I have tried the StyroSpray mentioned by Chuck and it is a great product, gives a very smooth hard finish, the only drawback was it taking several coats to get the buildup needed, it would be ideal as a hard top coat over the urethane, you could get a glass like surface.

Hope this helps you with your project.

Larry

[kevin]

Curios how it will work outside?
Will it fade like vinly siding?

Please keep posted

[joe]

Kevin,

Check out the above website and StyroSpray.

Larry,

Thanks for the advice. I've checked on plural spray units a few months ago. I didn't find them user friendly. They are pricey. Starting out at 30K. As a one man shop, the numbers don't work.

I have a new shipment of Styrospray to try out. I'll be posting my results a little later.