Foaming tips and tricks?

Metal4130

Eat, Sleep, Ride, Groove
Location
Chicago
Thats right, it's that time. Time to foam up the superjet. Before I go at it where is a good place to put holes in to pour the foam? Also any tips on handling the foam. Also how well will this expand into the crack and crevises? Thanks for the help!
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
Wear surgeon's gloves - they're cheap and save you from being a mess.

I stand the ski up on its nose, and have 1-1/2 inch diameter holes drilled into the backs of the footholds and/or into the very end of the tray.

Mix it up one 8-16 ounce cup of a time, stir rigorously, and pour it in. Use a cheap funnel for this. Clean the funnel after each pour. The foam will expand within 2-5 minutes. Wait that long between pours on one side - just switch to the other side (gunwhale). The stuff will expand into the middle, cracks and crevices just fine.
Tip: If you cannot see how far up the foam is, feel the side of the ski - you should feel heat where the foam is at.
 

joe b

depth tester
Location
northfield, nj
I got these instructions from XFT. I still curious if you need to mix a exact amount or do you want extra to overflow??


Here are some instruction for polyurethane foam fill.
Very Important : Use gloves!
You can choose from 2lbs or 4lbs.
This depends what is your target. If you want to save some weight go with the 2lbs, for reinforcement and less water absorption 4lbs . Also, under pressure you will
increase the density of the foam.
We use 2lbs because that our hull manufacture process is different than OEM. We use 100% epoxy and unidirectional fabric and the lamination is vacuum process and also divynicell or honey comb. Also we eliminate all possibility of water contamination. We could let with out foam and would still be stronger than OEM. If you reinforce the back of your hull you can use 2lbs too. You can have better reinforcement and still save some weight if you use the right combination. One very important thing is to check all possibility of water contamination. Use silica and epoxy resin for fill all bushes, foot holds..
Very important is that you control the temperature when you put the foam that must be under 75 to 80 degrees F or above.
Temperatures under this will lower the expansion rate.
Also, you must mix with a drill with a blade, it´s very important that you mix well for 10-20 seconds. If you mix with your hand you don´t have enough
rotation under this time.
Also, you must to sand and clean well the areas that will have contact with the foam, this is very important for ensure that the foam will last more
time.
It´s very important that you have good pressure and fill all the hull. If you have empty spaces it´s a bad thing. The water and sand will fill there.
You must make 5 holes in your hull, one in the deck over the shaft tube/hose and 02 in each top side.

1) Put the hull with the nose up and put the foam in the holes "1" and when starts to expand and before starts to drop out close there whit a PVC tape.
2) With the hull in the same position put foam in the holes "2" and close with PVC tape.
3) With the hull in the horizontal position fill the "3" hole.
 

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im about to do the same just got 8 cft of 4lb you can drill 1" holes and cut a 2 liter off at the end for your funnel. just have a few ready and toss them when done.it was a tip from someone that uses foam pretty regular
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
The foam will not "overexpand". Just keep adding foam (waiting for the previous batch to expand!) until you're full.
 

Keith

Landlocked
Location
Nebraska
Matt_E said:
The foam will not "overexpand". Just keep adding foam (waiting for the previous batch to expand!) until you're full.

I am going to be doing mine soon. I pulled the engine out and am going to pour the foam in threw the hole in the engine compartment.

So what you are saying is if I wait 5 min. between each batch the new batch will just rest on the previous batch?
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
I looked long and hard - the least expensive source I found was www.uscomposites.com.

Still, it ain't cheap - I bought 3 of those 3lb 5cuft kits, and with shipping, it came to 189.
 

Phill

v Check out Little Matt_E
Location
Kennewick, WA
SUPERJET-113 said:
Matt, where In your opinion is the cheapest place online to get a foam kit?
(I wasnt a fast enough whore to p/u the 1 you had) lol

TIA


You could just get Matt to buy the kit for you.....thats what I did:biggrin:
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
Yeah, thanks for that reminder....what am I gonna get from you? Never mind, I already picked up that exhaust Tee...though I am pretty sure I am getting royally screwed. 50 bucks of foam vs a 10 cent tee. :bs2:
 

Phill

v Check out Little Matt_E
Location
Kennewick, WA
Is that what I used to pay for the foam.....I was wondering about that......some how I think I am the one getting screwed:27:
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
Well, I'll have a couple more chances to dig through your garage here in the next week, so I might find something "in lieu of payment". :biggrin:

Hey, did you take that girdle head with you?
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
It's only 2 cuft...not enough to do a Superjet. I think you need approximately 3 cuft, at least. I believe I used 3 - 3.5 cuft for my refoam job, and that had a large one way valve and pipe in the hull.
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
douglee25 said:
How many skis can you do with that much foam?

Doug


It was bought for three Superjets. We thought we'd need 5 cuft per ski. It actually ran about 3-3.5 cuft for the first one. The second ski hasn't been refoamed yet, and the third ski is not getting refoamed this year...maybe next.
 
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