Foam Armoring
- Thread starter BenStreeper
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Zat German
Member
That seems to be at odds with the Wikipedia article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene-vinyl_acetate
Though it would also mean wearing a respirator when working with hot glue too.
Check this link out: http://www.foamorder.com/material_safety.php?page=closedcell
Ronster, I haven't tested it to be sure - but you'd need to use a super glue or hot glue for the foam. Elmers is fine for paper but I wouldn't trust it holding something stockier like the foam.
Ronster, I haven't tested it to be sure - but you'd need to use a super glue or hot glue for the foam. Elmers is fine for paper but I wouldn't trust it holding something stockier like the foam.
Zat German
Member
Are you talking about as a sealer for the foam or gluing them together?
Like rumble said, it would not work to glue the foam together, at least not for very long. Hot glue is excellent.
However, if you are talking about a sealer, it could work. I have a too large bottle of Elmer's that I may try it out with. I have a feeling the glue is going to crack too easily. Also, I have no idea what would happen once spray paint hit it.
a simple hot glue gun + glue sticks really isnt inexpensive too
plus it holds the foam together like a champ haha
Zat German
Member
They are EVA.
Thanks, would you happen to know what type of foam those camping mats they are using @ the rpf??
Zat German
Member
Unfortunately, I do not. However, I really do not like the pads because their surfaces are much more rough than the Harbor Freight pads. You can paint the Harbor Freight pads as-is and get a good look. You would have to coat those camp pads with some kind of substance to fill in the surface. I have a green one by a different company which I believe is the same material as the Walmart ones and it is not nearly as rigid(because the cells are larger). It does not feel the same as the Harbor Freight pads but the size of the cells could be affecting that too.
insanitarium89
New Member
Thanks so much for these vids. Does anyone have a link to the foam on Harbor Freight's site? I tried looking myself and couldn't find it.
Aultin
Member
they aren't on the website, but are, instead, in store.
Zat German
Member
To clarify, they are not available to purchase on their website. But if you want a link:
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=94635
Not all that useful except maybe to help with calling around to see if they carry them locally.
I'm talking about as a sealer, not a bonding agent.
If you saw the previous posts, we were talking about mod podge vs elmers as a sealing agent.
I know about the hot glue...!
Aultin
Member
Yeah, sorry about that. I'm running on absolutely no sleep, so my brain functionality isn't fully up to par.
Zat German
Member
Looks like my second coat is dry and results do not look promising. The first coat soaked right into the foam and mostly disappeared. The second coat took longer to dry but did seem to give it a pretty good sealing, however it scratched off without any effort and I was able to peel it straight back off the foam once a piece of it was lifted away.
This was just the short drying time. I am going to coat it again let it dry overnight for "full strength" according to the bottle.
I've been testing a few thngs on the foam here. I'm using a "lightweight Body filler" by 3M, hopefully the equivalent of bondo in the US, on the top of foam which forms a hard shiny surface. doesn't want to shift particularly. Hasn't eaten or attacked the foam. Now, if you are just using the foam to build up detail, this would likely cover it very well. If your expecting the foam to flex *a lot* then you *may* have probs. But for flat pieces where you just want to give it a hard shiny surface, the filler/bondo seems to go great guns. Note: this was with a 9mm foam from a childrems foam square pack, which seem, if anything, slightly *less* quality than the 'Harbour freight" EVA mats (called "SCA" EVA mats in Oz, but exactly the same stuff, even the packaging looks similar). So I'm thinking that you would have no probs covering the foam for a nice hard shiny surface with a 'bondo' product. Gonna do FG resin tests later today. I'll post the results here soon as.
I've sealed foam with mod podge and also painted foam with acrylic paint. If the mod podge gets wet it clouds up. As for the acrylic paint the foam inhaled that ****.I'm talking about as a sealer, not a bonding agent.
If you saw the previous posts, we were talking about mod podge vs elmers as a sealing agent.
I know about the hot glue...!
EDIT: Also forgot to say someone over at cosplay.com experimented with foam and resin w/fiberglass. HArd to find the thread and I didn't bookmark it
Aultin
Member
I may have read this wrong, but are you possibly implying that Bondo could suffice as a "hardener" for the foam? If so, that is exactly what I wanted to hear.
Zat German
Member
I have been looking into non/low-toxic solutions if at all possible, so bondo/resin is out for me. It is really cool to hear that it seems to work though, Aultin.
My ideal would be something that produces a smooth surface on top of the foam for a really nice "armor made out of high tech material" look but still maintain the flexibility, weight and softness(on the inside) of foam. I am hoping the Foam Coat+Bounce will give me that since Foam Coat is supposed to be sandable after it is dry. Of course, you do not always get your ideal, so flexibility will be the first thing to go for me. I should be getting that in on Tuesday to test, so I am looking forward to it. Until then, more pepping my helmet and cutting foam for armor for me!
My ideal would be something that produces a smooth surface on top of the foam for a really nice "armor made out of high tech material" look but still maintain the flexibility, weight and softness(on the inside) of foam. I am hoping the Foam Coat+Bounce will give me that since Foam Coat is supposed to be sandable after it is dry. Of course, you do not always get your ideal, so flexibility will be the first thing to go for me. I should be getting that in on Tuesday to test, so I am looking forward to it. Until then, more pepping my helmet and cutting foam for armor for me!
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