![]() I dry fit all of the pieces with a nylon ratchet type strap that used to hold a kayak on my truck. They are darn close but off just enough that you end up with some gaps and a 12 degree angle you need may be 10 or 15 depending on which way the wire moved. The wire heats up and sags which causes it to wave a bit as it pulls through the foam creating a not so flat edge. The problem though is that even with the math, cutting foam with a homemade hot wire cutter works well but doesn't give you a true flat cut. I could then calculate how many blocks I needed to make an 8 foot circle, what angle each side needed cut to, and how much that meant I needed to cut off the ends. So an 18 inch block which is 1.5 feet became 1.5 inches. I scaled down my dimensions to fit from feet to inches in their calculator. I used a Segmented Bowl Calculator for turning wooden bowls I found online. You have to plan out how to get the most out of your foam blocks, with minimal waste, and good solid surfaces to adhere the foam to. With a structure this size, you can't just start gluing blocks together and then shape it the way you want. I got lucky and found 150 blocks of foam over 3 months this year at a local Tractor Supply. I source building materials where ever I can. And if you live around an ocean, the marinas have them often for dock blocking.Foam distributors for Billets of foam.Construction companies that may sell compression foam cheap that they didn't use due to a plan change.If you can't find foam for free at a local Tractor Supply store, you can also check: So ask and see if they are saving them or sending them back. Many are not as most of the foam is damaged due to the weight on the trailers being stacked on them and the tie straps used to secure everything. As such, some of the stores are now sending back the blocks instead of giving them away. I have found that during the past year the price of foam has tripled. Most stores stack them up on pallets and whoever wants them can have them. They have to throw them away when they are done shipping them to the stores. The blocks are 12x12x18 or 19 inches long. They get blocks of foam in as packing material between trailers that are stacked up when they ship them. I got them free, yes free, from Tractor Supply. I have approximately 135 blocks of styrofoam in the build. Most of the money was in glue, paint, and spray foam. My best guess is I spent 450 to 500 dollars on the build for materials and about 30 days of time in the evenings and on weekends when I wasn't working my day job. They take a very deep yellow base.įrosted Shower curtain - to block out behind the carved face. Sand - Any sand will work but Playsand is really consistent and nice to work with plus it is cheap Glue - Needs to be waterproof so I used Titebond II. Spray foam - I used and like Great Stuff Pro spray foam Hearing protection if you are spraying with a loud HVLP sprayerįoam Blocks - Free from Tractor Supply or any trailer retailer. Safety Glasses when using spray foam or sanding foam (the dust hurts your eyes. Tape measure - there were a lot of angle cutsīamboo skewers - to hold the foam pieces when glued. Webbing straps to hold the foam together when gluing ![]() Plastic sheeting - for under the foam to catch the sand, paint spray, glue drips, or whatever Paint equipment: I sprayed, rolled, and brushed on paintįlour sifter - to get chunks out of the sand as you reuse it. ![]() Shop vac or dust collector - I vacuumed up 5 contractor bags full of foam beads/ dustĪir compressor: to get the foam dust off the sculpture as you work.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |