I got a block of 2 lb. EPS foam and I was wondering what glue works best glueing the stringer in place. I am using pvc sheeting for the stringer. Thankyou.
Jon
Roo Glue … Rooglue.com We use Roo Clear for PVC. 3M Super 77 works well too and is fast. Wire, glue and shape in an afternoon. With Roo you have to wait two days before shaping but it is water based so if your not in a hurry I prefer that. Roo also holds indefinately while 77 will let go after some time. Doesn’t matter if the board is finished or even just glassed.
I tried both Elmer’s & epoxy before switching to Gorilla Glue. GG holds everything I’ve tried it on that has anything to do with surfboards…and it cures soft like foam so it doesn’t bother your hot wire or your planer or even sanding screens.
3M Super 77 is Spray correct?
Also, I’ve been looking hard through the discussions but it’s so hard to find a specific answer.
I shape High Performace Shortbords now and then, pretty standard fare off of 6’4 Rs and such. I want to switch to EPS.
My question is what are the best densities and types. I keep seeing to use insulfoam. I’m in san diego so I guess I will be ordering through home depot unless you have a better suggestion. I’m coming up to cerritos but I’m jonesing to make my first one so help would be very appreciated.
2# seems standard but Greg you mentioned some new densities. Can a bckyard guy get that stuff and how…Also will I be able to get my hands on your epoxy and the special agents and what not? What are typical minimum quantities?
Change is good!
Love the Super 77 hint! I was wondering how long you needed to leave bar clamps on with the Roo Glue, but seem with 77 you’d only be looking at about an hour or so?
Benny, I believe Gorilla Glue is 100% polyurethane. wouldn’t the epoxy resin have a negative reaction with the GG at the glue line?
I think if you were using regular resin and the glue was some sort of EPS you would worry about the neg reaction but from all I’ve read epoxy and PU work fine together, think epoxy glassed clark blank.
I’ve never seen any reaction at all. You’re right, its expanding polyurethane (wonder if it contains TDI?) but it sets up very porous & foamlike. Even if there’s no chemical bond, I’m sure the epoxy gets into the pores & sticks well. Epoxy has no chemical bond with balsa, but it sticks extremely well to that.
You might have it wrong way 'round. Epoxy is fine on polyurethane blanks, its poly resin that eats polystyrene…
Benny, I don’t know what I was thinking. I did have it wrong way around. my brain has been overloaded lately. sorry. I do know for certain that if you get that stuff on your hands it will not come off for weeks. Here is a picture of my hand after about a week and still ucky
Yeah Benny. I read the label on the bottle of PU glue that I got, and it does contain TDI.
Shipman, if I were you I would use gloves when you use that stuff.
PEace
Hey Benny, just curious as to why you prefer the GG to elmers? I have tried both but generally use elmers as it is cheaper, have you had any trouble with it?
by the way i tried the Krylon H2O paint you posted about a while ago, it was so butter. I did a quick but incomplete seal with spackle just to fill in the small voids and rips and then painted with the H2O; easiest way yet. hopefully they will come out with more colours.
cheers
…Hey Greg, if I go with SINTRA stringer…I should sand it until the super 77?..
Hey Pat - I guess I prefer the GG over Elmers because back when I was gluing up Home Depot (thin) panels to bake blanks, where the thickness came out under the nose & tail I found the glue line to be very stiff. So when shaping it, it either left a ridge or tore out foam. Its fine glue, sticks EPS together well. The problem was in the shaping.
It also, in my cold garage, needs to sit at least 24 hours. When I’m just getting started on a board, nothing can happen fast enough. GG is 3-4 hours, and I’m on to the hotwiring or cutting. That’s not a choice for quality, just more fun 
I also found the Elmer’s brand expanding PU glue (with a blue bull on the front) is less than half the cost of GG brand glue. If all I had to work with was the little 4 oz bottles of GG, I’d be less quick to recommend it…