I was recently checking out the new “FUSI” foam . Has anyone had a chance to try this yet? I noticed it was really strong but am still questioning the flex. The weight of a finished board was about the same as a poly board . And the stuff is suppose to closed cell . Thanks for your comments . Petey
how does it compare to Marko?
Saying its the same texture as PU do you mean that it’s 3lb density EPS?
When you say closed cell are you talking about XPS or just beaded EPS
Marko 1.5 seems better than Allied 2lb till you get deep then your back in bead country.
Not sure but I have seen a sample of a new XPS product (Not Dow/Owens Corning) it had extremely good compression strength but the weight was not typical of a polystyrene blank. We will see…
Hi Oneula and Meanshapes. I made a mistake the actual name of this foam is FUSR foam . And it is a molded eps (NOT XPS). I have yet to shape /glass one yet but saw the foam and it loks really nice /strong perhaps too strong. It tales quite a bit to break . I was trying to see if anyone has ridden one for some flex-strenth feedback . I think this will replace many types of eps. The marko foam is molded but I am not quite sure if it is closed cell maybe you could tell me Oneula. Anyway I saw a bunch down at cdr/laminations . Glassing looked easy and finished boards look a lot better than your standard eps board. Petey
I’ve only played around with Jim Richardson’s 1.4 and 1.8 molded blanks.
They seem fine and very smooth if you don’t get too deep into the core. I believe it’s closed cell but I could be wrong.
Meanshapes and crew are mowing quite a bit of the Marko foam up in Seattle
I think they gave up on cutting their own Insulfoam
JJ was shaping them on Eric’s DSD machine for a long time and was making boards around 4lbs for AI to test last year.
JJ said they were getting orders from other AI’s pro friends as well so they must be halfway decent.
I think Loehr said that Stretch and some other big name westcoasters were lining up with Marko for EPS.
JJ would rather mow through that EPS stuff than belt sanding Jim’s polypropelene surflight blanks anyday.
Jim’s been around and tried a bunch of stuff so I’d have to defer to his better judgement as he’s choosing to sell this blank over the rest but I’m sure there’s new and better stuff turning up all the time. That name FUSR foam sounds familiar but I can’t place it.
George Ku told me last year that when he visited the factory out in asia making his boards he saw foam blanks better than anything he ever had access to here in Hawaii. Stronger and lighter than Bufords, Bennetts and Clarks and unavailable to anyone outside of the factory. It was one of the reasons he went that route because he knew the boards would hold up and he’s known for making north shore strength boards.
Parmenter has already made the EPS move and has become somewhat of an expert mowing the stuff from what I hear. I heard you can’t tell the difference on the finish of one of his 2lb Insulfoam EPS foam shapes versus a one of his PU shapes but he’s doing a bunch of stuff you don’t normally do with PU to get it that way. Specialized tools and methods I guess.
I think in order for EPS to become adopted mainstream it’ll have to fit in with what ever setup everyone already has. So they don’t have to learn how to hot wire or buy those special grinder blades for their planers. Most real small guys don’t want to maintain two setups or techniques one for PU and one for EPS cause it’s expensive and the profit margins are so low out here anyway. If you admit to paying more that $500 for a shortboard or $700 for a longboard, most “regulars” will laugh you out of a line up claiming you’re a dork for paying the “beginners” price. It’s so weird to think that the better you are as a surfer the cheaper you believe you should get your equipment for but its a true and accepted fact at any local spot.
You must know that feeling being a shaper and all out here…
There’s just so many to choose from
Meanshapes - is that sample XPS from Lap EXTREME? does it need to be vented?
No a partner of ours did try the Lap Extreme bodyboard foam. He is a good source of reference as he is most unbiased. What we were told was it is a body board like foam that has the usual suspect issues that eps has. Shaping a little more difficult and Glassing Extra steps…
So many things to try. Its like going to 31 flavors!!!
The foam we have is from a company not involved in the Surf industry. It will not be available for some time. And possibly never. It is a type of XPS.
I met with a guy last week that brought a sample of an acrylic fused styrene.
GWS(Matt) right on the LAP review?
You seen any aerospace XPS yet that doesn’t gas?
The surface composition of XPS is just so much better than EPS and way more waterproof no water penetration at all like EPS for composite construction IF you can get around the snapping, binding agents and gassing problem.
The Professor (JR) says there’s tons of stuff in your area that no one knows about except a few very resourceful builders and folks in other industries. Resins, glass, cores and application techniques.
you’re well situated to be exposed…
As far as acrylic stabilized styrene blanks, wouldn’t the styrene outgassing/dust caused by the machine be a major biohazard?
In liquid form my understanding is styrene monomer with acetone is supposed to be a nasty toxin when placed anywhere on your skin. But there’s worse stuff I’m sure the arespace guys are used to dealing with in building military hardware.
Interesting times isn’t it…
Brings back memories when Eric was selling his no glass XPS all foam surfboard concept back in the early 90’s. Almost like Y’s very first boards I saw at Skedelski’s.
You are correct. We have access to many different types of materials. Unfortunately it takes lots of money to figure out if they are a viable alternative. I have seen many strange and exciting substances. Lots of cool hydro/modeling software being developed.
Nothing will be perfect but maybe something can be useful…
Almost forgot… Their does seem to be a gas released when cutting the styrene foams. Funny story I had a run of 30 go through which took me 8.5 hrs or so one day. All 2lb EPS. Around 4 oclock I decided to enjoy my favorite flavor of Anheiser busch (BL) I took a cool refreshing sip walked outside felt dizzy and blacked out. Since then I have installed better air circulation. My friend who found me mentioned that their was a obvious burning sweet plastic smell coming from the shop. As I grew up on BL it must have been the eps gas as the cutter was shaving the foam?
Hi once again Oneula and Meanshapes. Thanks for the commentary on the subject. I have been making a lot of XPS boards lately. (I am the licensee to do the XTR here in Hawaii ). And yes “Gassing” has been an issue with XPS foam. I think this issue alone makes it difficult for most glassers that directly come from the polyester industry. And Oneula I agree that most glassers do not have two set-ups for glassing (thus risking contamination issues.) Javier came down from Cali to show me how to glass the XPS - it was no easy mission as I am six months into the project and still learning about gassing issues of the XPS foam . Let me tell you first off there are two gassing issues with this foam - one while glassing , the other per-say you left the board in the hot sun.
I am really keen on building epoxy boards. I am not down talking Grubby for what he has done for the industry- but in a overall sense I believe that the closing of Clark Foam was just a seed for the outlook of the entire surf industry. All of a sudden there is so much interest in epoxy (which I still consider alternative) .
I think we are all in search of the perfect board composition . This hunger keeps the interest in trying new things , experimenting in new materials etc…
All in all I think there is no such thing as a perfect board or an indestructable board that will last to the next millenium . All we can do as boardbuilders is to try to do something different perhaps better thatr the next guy .
This is what Swaylocks should be about . A site by boardbuilders for boardbulders. Petey
Amen!!!
I worked with a guy who was pushing an owens corning product 4 years ago. The boards seemed bullet proof and had unreal snap and recoil. At least we thought so. Maybe the excitement of something different hahahaha. Guys loved them however they all ended up blowing apart. We are fortunate to have a bunch of wise sailboard builders left over up here from the gorge days. It is interesting to listen to their views on many of the epoxy boards. We have a few xtr boards floating around up here. We have extremely cold water, however during the summer locked up cars can reach the Xtruded boiling point. It just so happens that many of the surfers here go bootyless in the summer which prompts heel dents which compresses the foam. I think it is like 165 degrees or something cant remember. Anyway just about every one I know that has one in time it is the same old story deck bubbles and over time the holes turn brown. Dont get me wrong I like the boards. But hey guess what we have built pu boards that snap the first session. Our eps boards end up looking like golf balls after some time.
I guess its like going to the prom theirs only so many dances that night. do you dance with the not so good looking girl that ends up being your girlfriend? Or do you go for the gal that guarantees you the most fun you had in your life FOR ONE NIGHT… ;-0
I like the the short time fun gal myself, as I used to buy new boards all the time anyway. You might as well have the most fun possible on each wave. In life waves are numbered.
hahahahah
Hey Meanshapes!
I was in the EPS industry for 13 years until I got tired of the 70 hr. weeks and evening phone calls when the equipment broke and know exactly what you mean about the beer. What you inhaled was not pentane gas but styrene from the burnt foam. Polystyrene can release a lot of styrene vapor when hotwired or milled with a too fast rasp on a CNC machine. I was in Mayhem’s shop a few months ago when he was milling out some heavy density EPS and there was that unmistakable smell!
Anyway, make sure you use a respirator for organic solvents and a lot of ventilation, that stuff is really not good to breath at all. It affects the brain cells specifically and the liver secondarily. The styrene “hitchhikes” on the alcohol molecule and goes directly to your brain. Blacking out is never a good sign! Styrene monimer is a big no-no over here in Cali as far as the inspectors go. Best wishes with the EPS boards!