to Dale Solomonson

You had mentioned a while back when I posted a thread about Buoancy Billets that you had used them. I am having a hell of a time finding them, and the one place I did, they want $89.00 for a 10"x20"x96" piece. Is this in the ball park of what you paid? For that price I could get a finished blank and be done with it. I would of thought this foam would be all over the place down here (fl), because of all of the dock builders, but no dice. I have called Dow and they referred me to nothing but dead ends. Any suggestions? Thanks for any info.

You had mentioned a while back when I posted a thread about Buoancy > Billets that you had used them. I am having a hell of a time finding them, > and the one place I did, they want $89.00 for a 10"x20"x96" > piece. Is this in the ball park of what you paid? For that price I could > get a finished blank and be done with it.>>> I would of thought this foam would be all over the place down here (fl), > because of all of the dock builders, but no dice. I have called Dow and > they referred me to nothing but dead ends. Any suggestions? Thanks for any > info. Hey, Mike D., You probably won`t believe this story: the blocks of foam that I was referring to (mostly the orange stuff) were larger dimensioned, and I used to get them for free, or next to nothing, to from an old, retired chiropractor who also happened to have an even older, defunct marina that he was slowly dismantling; he has since died and so has my hookup. I will do some investigating.

Thanks for your response. You can’t beat that price with a stick.

Thanks for your response. You can’t beat that price with a stick. Mike D., I made a call to one of our local lumberyards, and they offer the (EPS white) flotation billets by special order, and the price was about $35 for their top of the line, plastic-wrapped, etc. The size was 9-0" x 10" x 20". Of course the lumber yard was not willing to give me specifics regarding who made the stuff, etc. I was told that in addition to the EPS white, local contractors also use the orange foam, pinks, blues... and the blue is used by experimental aircraft builders. If I find out any more, I will let you know; the price you were given sounds way too expensive... its a bit of a puzzle because it seems that this stuff is used in a lot of applications, in one form or another.

Mike D.,>>> I made a call to one of our local lumberyards, and they offer the (EPS > white) flotation billets by special order, and the price was about $35 for > their top of the line, plastic-wrapped, etc. The size was 9-0" x > 10" x 20". Of course the lumber yard was not willing to give me > specifics regarding who made the stuff, etc. I was told that in addition > to the EPS white, local contractors also use the orange foam, pinks, > blues... and the blue is used by experimental aircraft builders. If I find > out any more, I will let you know; the price you were given sounds way too > expensive... its a bit of a puzzle because it seems that this stuff is > used in a lot of applications, in one form or another. Mike D., This morning, I found up another lumber yard that carries 1 lb. density, EPS “Western Foam” brand (this is not a “Dow” foam under a different name, which they said costs more and is a high-end product) “Float logs”, 10" x 20" x 9`-0" each (non-encapsulated) at $25.00 each. They could not tell me any more details, though… sorry.

Dale - I’ve been checking your responses to this one too - thanks. Those are some far out stringerless/finless designs! Nice diagrams as well - do you have a background in drafting? http://www.surflight.com

Dale - I’ve been checking your responses to this one too - thanks. Those > are some far out stringerless/finless designs! Nice diagrams as well - do > you have a background in drafting? Hi, John, Not specifically, but I have had to regularly create scale designs, professionally, for over 30 years. By the way, those two finless sketches were never meant to be seen by anyone else but me (buried and almost forgotten), thats why theyre both so sloppy. If I ever do anything else for Swaylocks, it will be very clean. But, thanks for the thumbs up!

Hi, John, > Not specifically, but I have had to regularly create scale designs, > professionally, for over 30 years. By the way, those two finless sketches > were never meant to be seen by anyone else but me (buried and almost > forgotten), thats why theyre both so sloppy. If I ever do anything else > for Swaylocks, it will be very clean. But, thanks for the thumbs up! Dale, I’m a Mechanical/Piping Designer by trade, on CAD and drafting board, but most importantly, the brain. Engineering seemed to come naturally, even when I was a kid. No slouch on AutoCAD, but excel on MicroStation. If you, (or whomever), needs some specialty work, just holler. (like blank border drawings in your co’s title block, etc. You can figure it frome there.) Let me know if you want.

Dale, I’m a Mechanical/Piping Designer by trade, on CAD and drafting > board, but most importantly, the brain. Engineering seemed to come > naturally, even when I was a kid. No slouch on AutoCAD, but excel on > MicroStation. If you, (or whomever), needs some specialty work, just > holler. (like blank border drawings in your co’s title block, etc. You can > figure it frome there.) Let me know if you want. Thanks, Ozzy, You`re light years ahead of me. Dale

Thanks, Ozzy, > You`re light years ahead of me. > Dale …Dale, always with the compliments. You are truly, much man. (No joke.) – … and I was serious.

Mike D.,>>> This morning, I found up another lumber yard that carries 1 lb. density, > EPS “Western Foam” brand (this is not a “Dow” foam > under a different name, which they said costs more and is a high-end > product) “Float logs”, 10" x 20" x 9`-0" each > (non-encapsulated) at $25.00 each. They could not tell me any more > details, though… sorry. Dale, much thanks for the help. When you call these places up, do you just ask if they have eps foam? Maybe this is what I am doing wrong. I have been asking for the dow product or foam which is about the same. When you say that Western Foam is non encapusulated, does this mean that the foam is open cell and will draw in water? With 1 lb per cubic foot I’m thinking I would need at least a double 6oz on the deck and single 6oz on the bottom. I am going to try to see if western foam has a web site and see what they got going on, thanks again.

Dale, much thanks for the help. When you call these places up, do you just > ask if they have eps foam? Maybe this is what I am doing wrong. I have > been asking for the dow product or foam which is about the same.>>> When you say that Western Foam is non encapusulated, does this mean that > the foam is open cell and will draw in water? With 1 lb per cubic foot I’m > thinking I would need at least a double 6oz on the deck and single 6oz on > the bottom. I am going to try to see if western foam has a web site and > see what they got going on, thanks again. Mike D., I just asked for “dock floats” or “dock flotation billets”… “non-encapsulated” refers to a thin plastic (usually polyethelene) wrap placed around the raw foam that is now often required if the foam is to be used outdoors under a dock to forestall the material breaking down and polluting the environment. Both the orange and white are closed-cell foams and absorb minimal water. My best guess is that you can also obtain it for $25 per billet… or even less if you are fortunate enough to find a retired chiropractor with a defunct marina.

Mike D.,>>> I just asked for “dock floats” or “dock flotation > billets”… “non-encapsulated” refers to a thin plastic > (usually polyethelene) wrap placed around the raw foam that is now often > required if the foam is to be used outdoors under a dock to forestall the > material breaking down and polluting the environment. Both the orange and > white are closed-cell foams and absorb minimal water. My best guess is > that you can also obtain it for $25 per billet… or even less if you are > fortunate enough to find a retired chiropractor with a defunct marina. Sorry about that! I meant to say, “encapsulated” = plastic wrapped.