Can squirty foam be used where it will come into contact with polystyrene insulation? Thought I'd better ask in case the solvent in the squirty foam attacks or dissolves polystyrene.
- posted
13 years ago
Can squirty foam be used where it will come into contact with polystyrene insulation? Thought I'd better ask in case the solvent in the squirty foam attacks or dissolves polystyrene.
The best part of 50 years ago we had a shop manager who was interested in model aircraft
- he'd usually got part of one under the counter which he'd get out and work on if it was quiet ...
The first time we opened a box and found these new, solid white packing blocks instead of the traditional cardboard, he picked up a piece and thought it might be useful for building model aircraft.
So, he reached under the counter and produced a bottle of dope. Now, to this day, I still don't know why he thought he might need to apply dope to it ...
Anyway, he applied a drop of dope to the expanded polystyrene and we all watched as it dissolved its way through the block to the shop counter ...
And petrol, it ain't ...!
Rubbish!
Use it on the merkin w*****s currently infesting this group.
MBQ
No, it's dope. Now if only we knew what you mean by dope.
You paint it on tissue when making model aircraft. It makes it shrink and tauten up.
Not just model aircraft. Acetone solvent IIRC.
Andy
I think he knew that ...
Well thinned cellulose acetate it was (basically thin nail varnish or thick hairspray). My one childhood effort at making a balsa and tissue aeroplane ended in about 2 seconds of flame, when I finished my kit and then turned round to play with my chemistry set...
Incidentally, it would be a pretty odd petrol mix that would dissolve polystyrene.
On the other hand, if you actually want some dope, a half jam jar of acetone or chloroform dissolves an astonishing number of disposable polystyrene coffee cups (from my bored lab tech days).
And back to the OP, I would think it quite likely the solvents in squirty foam would dissolve polystyrene, if they came into contact while it was still uncured.
S
The only practical way to know for sure is to try a sample run and see.
There are too many variables involved - What type of plastic is used in the brand of "squirty foam" you're planning on using? Is your insulation
*REALLY* polystyrene, or is it just something that looks similar, but is actually something else? Exactly what solvent (or more likely, what combination of solvents) is used in your brand of "squirty foam"? Even if the squirt stuff you're using isn't styene-based, it might still be using solvents that will eat styrene. And so on...Basically, without knowing EXACTLY what your planned combination is, there's no way for anyone out here in "internet-land" to be certain. "Test a small sample" is the best advice anyone can give you.
cellulose acetate or butyrate dissolved in xylene, acetone or methyl ethyl ketone.
Its a standard word.
dope is not styrene based.
they dont.
Only if you move in those circles where it's used as a standard word.
MBQ
I meant. look it up in any dictionary.
Its been used around aircraft since WWI.
So did I.
Lots of words can be found in a dictionary. Doesn't mean they are all in everyday use for most of the population.
So that covers what proportion of the population?
MBQ
Fuck to what proportion of the population it covers. I'd expect people here who were once small boys (perhaps you weren't) to have at least some rudimentary knowledge of plane or boat building.
Look up "de Havilland Mosquito" in Wikipedia and see the "Construction" section.
It wasn't me who didn't know what dope is.
Why?
MBQ
I've just tried it and no problems - other than the usual one of the tube on the nozzle blocking damn fast.
In message , Man at B&Q writes
Any Biggles readers:-)
regards
OK, I'll amend that to "(perhaps OP wasn't)" but otherwise my point stands.
Because this is uk.d-i-y and not uk.ladies-knitting-circle
I just said it was cellulose acetate.
Bet it would work with polyststyrene too.
Rather you than me.
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