expanding foam

[SamT]

After man handling a cast aluminium bilge pump thorough bagshawes knarliest under the strict instructions "dont bugger it up - especially those threads", I got to thinking.

we didnt want to risk just wraping it in a towel and stuffing it in a bag (besides it wouldnt quite fit).

How about - wrap it in clingfilm.

Line an approprialtly sized tackle bag with a bin bag. place object in bag. fill with expanding foam. let it set. then slice in half to reveal object. Object is un harmed (providing your cling film job was a good un. Your tackle bag is clean (providing your plassy bag doesnt have safety holes).
and you have a tackle bag shaped foam mould to house your precious object.

Obv. it will be more fiddly than that - but its just an idea at the moment. It could be used for other vessles such as Pelicases, darren drums etc.

waddya reckon - do you think its a goer.
Anyone got any ideas for alternatives to expanding foam - cause Ive used it once and vowed never again as its the messiest stuff in the world.

 

[darkplaces]

Expanding foam is the best.

Plan to use it to fill up a blow up boat for use underground so it doesnt pop when something sharp hits it.

 

[twllddu]

Mmmm, after having to deal with some foam "stalactites" in the house I would be interested to hear how you get the right amount in the boat without it going pop !

Otherwise it sounds like a damn good idea.

 

[mudmonkey]

Pricey for a one-hit job, that stuff's about 5 quid a tin. If you can reuse the mould afterwards it may be worthwhile.

Beware the tackle-sack with a constriction at the neck - would also roger daren drums etc. for the same reason

Darkplaces - like the thinking but the BIG advantage of a blow-up boat over what would become essentially a rigid one is portability - where do you want to use it? That said, at the price of blow-up boats you could do one that way and keep another for further in.....

 

[darkplaces]

Well mud I was thinking walk in with boat + foam tins. Create boat in big wet space. Cant say were but its in a pointy and wet place. Last thing you want is to be sinking fully geared up going down like the captin of the titanic. Yes more boats could be left for future use with more hope that they would be still floating next time.

I have to admit it wasnt my idea.

 

[Mine Explorer]

...walk in with boat + foam tins. Create boat in big wet space.

...and when you've filled it up with foam and finished with it??? Presumably you'll also be taking a saw with you to cut it up into small pieces to carry out again, so you're not polluting the underground enviroment with your modern rubbish?!

Yes more boats could be left for future use with more hope that they would be still floating next time.

Whoops no, looks like it's the empty chocolate wrappers and discarded boats brigade philosophy!

 

[darkplaces]

normally I would aggre with you, 'rubbish' should not be left but in this location leaving a boat is like leaveing ropes rigged for others. Damaged boats of no further use I would say should be removed.

 

[Mine Explorer]

To be honest I'm not sure I have strong feelings either way - so long as NAMHO guidelines are at least loosely adhered to.

Now a far more interesting area:

Cant say were but its in a pointy and wet place.

We can't be told where it is - often a sign permission hasn't exactly been granted, or it's a "secret" project that needs to be protected from "pirates", or what's to be seen is so wonderful it needs protecting from "mineral collectors", etc.

in this location leaving a boat is like leaveing ropes rigged for others.

So it's a location likely to be visited by other underground explorers on reasonably frequent basis - unlikely to be a secret dig, and leaving a boat would encourage "mineral collectors".

It's a "pointy and wet place", and, "a big wet space". Well slate has a nasty track record for being sharp & pointy (also for puncturing boats!), and there's a fair number of large underground duck ponds in old slate workings.

Now I wonder where Darkplaces has expressed a keen interest to visit, that has large flooded chambers that may require a boat to cross (and has a known track record of killing boats)??!!

MMMmmm, go on - how close am I??

 

[SamT]

had thought of the - darren drum would get stuck in there problem. but if you were to use a smaller vessel. say to keep your digi camera - use a baked bean tin - then you'll end up with a cylinder of foam that can be split in half and held together with snoopy loops/bungee.

Its just a :idea: type idea I thought Id share.

 

[darkplaces]

shooo quiet mine explorer.
Just a question of dont want to have to race or anyone hijacking things... Wish I hadnt said anything, you always read far too much into things and bang on about the rights and wrongs cant a rodent get on with the business you can all share in the joy when its done.

 

[Mine Explorer]

shooo quiet mine explorer.
Just a question of dont want to have to race or anyone hijacking things...

Now you HAVE got me puzzled? The slate mine I was thinking of is visited reasonably often and isn't exactly hushed up (it's well known for killing inflatable boats as well!) I'm certainly not aware of any time constriants on getting a butchers in there before it gets 'hijacked'!!!

....cant a rodent get on with the business you can all share in the joy when its done.

Yeah, certainly. Where ever it is, enjoy yourself and make sure you come out alive - internet ready hamsters aren't that common, I don't think we'd find another one :wink:

 

[mudmonkey]

SamT - potential issue that I'm sure you've thought of - what about the fact that things like pumps are funny shapes with holes in? Foam pushes quite hard, you could have a bugger of a time getting your mould apart? Not a problem for cameras etc, happily....

 

[SamT]

Hmm - not thought of that - provided you cling film is strong might not be a prob - but a good point.

Doesnt have to be a mega fit.

 

[darkplaces]

Good way of decending pitches quickly. Get inside a foam mould and bouce/roll to the edge.

You could use one of them bags that you use the vacume to suck (laymans term) the air out then placing that in the expanding foam. I would have thought any large strong bin bag would do.

 

[traff]

Reminds me of a local raft race that me and a mate entered.
We built a catamaran out of 500 boddington cans filled with expanding foam.
We found that by restricting the expansion and adjusting the amount injected, the density of the set foam could be varied from very light to seriously dense. A can filled with the latter proved almost indistructable.
Perfect for containing cameras etc.
We also found if the inside surface was slightly damp the foam expanded and set better.

 

[SamT]

cheers for the tip traff :up:

definatley on for trying this with some simple objects sometime - will let you all know how it works out.

 

[Dave H]

... We built a catamaran out of 500 boddington cans filled with expanding foam... We also found if the inside surface was slightly damp the foam expanded and set better.

Do you mean "just drunk"?