blue foam, pink foam, yellow foam?

What's the difference? I see references to blue foam all the time - why?

In article ,
Corrie wrote:
What's the difference? I see references to blue foam all the time - why?

because you can shoot it with a blue foam gun.

with pink foam, you have to hold it's nose till it turns blue, *then* shoot
it with the blue foam gun.

(*shamelessly* stolen from an _old_ 'elephant joke')

Here is the quick down and dirty on foam....

When you are talking about building airplanes there are 2 basic types of
foam, polystyrene (blue, pink) and polyurethane (tan, white, yellow). What
you really need to know is that polystyrene foam can be hot wire cut and is
very susceptible to fuel. Polyurethane should not be hot wire cut since it
emits cyanide gas when burned, but it is impervious to fuel. Generally
speaking, polystyrene foam comes in big blocks for hot wire cutting wings
and the like. Polyurethane foam normally comes in sheets or varying
thicknesses (1/4" to about 1"). The foams will also come in various
densities in weight per cubic feet.

When you talk about blue foam or polystyrene foam there is the construction
insulation stuff and flotation billets. The construction insulation has a
very small cell structure and I do not think it would bond very well to the
fiberglass. The flotation billet on the other hand has a more open cell
that will bond well with the fiberglass cloth.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

"Corrie" wrote in message
om...
What's the difference? I see references to blue foam all the time - why?

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:57:00 -0500, "Jeff" my last name @fidnet.com
wrote:

Here is the quick down and dirty on foam....

When you are talking about building airplanes there are 2 basic types of
foam, polystyrene (blue, pink) and polyurethane (tan, white, yellow). What
you really need to know is that polystyrene foam can be hot wire cut and is
very susceptible to fuel. Polyurethane should not be hot wire cut since it
emits cyanide gas when burned, but it is impervious to fuel. Generally
speaking, polystyrene foam comes in big blocks for hot wire cutting wings
and the like. Polyurethane foam normally comes in sheets or varying
thicknesses (1/4" to about 1"). The foams will also come in various
densities in weight per cubic feet.

When you talk about blue foam or polystyrene foam there is the construction
insulation stuff and flotation billets. The construction insulation has a
very small cell structure and I do not think it would bond very well to the
fiberglass. The flotation billet on the other hand has a more open cell
that will bond well with the fiberglass cloth.

There are several kinds of polystyrene insulation board. Usually
referred to as Styrofoam and Styrofoam SM in the construction trades
up here in Canada. Styrofoam is almost always white, and has a beady
texture. It is low density and rough. It is also available in big
blocks. Cheap foam coolers are made of this stuff.
Pink and Blue Styrofoam SM is often used as sheathing. It is higher
density and smooth. Usually comes in 2 foot widths, and with lap
edges. Occaisionally found in large blocks. This stuff has some
strength to it, where the white bead board is relatively low strength.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

"Corrie" wrote in message
. com...
What's the difference? I see references to blue foam all the time - why?

"Jeff" my last name @fidnet.com wrote in message ...
Here is the quick down and dirty on foam....

When you are talking about building airplanes there are 2 basic types of
foam, polystyrene (blue, pink) and polyurethane (tan, white, yellow). What
you really need to know is that polystyrene foam can be hot wire cut and is
very susceptible to fuel.

I wasn't going to mention this, but since you started talking about construction
materials later, I'll go ahead anyhow. Polystyrene also comes in white.

Thanks - exactly the info I was looking for!

clare @ snyder.on .ca wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:57:00 -0500, "Jeff" my last name @fidnet.com
wrote:

Here is the quick down and dirty on foam....
....

Hope this helps.

Jeff

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 10:27:10 -0400, "Ron Natalie"
wrote:




There are several kinds of polystyrene insulation board. Usually
referred to as Styrofoam and Styrofoam SM in the construction trades
up here in Canada.

Dow's trademark Styrofoam applies strictly to extruded polystyrene (and
in Dow's case it's blue, also a trademark of Dow). The pebbly white stuff
used for coffee cups and coolers is expanded polystyrene and is a misuse
of the trademark.

Check your facts. Dow made and sold white expanded "beadboard"
insulation under the Styrofoam label for years in Canada, and then
introduced Styrofoam SM rigid foamboard to the market. The SM was to
differentiate between 2 products.I believe Morval Durofoam used Dow
supplied styrene to produce the blown foam coolers and other "expanded
styrene"" products . They now also have an SP.

Dow Styrofoam is also used in crafts, where it is white. See:
http://www.dow.com/craft/index.htm

Also see: http://www.glacierbay.com/dowtest.htm where it states: "Dow
Chemical's "Styrofoam" brand name encompasses a wide range of
polystyrene-based insulation products. Included in our testing were
two versions, the common white "expanded" product and the "extruded"
Styrofoam Square Edge (see photo).

Styrofoam (expanded)- This is the product most people think of when
they hear "Styrofoam". It is white in color and comprised of
thousands of individual "beads" which are pressed together. The most
common use is as a cushioning material in shipping and packaging.
Although it is not intended for use as an insulation, it frequently
is. Most people have seen cheap coolers and ice chests made from it.
As an insulation, expanded Styrofoam has many qualities which count
against it. At R 3.84 per inch, the product is simply not a very good
insulator. Secondly, it is very hygroscopicity (absorbs and holds
moisture). This tendency to get, and stay wet, makes it something
to definitely avoid when looking at ice box insulation.

Styrofoam Square Edge (extruded) - This product is often called
"blueboard" due to its light blue color. In spite of its relatively
modest "R" value (4.92 per inch), Styrofoam SM is our overwhelming
recommendation for foam ice box insulation in marine applications.
Unlike its expanded cousin (above)and virtually all other foam
insulation, Styrofoam "Square Edge" is completely impervious to
moisture. This is a huge plus. While many other foams start out as
better insulators, they inevitably suffer significant decline as they
absorb moisture from the surrounding air. This is not the case with
Styrofoam SP. Another benefit of its hydrophobic nature is that no
"air gap" is required when installing it. This means that more
insulation can be packed into a smaller space. If is available in many
thicknesses and two sheet sizes."

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 17:19:53 -0400, "Ron Natalie"
wrote:


clare @ snyder.on .ca wrote in message ...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 10:27:10 -0400, "Ron Natalie"
wrote:




There are several kinds of polystyrene insulation board. Usually
referred to as Styrofoam and Styrofoam SM in the construction trades
up here in Canada.

Dow's trademark Styrofoam applies strictly to extruded polystyrene (and
in Dow's case it's blue, also a trademark of Dow). The pebbly white stuff
used for coffee cups and coolers is expanded polystyrene and is a misuse
of the trademark.

Check your facts. Dow made and sold white expanded "beadboard"
insulation under the Styrofoam label for years in Canada, and then
introduced Styrofoam SM rigid foamboard to the market. The SM was to
differentiate between 2 products.I believe Morval Durofoam used Dow
supplied styrene to produce the blown foam coolers and other "expanded
styrene"" products . They now also have an SP.

http://www.dow.com/styrofoam/na/about/regtm.htm

Dow does not make the disposable foam products. That I agree with.
They DID and possibly still do make white beadboard insulation panels,
and white craft foam under the styrofoam name. They were sold here in
Canada, whether they were made in the USA or not I don't know, or
particularly care.

I have documented it well enough. I have used enough of it over the
years, back in the sixties already, when all you could get was the
beadboard type Styrofoam up here in the cold white north.
It had "Styrofoam" and "DOW" printed on it in blue ink.

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 18:19:53 -0400, Ron Natalie wrote:


clare @ snyder.on .ca wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 10:27:10 -0400, "Ron Natalie"
wrote:




There are several kinds of polystyrene insulation board. Usually
referred to as Styrofoam and Styrofoam SM in the construction trades
up here in Canada.

Dow's trademark Styrofoam applies strictly to extruded polystyrene (and
in Dow's case it's blue, also a trademark of Dow). The pebbly white
stuff used for coffee cups and coolers is expanded polystyrene and is a
misuse of the trademark.

Check your facts. Dow made and sold white expanded "beadboard"
insulation under the Styrofoam label for years in Canada, and then
introduced Styrofoam SM rigid foamboard to the market. The SM was to
differentiate between 2 products.I believe Morval Durofoam used Dow
supplied styrene to produce the blown foam coolers and other "expanded
styrene"" products . They now also have an SP.

http://www.dow.com/styrofoam/na/about/regtm.htm

The different parts of the Dow site put a slightly different twist on
this. A similar page on the craft part of Dow's site acknowledges that
they sold Styrofoam insulation that was in colours other than blue.

http://www.dow.com/craft/about/cup.htm
--
Kevin Horton RV-8 (finishing kit)
Ottawa, Canada
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/

In article , clare @ snyder.on .ca
writes:


I think this is more evidence of the dumbing of American and Canadian
industry. Most large companies have "dumbsized" to the point they have
no-one left on staff who knows anything of the company's history, or
about any products they made more than 10 years ago. ( get rid of all
the old guys - they cost too much in benefits - we can get young
blood, fresh out of college, with fresh ideas, for half as much) One
division has ;little or no knowlege what the other division does.



Which ultimately results in mistakes that were made and corrected years ago
will now be repeated.


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)