Thank you for making this video!!!!! It was very helpful and instructive. After searching the web for several hours, I found nothing to answer the questions I had about what kind of foam to use and how best to mold it. This video answered 90% of my questions. This video has earned BJB Enterprises a new customer
Good questions. We have had previous inquiries to archery targets and you are on the right path. A good product to look at would be our TC-277 4-pound density self-skinning foam. It is lighter weight than our TC-280 self-skinning foam and is stiffer than our cushion flex foams. You can adjust the ratio to vary the firmness. You add BJB color pigments and paint on top of that for more realism. Contact us through our website to request some cured samples of foam. -BJB
Sir if we want to use this product in thermal insulation ( indusrial pipes of a refregeration system ) how much density and air should we use to produce a rigid foam ?
Great video, which foam would you recommend that would satisfy the following requirements: VERY Light, high compression(very thin when compressed), springs back to normal shape with a lot of force. I would really appreciate the feed back I have an idea for a product and think foam is the answer. Thanks
Thanks for this amazing video. I see you've got there a propeller blade. Is that made with 4lbs foam? Is the pour done at the base and the foam expands to the tip where here is a hole or the other way (pour at the tip and expands towards the base. Is the mold held vertically? Thanks.
Hi, the propeller blade was likely a 6-10 pound foam for structural support. The lower density foams are considerably more brittle, while the 6-10 pound tend to be used more often in composite applications where strength is needed. Having said that, we have used the lower density foams successfully on lighter composite structures like UAV wings/tails and other similar applications. Thanks for the question! -BJB
I'm looking into making my own foam archery target with self healing properties. Any input as to which way I should go? I was thinking a higher density self skinning foam and possibly playing with the A to B ratios to get the self healing properties. Any thoughts?
***** Yes, you would need an inner shell to contain the foam and define the desired shape. Typically larger foam tools are built with something light and stiff like epoxy/fiberglass or our BR-75D rigid shell material. If you take a mold off of the sculpted armor piece, you can use bricks of clay pressed into the negative mold to simulate the desired thickness of the foam armor and then build the inner mold shell off of that surface. Usually people will lay in some thin plastic (like household plastic cling film), spray an appropriate mold release, and then build the shell from there. -BJB
Hi Great video and very helpful. I'll be checking out your site right now ..will email you with a few questions I have. Please make another video with you pressing down on the other foams you have on the table. It will give us a great idea of what we are looking at and might want to buy. It's also great that you labeled each foam cube. Thanks
Which product can be used to make archery targets? self-skinning, maybe self-healing(returns to shape). partially rigid, enough to stop crossbow bolts. thanks
If i want to make a sandal/flipflop like shoe, and nail it to a surfboard.. it would need to be flexible but at the same time strong enough to keep its shape, and not tear apart....Is polyurethane foam what i should use?
Hi Christian, you will likely not have enough tear strength with just a urethane foam for this. You would need to incorporate some fabric mesh or a tougher urethane skin to provide the strength and let the foam provide the comfort. If you are trying to make these parts for prototypes and are serious about mold making and casting, please email our tech team to get the best support for materials and techniques: info@bjbenterprises.com
Hi Bill, thank you for your comments. For foam systems we do not use any sort of deairing process because the system will produce air bubbles on its own in the end. If you are referring to other casting systems in which air bubble entrapment would produce low quality castings, ultrasonic vibration is a very inefficient way of extracting trapped air vs vacuum. Vibration works well on concrete, liquid metals, and ceramics because of the high level of filler content and difference in density of the liquid carrier vs fillers. The viscosity and surface tension of the liquid carrier also plays a huge roll in the process. For our material process, vacuum is more useful and much more efficient than vibration.
Hi Bobby, great question. Slush casting foam has a high potential for failure because the skin of the foam is formed by back pressure (like you get in a closed mold). You might be able to get away with it if you first brush in a layer of flexible urethane to create the skin surface and only use the foam as a support material. To have consistency and ensure good results, a core may be the way to go.
Yes, that would work. Depending on how soft you need the foam to be, I would look at our Polysoft 1 or 2. bjbenterprises.com/index.php/polyurethanes/foams/flexible/
We don't formulate our foams to give that range of densities. We create a product in a specific density so the customer does not have to manage the chemistry on their own.
+Philip Borel-Saladin Hi Philip, the flexible foams are not completely closed cell foams. They would absorb water if submerged in water. What you could do to avoid that is apply a flexible urethane skin in the mold first and then cast the foam behind it. This way you have a sealed foam and avoid the water issue. If you are covering the foam with upholstery, then it may not be as much of an issue. Keep in mind urethane foams are not UV stable and would need some sort of covering to prevent long term discoloration and break-down. Thanks.
+Richard Clark Hi Richard, I'm not sure I understand your question. We do not offer a foam system that is designed to be brushed into a mold. The problem is that foams are so fast that if you start to brush them, you will destroy the cellular structure as you brush. If you are looking for a flexible skin material that can be brushed into a mold, then yes we have materials like that. bjbenterprises.com/index.php/polyurethanes/brushable/
+BJBEnterprises Hello thanks for your reply, what i need is a foam as i need it to be a reosonable thicknes in the grp mold i have but also be smooth so i can push the form into a sand mold for metal casting fill in above it with sand then pour teh metal the foam will just melt away
Hello Khalid, you would purchase rigid pu foam. There is no way to make a flexible foam into a rigid foam. Please see our TC-300 system: bjbenterprises.com/index.php/polyurethanes/foams/rigid/tc-300-a-b/
The polyurethane foam will want to bond with most surfaces unless you apply a proper mold release. Silicone molds are different because the silicone is self releasing, but the foam will still want to grab onto the surface and you risk tearing the outer skin as you pull it away. So in short, you want to apply the proper release as mentioned in the video or speak with one of our helpful techs who will be happy to point you in the right direction based on your mold material. 714-734-8450 or info@bjbenterprises.com
There are some high quality poly sheet materials that the foam will likely not bond to. However, if the volume of foam cast is large, the natural heat (exotherm) of the foam may cause the plastic sheet to melt and your non-stick properties can go away at that point. So you may want to keep that into consideration.
Thanks for your feedback. If you are looking for a light yet stiff flex-foam, the TC-277 would be our best option. It is a lower density (4lb) system but is unique in it's relative stiffness compared to other flex-foam. Give us a call or email our Tech Dept. to get a cured sample. 714-734-8450 info(at)bjbenterprises(dot)com
I am a businessman I want to start a foam production company. Inquire about the price of the machine, and know the chemical formula in foam printing with different levels of quality (density) Can you send the details
I was impressed by your teacher's instruction. Well done. I make some parts for antique motorcycles . Lost wax for unavailable hard parts but I will try your system for soft stuff. After some practice, I could probably help a lot of restorers. Glad I found you. WBHICCUP
+TheFavorate Hello, the A side is the Iso side and the B side is the Polyol. So to answer your question , we are using the US form of defining the Iso/Polyol ratio. In polyurethane chemistry, the Iso A-side is not always higher than the Poly B-side.