Need some help, Just ordered the urethane foam. Was wondering if you would share with me some information. Will be using 11/2inch pvc piping. though about using a one foot long peice of piping to pour into. Question? How much mixture should i mix up for this. Not fixed on the length of pipe can change, need some sugestions from someone who has done this. Can pour more than one pipe at a time if this is possible because of time restraints.Shure hope this makes since.By the way have been getting rod maker magazine for one year and have been reading this phorum for a year. Thank you for your willness to share your expertise. Have realy enjoyed reading your coments. Also thanks to Bill Stevens for all his time he has spent with me. Not for him i would have made many mastakes. Bill has shared a lot of information with ne. THANKS

At temperatures above 70F it won't take much to fill a foot long 1-1/2 inch pipe. In the article photos, you're looking at a tube of that same diameter and about 15 inches long. It only took 2 ounces of material to expand and not only fill the pipe, but overrun it by a good amount as well. Now as the temperature drops, you don't get as much expansion although the overall density or the core will remain about the same. This is something you'll have to experiment with depending on your personal working environment.

It takes about 20 seconds to fully mix it and then you have another 20 or 25 for pouring, so yes, you could fill 2, or 3 or maybe 4 tubes with a couple ounces each. The trick would be having everything set up so that you aren't fumbling around during that 20 to 25 second window. Get your tubes ready, have some means of holding them upright and keeping the mandrel centered in the top of the tubes. Then pour away. You can guess on how to appropriate the amount or you can make marks on your mixing container.

One thing I should add - the foam mix remains liquid for more than the 45 second window for mixing and pouring, but anything poured much after that 45 second window has closed may contain voids and air pockets. After 45 seconds the stuff still appears liquid but it's changed enough that it no longer flows and releases air very well.

I also tried pouring 8 cores yesterday in the rear of my building where the temperature was just 58F. Everything worked fine, but the expansion was probably only half what it is at 70F and I didn't get perfect cores - they had slight imperfections here and there. But they were more than good enough for about any use. Still, I'd try to keep my room for storing, mixing, pouring and curing at least 65F+. There is no problem with odors or harmful fumes (CO2 is released) so you can easily do this indoors. Just make sure you cover anything you don't want urethane foam stuck to. Once stuck, you're stuck with it.

..................

Walter, if you are going to use the filled PVC Pipe for a Cajun Anchor in the Marsh it would be better if you filled it with a brass rod. If you are going to use it for grips how are you going to get the foamy out of the PVC pipe? When you do find a way to get it out cut is up in pieces, shape it and show me a piece of your handi-work. I will surely look at it and simply say "Flock It"! Hope you catch my drift! }>

Not Fishn Jus Funin!

i poured several today to make some stock to have on hand. i use 1.5" pvc. i put either a 1/4" or 5/16" rod so each piece is already center bored. i have found that trying to go much longer than about 24" can be difficult to remove due to the surface tension inside the pvc. just have everything ready to pour before mixing. good luck

Tom, when you mixed the 2 ounces for a 15" section do you pour the entire mix in?

Yes, and it was more than I needed at that temperature. But like epoxy, if you try to mix extremely small amounts, you won't be sure of getting a pretty accurate 1 to 1 mix ratio. It doesn't have to be absolutely exact, but it should be pretty close.

......................

What do you use for clean up of mixing containers and measuring containers?

They sell 6.5 0z graduated plastic cups for 25 for $4 at U.S./ Composites. They are listed under accessories.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

When you guys say 2oz is that 2 of each or 1&1. Thanks

I think I was mixing 2 ounces of each part, so 4 ounces total. Sorry for not making that clear. I think I did make it clear in the article, however.

....................