Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Can anyone tell me what products I could use to fiber glass polystyrene.

Most resins and glues would just eat the stuff but surf boards have foam cores don't they?

Stuart I used it and also a polystyrene adhesive building props many years ago, I don't remember what it was but I just approached a fiberglass wholesaler in Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne who sold me what I needed.

I pretty sure the glass matting was the same, just the resin was the difference.

I don't think they're there anymore, any fiberglass wholesaler will do.

It worked a treat and the products would have probably improved a lot since then.

I think surfboards have a polyester resin over fibreglass cloth. Id imagine an epoxy resin would work too, Stu.

Ok so its possible.

Any good how to guides people can recommend?

Stuart here's a little bit of info:

http://www.epoxyworks.com/12/foam.html

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Gene ... ene-board/

http://www.rqriley.com/faq.htm

http://www.amcsupplies.com.au/index.php ... =15_16_156

That'd be the sort of stuff you're looking for. I've bought from them before, and they are competative with other places.

Are you planning on experimenting with coating foam rafts with fiberglass? Sounds like a painful job to me :p

Ahh...no. No way. Completely different application. Although I have found a source of polystyrene sheet WITHOUT the fire retardant for rafts.

Have to buy 36m3 at a time though.

i bought my poly fibreglass from them too, they have good service.
i wonder what the difference between "poly resin" and surfboard resin is though.

I think it's what the stuff is thinned with/based on. Things like acetone will melt through the foam in a heartbeat.

That said, I used the west systems epoxy resin quite happily on foam without a problem. I might also be the sorts of foam that cope better with the resin.

I did a whole lot of research on it when I built a hard top lid for a ute project. Forgotten most of it now though.



I'm imagining my wife coming home to see that much foam in our backyard. Would be interesting.

On my trailer it would be stacked 4m from the deck. Since the deck is about 500mm off the ground I would still be about 500mm under the legal limit.

For rafts I'm looking at the Latex paint you suggested as well as a bituminous one and a poly urethane one.

If its just the surface of the rafts I found that outdoor acrylic worked ok (unlike the rubberised paint) and I can get it for $2-4 per litre. I thought that a nice bright yellow would be good. Or maybe bondcrete if you want the natural look.

The foam in surfboards is (almost always) polyurethane, very stable, non-reactive stuff.
I worked with PUR for years and not much (can't think of anything offhand) would dissolve it once it has set/cured. To be honest I'd be scared shitless of anything that did.

From memory you can 'glass polystyrene, the trick was to apply sparing coats lightly to seal it before applying the coating properly. The sealing coats will dissolve some of the foam but not too much if you're careful/lucky. I'd practice on scrap foam first though, my memory could well be faulty... it has been before.

I imagine Ron Maggie will be a font of knowledge on this subject.

I used to use epoxy resin to glass the foam core wings when I was flying rc planes

Wrap it with aluminium foil before you glass it.