I bought some 2'x4' sections of 1/4" MDF and had them cut into 2'x2' squares.
Larry went to Allied Building Materials and purchased some 2'x8'x1" blue foam sheets.
Once we assembled the materials, Two Stooges Manufacturing took over. We clamped the foam between two sheets of the MDF squares and lined up the edges. We then used the MDF as a guide to cut the foam. Any roughness we sanded out.
Simple in practice...but apparently not simple enough!
When we applied the glue and clamped the foam to the MDF (for 30 min as per instructions) we noticed that the foam tended to pull away in the center. We tried different methods of applying glue (brush, spreader) and different methods of securing the foam (tape, clamps, weights).
Our final method was:
- Spread the glue thickly with a brush
- Tape it
- Clamp it
- After approx. 30 min. remove the clamps and put the boards under weight overnight.
The result was passable. I will say this...the 1/4" MDF glues to the 1" foam makes a very solid piece.
There were two..."oddities"
- The foam appears to have shrunk by maybe 1/16" to 1/8" along the cut edge. An astute person will note that it was probably a mistake in cutting, normally I would agree, However since we used the 2'x2' MDF sections themselves for cutting templates I can't imagine what it could be.
- Using 100 grit sandpaper the foam sanded up nice and smooth...except when it didn't. For some reason a couple of the cut edges began to peel in small sections rather than sand to a smooth finish. Very odd.
Tim, they call him...
