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DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 6:24 am
by Sir Thurat
For a while now, I've been using the gray Gold's Gym puzzle mat (4# EVA) from Wal-Mart for the box on just about all of my weapons. Sometimes I route it, sometimes I do a regular box build, depending on what I'm building. I've never sanded down the ridges on it.

The problem I'm having is getting good, lasting adherence when DAPing it. It seems like I'm using a lot of DAP, but the last few weapons I've built have had core separation within a month or so of use.

Are the ridges on the foam causing this problem, or is there some trick to dealing with 4# foam?

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 11:04 am
by Caleidah
My experience using the 4# Harbor Freight stuff is that the foam just drinks the DAP. I generally put a coat on the 4#, put a coat on the blue I'm using, and then another coat on the 4# for it to be good to go.

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2014 2:09 pm
by Remdawg Killionaire
two coats is the way to go, also mixed with thinner and use a paint gun

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2014 11:05 pm
by Sir Thurat
Thanks for the tips, guys. Definitely going to try doing the two coats.

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:06 am
by Thorne the mercenary
I've switched to using hot glue instead of DAP. If you read the warning label on DAP there are some serious health risks that come with using it. Also I like that hot glue dries really quick. I haven't had any issues with separation though I have heard that there can be problems using it in the cold. Has anyone else on here tried hot glue?

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:34 am
by Caleidah
Thorne the mercenary wrote:I've switched to using hot glue instead of DAP. If you read the warning label on DAP there are some serious health risks that come with using it. Also I like that hot glue dries really quick. I haven't had any issues with separation though I have heard that there can be problems using it in the cold. Has anyone else on here tried hot glue?

Hot glue will pop in the cold, and it isn't flexible. Just DAP in a ventilated area, or wear a particulate mask. Or both. The hazards are there, yes, but the benefits are too. Grab a fan, open a window, have at it.

Re: DAPing 4# Foam

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 9:11 am
by zimboptoo
If you have access to a bandsaw (preferably with a fence to keep it even) or belt sander, taking the ridges/texture off the surface seems to help a lot. I haven't had any problems with 4# separating since I started cutting off a very thin layer of the foam with my bandsaw to remove all the texture. (The 4# I use is 3/4" thick, so the small loss in thickness isn't generally a problem.)

Two coats of DAP is still usually a good idea, though. Once the first coat "dries", the second coat will sit on top of it rather than getting soaked in all the way.