Foam Removal Tips?

[MarkNY]

I have a bunch of foam to remove from my boat. Looking for ay tips on this process. So far ive used a square end shovel, wonder bar, hammer and putty knife for tools. Its been a bear of a job. Would appreciate any tips. thanks, mark

 

[Scott Danforth]

I chuck up a cup brush (wire brush that is cone shaped) into a cordless drill and grind it to dust, then vacuum with the shop vac. I add the drill extensions as needed to get into deep areas (and use leather gloves) to guide the brush.

 

[Quantumn]

I have had great success with both my sawzall and oscillating saw with a wide blade. The oscillating saw is ideal for getting close to the hull/stringers/bulkheads without causing too much of a blemish on what you don't want damaged.




Just be careful if there is alot of water. Electrocution is not good. Also a hand saw works wonders in block cutting the foam out as well. Hope this helps MarkNY.

 

[Woodonglass]

Do a "Tom Sawyer"!!! Tell your friends How much "FUN" it is and MAYBE they'll pay you to "Paint the Fence"...I mean remove all the nasty white foam!!! I've heard/seen about every tool in the book mentioned and used here on the forum and all with various results. Bottom Line...It's just not easy to do!!!! UNLESS the Tom Sawyer thing works!!!!!:yo:

 

[JASinIL2006]

I never found anything that worked better than the claws of a framing hammer for getting big chucks out, and various scraper-type tools to get down to glass. I didn't know about the wire brush trick when I was pulling foam, but I think it would work as well as anything, at least to clean out whatever's left after pulling out big chunks.

 

[gm280]

I guess I was lucky in that situation being how my foam was not poured in or sprayed in but laid in. But it was very heavy and soggy to remove with a shovel and garden type tools. Some chemicals will literally dissolve it, but then you have some nasty chemicals to deal with... Call the neighbors and tell them there is a huge piece of gold underneath somewhere and the one that finds it can have it,...OR, call the police and tell them you think there is some drugs smuggled into the country in the hull and they will tear every bit of that foam out to find it... Yea that's the ticket... :sorry: :facepalm:

 

[tpenfield]

The trick to cutting into foam is to make sure you are only cutting the foam

I tend to was on the boundaries of an area and use my wrecking bar to pry up big chunks. There is nothing fast about removing foam . . .

 

[ahmincha]

I used a post hole digger. Just be careful around the hull

 

[MarkNY]

thanks guys! I have a couple recruits that are going to help me!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Cut the foam with a sawzaw in a grid pattern ( about 3"x3" )..then take a claw hammer to it.

They also sell this flat blade that goes into your sawsaw called the 'Spyder'. That thing works well..and can get the foam off the glass without hurting it

Good luck man.

 

[chieftaing]

Never got to try one suggestion I read that sounded good - take a regular spade bit - maybe a 1" size to start with? Cut/grind off the point, chuck it as usual in a variable speed drill, and essentially "drill" out the foam. The flat part of the spade bit without the point prevents major hull/stringer damage, but the shape/edge on the spade bit eats thru the foam. Let us know how that works if you try it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Never got to try one suggestion I read that sounded good - take a regular spade bit - maybe a 1" size to start with? Cut/grind off the point, chuck it as usual in a variable speed drill, and essentially "drill" out the foam. The flat part of the spade bit without the point prevents major hull/stringer damage, but the shape/edge on the spade bit eats thru the foam. Let us know how that works if you try it.

thats what the cup brush does, however it does it with gusto and cleans the fiberglass as well.

 

[MarkNY]

This foam removal job is a nightmare! I will never use expanding foam in a boat after this experience. Suprised manuafacturers use it. This foam blocked all channels for drainage. The expansion of it even popped some welds on some sheet aluminum used for seat reinforcement. There is lots of crevices that have foam that i can barely get my hands into let alone tools. Is this a common experience? Hope i dont get burned out on this project before i even get to the fun stuff......

 

[MTboatguy]

Pour in foam is used by the majority of manufactures and it is a real B !tch to get out depending on the age of the boat, but it is needed for added flotation which is why the manufactures use it, also often times is also is used for quieting things down and structure, if you are not going to put it back in, then you need to work on a system to replace what it was put in there for.

 

[will w.]

I used an old fillet knife. Making cuts in a wedge pattern allowed me to pry good sized chunks out. Once i got a chunk opened up i could make short work of it by making cuts then using the claw hammer or pry bar.

 

[MTboatguy]

By the way, is that foam wet?

 

[MarkNY]

By the way, is that foam wet?

Yes the foam is wet at bottom. I left the boat uncovered over winter after i took the hardtop off knowing that I would be replacing the foam. I plan to replace it with rigid foam....

 

[83mulligan]

I used a sawzall and a pry bar. There is no easy solution. I like the cup brush idea and if i ever do it again will give that a go.

 

[jmlloar]

I used hand keyhole saw to cube it and hand scraper for garage floor to stick into cuts. Rock it and out pops big brick. Not much left to clen after that using a putty knife. Low risk of damge since only power tool I used was a shopvac

 

[Goldie627]

I know I'm late to the party, but, If you go the sawzall route, you can score the foam in squares, then prybar up a piece ata time, saves alot on cleanup, you can also score the foam then prybar the wet bottom, you might be able to get out some pretty big chunks that way too