Getting rid of Great Stuff

[nimmor]

I am replacing the floor and decks in my 1979 Tracker. I have found where a previous owner has used expanding foam in several places on the boat. Has anybody found an easy way to remove this stuff? I have been hacking at it with a knife and chisel but this may take all year.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

A rasp in a reciprocating saw will turn it to dust in a heartbeat.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/PAWS-OFF-Woodhog-Rasp-1PMH3

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Yep, this ^^^^ ... I just used my regular reciprocating saw and it cut through it like butter. You can feel when the tip hits the hull and so you just back off a bit. You won't cut through unless you really, really force it...

Pry bar works pretty good to dig into to some of the tight corners or lift out big pieces you have cut.... With 2 people, I got all of my foam removed in about 2 hours...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

A regular old Carpenters hand saw works well. Cut into section and then use a pry bar to pop out the sections.

 

[oops!]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

i prefer a package of matches.....lol


oh.....wait a minit......dont try this at home kids

 

[andgott]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

i prefer a package of matches.....lol

A blowtorch works wonders... As does Gasoline

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

You can dig it out with a straight claw hammer, sink the claws in and pull it out in chunks... repeat as necessary. this is the way we remove foam blockouts in concrete work on the construction site.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

i prefer a package of matches.....lol


oh.....wait a minit......dont try this at home kids

A blowtorch works wonders... As does Gasoline

Detcord, TNT, C-4, thermite...but I prefer a Backhoe...Just kidding, well sort of...LOL

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

i prefer a package of matches.....lol


oh.....wait a minit......dont try this at home kids

A blowtorch works wonders... As does Gasoline

Detcord, TNT, C-4, thermite...but I prefer a Backhoe...Just kidding, well sort of...LOL

Ya'lls need to stop sniffing the resin. It's a RESPIRATOR not a handy containment vessel for HUFFING fumes.... The uncured resin isn't supposed to be applied to the filters prior to putting it on. Nor is advised to be applied after you put the respirator on either.......
Step out of the garage once a day whether you think you need fresh air or not.....

(insert 'crazy eddie' photo of PMC or oops grinding) <<--This photo should be hung near a mirror for reference... When YOU look like this, take the rest of the weekend off & step away from the resin.......

 

[nimmor]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Thanks for all the replys. The saws all cut most of the stuff away. I then kind of used the claw hammer ideal but used a small crowbar. I still have foam left to get out but it is going a lot faster now. I have always heard to never use expanding foam in a boat because it will absorb water and now I am a firm believer. While cutting into it water was just running out of it.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Thanks for all the replys. The saws all cut most of the stuff away. I then kind of used the claw hammer ideal but used a small crowbar. I still have foam left to get out but it is going a lot faster now. I have always heard to never use expanding foam in a boat because it will absorb water and now I am a firm believer. While cutting into it water was just running out of it.

Yes, the foam in a boat can and will absorb and hold water. The trick is don't let the water get into the foam in the first place. I would rather have foam in the boat and deal with a rotten stringer and transom in 20 years or more than have a boat with no foam that can sink like a rock. The foam serves a purpose, mainly for floatation during a sinking/taking on water but also serves other things as well like stability on the hull, vibration dampening etc etc.

Put the foam back in if your doing a rebuild imo. It is also required by law on 20 ft boats or smaller.

By the way, so I don't completely derail. handsaw works great.

Also "great stuff" is not what you want to use. You use 2lbs or 4lb 2 part closed cell foam. It does not absorb water as much as a open cell foam like great stuff. The denser the foam, the more water resistant it is. Good luck

 

[Trooper82]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Love the title to this thread, after reading what it was about...Getting rid of "Great Stuff"......it was a chore in my case, but I managed to get tennis elbow and a clean hull.

Edit: Just read CHrisCraft's reply...is "Great Stuff" a brand name?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Yep

 

[LilRedNeckGirl]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

all the jokes on great stuff, but lets not discount the product completely. if used above the water line, in areas that are not subject to ponding water, it is a good cheap addition to any arsonel.
it works great for, sound dampining , structural reinforcment, filling hollow areas not subject to water intrusion, etc.
On the older bigger boats, such as my 1985 wellcraft sportsman 248, there was no flotation foam installed. It relies, from what we can find, on air pockets. So we use the foam on areas that are dry, & above the water line, assuring at least a degree of sealed space for flotation.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

I hate the stuff but... I did see a pretty creative use of it on one of my Wood boat forums. The builder filled thick mil plastic bags with it and then heat sealed the bags shut. He then stuffed the bags under the deck and in the sides of the hull before enclosing it. Thought that was pretty ingenious. Expensive, but ingenious. The pour in stuff is WAY cheaper per cubic foot.

 

[wlg]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Swimming pool noodles!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

Coke bottles

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

OK in that case...

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

OK in that case...

Looks more like you're making a run to the city dump than installing flotation!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Getting rid of Great Stuff

OK in that case...

Lol, can you amagine pulling the deck on a restore and finding that in there,lol It may float but it sure looks funny.