Foam Sheets And Glue

[batmanvspredator]

Just looking for the best glue out there to attach foam sheets togther.  The thicker sheets youd buy at a hobby store to make armor bits and what nots.  As if yur were going to make some full body armor thing.  I thank you in advance.

 

[wonko]

I use Pacer Zap-O foam safe CA and love the stuff.  It's easy to work with, and won't eat foam like most CA glue does.  I've also used regular Zap in small amounts with very little problem, but too much glue can cause the foam to disintegrate, so go easy if you use it.  Worst case scenario for me is hot glue, but that's only if I have no other options.

Brian 

 

[QCVader]

I've used hot glue with no issues.

 

[Estelle]

If you’re talking about sheets that are of the same thickness as the EVA foam mats that look like puzzle pieces, the research I’ve found suggested using a good contact cement.

 

 

[wonko]

If you’re talking about sheets that are of the same thickness as the EVA foam mats that look like puzzle pieces, the research I’ve found suggested using a good contact cement.

 

I would agree with Estelle.  I've also used contact cement, and have had good luck with the Barge brand rubber cement that's been recommended by some guys here with more experience than I have.  The thing about hot glue (imho) is the mess it makes compared to other methods.  I've also found that if the glue is too hot it deforms the thinner sheets, and if it's not hot enough it won't stick worth a darn.  Seems to me like everyone has their ow personal favorite method, and as long as the foam sticks together I would say it's fine,

Brian 

 

[Lflank]

Just looking for the best glue out there to attach foam sheets togther.  The thicker sheets youd buy at a hobby store to make armor bits and what nots.  As if yur were going to make some full body armor thing.  I thank you in advance.

Foamies are by far my favorite material.  Give me enough foamies and enough glue, and I think I can make absolutely anything.  

I usually just use hot glue to attach pieces together. Just be careful not to slop the hot glue around, because it's VERY hard to get off without taking away bits of foamie with it.

You'll also need to seal and stiffen your foamie pieces (foamie is not very strong by itself, and it also soaks up paint like a sponge). There are a couple different ways to do that. Some people coat their foamies with casting resin, which stiffens and hardens it and also gives a smooth surface for painting. It's pretty pricey stuff, though, and it cures pretty quickly so you can only do small areas at a time.  Some people use fiberglass and resin to reinforce the inside of their foamie pieces, and coat the outside with a layer of resin to seal it.  That works well, but the resin is pretty pricey stuff, and some people (like me) find that the fiberglass cloth is irritating to their skin. The method I use is to seal the foamie with two layers of watered-down elmers glue, then use undiluted elmers to glue a layer of plain cotton muslin cloth into the insdie of each piece.  That is not as strong as resin, but also not as heavy or expensive as resin.

 

[JARVIS DIMMIAS]

I would agree with Estelle.  I've also used contact cement, and have had good luck with the Barge brand rubber cement that's been recommended by some guys here with more experience than I have.  The thing about hot glue (imho) is the mess it makes compared to other methods.  I've also found that if the glue is too hot it deforms the thinner sheets, and if it's not hot enough it won't stick worth a darn.  Seems to me like everyone has their ow personal favorite method, and as long as the foam sticks together I would say it's fine,

Brian 

Wonko is correct.  I personally really like hot glue projects in costuming, however I do have 2 guns. 1 is regular and the other is a low temp.   In my opinion it sticks practically anything together and is cheap so great for budget builds, but with the foamies if you go this route as wonko said, regular may be too hot and deforms or melts the foamie.  Thats why I use the low temp gun with these,  its just right to melt the glue but not too hot to melt the foamie. works great, and they can be found at any store like AC moore, or Michaels. 

 

[Estelle]

@ Brian, Almost every tutorial I’ve found dealing with the ½” EVA foam builds was put together by experienced builders…I just hope it’s as easy as they make it out to be. But I agree, as long as it holds together I’m good.
~Estelle

 

[batmanvspredator]

Absloutly wonderful info.  I appreciate it.  One of my friends is getting into foam making armor like you said estelle its the puzzle like mats.  I told him id use hot glue also but he insisted on me finding out more info.  So again I thank you all for the quick responces.  As its been well over some years to me posting in the forum but Im on it almost every day reading.  Just hiding in the dark.  Thanks

 

[Nador]

Foam sheets, foam mats, what ever, Hot glue is THE material to use, well I've never had problems with hot glue, unless you live somewhere where it's always summer, you might want to use something else if you don't want to get your stuff unglued by the warm...

 

[Lflank]

Foam sheets, foam mats, what ever, Hot glue is THE material to use, well I've never had problems with hot glue, unless you live somewhere where it's always summer, you might want to use something else if you don't want to get your stuff unglued by the warm...

I live in Florida and have never had any problem with the heat softening the glue or making it come loose. And I use the low-temperature gun and glue sticks, because as several people have noted, if the glue is too hot it can melt or wrinkle the foamie. (I use a heat gun to shape my foamies, so I have to always be careful I don't wrinkle it.)

I should also make it clear that I use craft foamies, not the really thick floor-mat puzzle pieces. I like my armor as thin and lightweight as possible. The thin foamie I use is about 1/8 inch thick and comes in big rolls; the thicker foamie that I use is about a quarter-inch thick and comes in 9x12 sheets.  Both are available at any arts and crafts store.