how did you cut out foam?
 

I've tackled my first small project, an older jones brothers cape fisherman 17 that needed a new floor. I would also like to cut out the foam because when I removed the deck there was standing water on the top of the foam (they didn't completely fill the cavity). So far I have used various saws which cut into it just fine. The issue becomes when I try to remove a section I have cut out. The foam still has a bond to the bottom of the hull and stringers, which I cannot break free without breaking up the foam and making bunch of small pieces. I'm going to try to create a hot wire that would allow me to cut out a majority of the foam out and then just scrape up the rest with a putty knife. Anyone tried this? Please let me know what did/didn't work for you in your projects
Thanks for the help so far!
-alex.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

I used a sawzall to cut around the edges then a garden hoe to pull it out. I believe small pieces may be unavoidable.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

There is a product called Motsenbocker's Lift Off Silicone Latex Caulk and Foam Sealant Remover, I have not tried it for your application. Do a search, you might squirt some down the cracks and see if it will help the bottom release.

Just a thought. Let us know the results if you try.

I bought some at BOW in Riviera Beach, FL.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

spade shovel

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

Depending on how big a piece you want to cut out at a time, you might want to use a buck saw blade. (The kind that is mounted on a steel frame similar to a hacksaw and is used for limbing out a tree or cutting firewood when you don't have a chainsaw available.) Make sure you make some sort of handale to protect your hand. Cutting a paint stirer in half and riveting that to the sides of the blade is one idea that comes to mind. To cut the blade, you could use a grinder I am sure and to pop rivet it and drill holes I'd would you use a stone of some sort that would normally be used in a dremel tool. You could mount that in the standard electric drill for what you're going to be doing. I don't think the standard drill bit will easily drill through that blade.

To use it, just work it under the foam and start the sawing motion, keeping the blade flat against the fiberglass and your hand end up just a bit for clearance. The blade will flex enough to allow this.

Just a thought. Good luck.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

Endured maybe? suggested using a prerssure cleaner and blast it out. Messy , but effective I believe.
GFS

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

After doing a small 16 ft boat a few years ago I can tell you no matter which way you go it's a royal pain

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

Sounds like it might just be a long day. I think I will just grab the sawzall and a shovel and go to work. I do like the idea of the bucksaw but by the time I get it some kind of system down I might just be better off with the sawzall.

Has anyone filled a boat with foam without the deck on before? I plan on slowly adding more foam until I just get above the stringers and cut/sand the rest flush with the stringers. I was thinking of covering the exposed foam with resin before I put the new deck in. Waste of time? Let me know what you think. This is my first time and I'm not too worried about messing anything up, but I definitely do not want to create anymore work for myself.

I appreciate the feedback so far!
-alex.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

Putting a coat of resin on top sounds good until you think about eventually having to remove it, or part of it, later on. That resin over the top could end up costing more time and aggravation than its worth. Maybe a coat of some kind of paint or something just to seal it. I would be very interested in other members thoughts on this question.

Re: how did you cut out foam?
 

I did not closely monitor the progress but there was a guy removing the foam from the hull of a 16' Mckee using a Awesome Auger ( the device the late Billy Mays advertised to plant flowers. It seemed to work well and the waste was small enough to remove with a shop vac. He did the whole boat in a long Sat. of work. Was a lot of foam scrap in the dumpster when he finished.