Where do you get your substitute for Dollar Tree Foam Board?

[TheFlyingBrit]

Just outta curiosity, how much does dtfb weigh, per m^2? I assume people peel off the paper?

Varies in weight depending where you source it and in most instances the paper is left on FT models to add rigidity to the foam. I source my foamboard from Ebay in the UK, its more dense and therefore heavier than DTFB but stiffer so swings and roundabouts.

 

[FishbonesAir]

Varies in weight depending where you source it and in most instances the paper is left on FT models to add rigidity to the foam. I source my foamboard from Ebay in the UK, its more dense and therefore heavier than DTFB but stiffer so swings and roundabouts.

This is all quite fascinating, coming from the world of building with balsa and tissue.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

That's where I started many, many years ago ah I still miss the smell of dope.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

For small fun fliers you could remove the paper as there is enough rigidity in the foam, but once you get above a 400mm wing span you really need to leave the paper on to give it some strength.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

The advantages of foamboard planes are: they are cheap to build, easy to repair in most instances and easy to scrap and re-build if necessary.
If you crash a balsa model that's taken months or years to build you cry , where as a crash with a foamboard you just laugh and build it again.

 

[Baron VonHelton]

The advantages of foamboard planes are: they are cheap to build, easy to repair in most instances and easy to scrap and re-build if necessary.
If you crash a balsa model that's taken months or years to build you cry , where as a crash with a foamboard you just laugh and build it again.

Bingo! Which is why my balsa aircraft will hang from my ceiling ONLY........

 

[FishbonesAir]

I begin to see why it is so popular. 😂

 

[mcmoyer]

My local Dollar Tree was out of foam board and not sure when they would be restocked. So I went to Walmart and found the Ross amongst the ghost board and Elmers. It's definitely a different feel to it. The paper isn't near as easy to remove, but I guess that could be good as well. The surprising thing to me is that the Ross board comes in at 192g while DTFB is 112g per sheet.

I had just started my F-16 build when I realized I didn't have enough DTFB in my stash, so when I got the Ross FB, I decided to start back over. It's a nice comparison too.



At this point in the build, the weight difference is already at 125g to 198g. The Ross frame definitely feels more rigid. The other big difference is there's no warping on the Ross board. With the DTFB, I'll need to use other parts to pull the wings into alignment.

Going to keep going through with this build of the Ross board. I have a feeling it might be too heavy for this particular model, but I'd be flying BNF models exclusively if I didn't enjoy the challenge of a build.

 

[luvmy40]

This may have already been said. Dollar General definitely, and, probably Family Dollar stores carry Adams Redi Board. DGFB, in my area is still $1.00 ea.

 

[mcmoyer]

This may have already been said. Dollar General definitely, and, probably Family Dollar stores carry Adams Redi Board. DGFB, in my area is still $1.00 ea.

lol...I never thought to look there. I just assumed it was a Dollar Tree thing since everyone refers to it as DTFB - Thanks for the tip. It looks like the DG store < 1 mile away from me has it in stock.

 

[luvmy40]

I stop by a couple DGs every week and buy all they have. They never have more than 4-5 pieces at any given time and sometimes ony 1 or 2.

 

[FishbonesAir]

My local Dollar Tree was out...

At this point in the build, the weight difference is already at 125g to 198g. The Ross frame definitely feels more rigid. The other big difference is there's no warping on the Ross board. With the DTFB, I'll need to use other parts to pull the wings into alignment.

Going to keep going through with this build of the Ross board. I have a feeling it might be too heavy....

Great observations. I almost wonder if it might be good for reinforcement, rather than general building? 🤔

 

[JustPlaneChris]

There was some discussion over in the thread about the Foamboard Kadet about the black foam board. The Adams Readi-board (DTFB) in black is really just black paper on white foam, but there are black/black products out there. I took a chance and ordered a box of 25 sheets of this foam from Uline, and it arrived today. The verdict? It's heavy.

According to my scale, a 20x30 sheet of white Adams board is 114g.
The Uline foam (same size) is 232g.
Just for fun, I weighed 5mm floor underlayment plywood in that size, and it's 786g.

In a nutshell: The Uline foam is 2x as heavy as DTFB. On the plus side, it's very flat, rigid, and it laser cuts beautifully with a diode laser.
I'll probably use it for art projects, or maybe for fuselage formers and wing spars in DTFB builds.

 

[Monte.C]

There was some discussion over in the thread about the Foamboard Kadet about the black foam board. The Adams Readi-board (DTFB) in black is really just black paper on white foam, but there are black/black products out there. I took a chance and ordered a box of 25 sheets of this foam from Uline, and it arrived today. The verdict? It's heavy.

According to my scale, a 20x30 sheet of white Adams board is 114g.
The Uline foam (same size) is 232g.
Just for fun, I weighed 5mm floor underlayment plywood in that size, and it's 786g.

In a nutshell: The Uline foam is 2x as heavy as DTFB. On the plus side, it's very flat, rigid, and it laser cuts beautifully with a diode laser.
I'll probably use it for art projects, or maybe for fuselage formers and wing spars in DTFB builds.

Thanks Chris!

 

[Baron VonHelton]

There was some discussion over in the thread about the Foamboard Kadet about the black foam board. The Adams Readi-board (DTFB) in black is really just black paper on white foam, but there are black/black products out there. I took a chance and ordered a box of 25 sheets of this foam from Uline, and it arrived today. The verdict? It's heavy.

According to my scale, a 20x30 sheet of white Adams board is 114g.
The Uline foam (same size) is 232g.
Just for fun, I weighed 5mm floor underlayment plywood in that size, and it's 786g.

In a nutshell: The Uline foam is 2x as heavy as DTFB. On the plus side, it's very flat, rigid, and it laser cuts beautifully with a diode laser.
I'll probably use it for art projects, or maybe for fuselage formers and wing spars in DTFB builds.

So I was right. It IS stronger. This would explain the beating my Pfalz E.I took & came back for more!

 

[Thermalbirb]

Hi there!

I know there's lots of Flite Test fans that are eager to build their own foam planes, but are in places where the DTFB isn't available. But that's not stopped everyone. So I'd like to build a list of what substitute foams you guys are using, and where you're getting them. Please include what country you're from, so other people from your part of the world can get to building some foam planes too!

Fred

1.50 Canadian foam board... Local shops have zero supplies, had no choice but plane came out rediculously good 8mm motor, brick pack 1cell 150mah e flite LiPo.. the 10 dollar broken champ was 38grams... Im guessing its 26 to 32 grams... Built without plans or scale.. will update flight time length and wind data... Shooting for 25min flights..

 

[Cookmatt67]

elmers foam board at wallyworld

I accidently got some Elmer's foam board at Wally world instead to the regular board for 88 cents a sheet. Sure beats working with the 88 cent sheets and is defiantly stronger and better to work with just finished the Mini Guinea and waiting for the mini servos then off to the field to test it out.

i just trashed a half built pietenpol because i used this elmers board, and the weight was getting out of hand, 2/3's of a sheet of that stuff weighed as much as a full sheet of the regular. It may work well with bigger stuff but light is the key to a good flying plane with the mini's

 

[Bo123]

i just trashed a half built pietenpol because i used this elmers board, and the weight was getting out of hand, 2/3's of a sheet of that stuff weighed as much as a full sheet of the regular. It may work well with bigger stuff but light is the key to a good flying plane with the mini's

Yeah don't use the elmers stuff, the dollar store stuff is the best I have heard. Although I wouldn't know because I live on the other side of the world....

 

[kilroy07]

I have used Elemers on control surfaces (vert & horz Stabilizer) especially on something like the edge.
But yea, you don't want to build a whole plane out of the stuff.