Bob Smith Industries BSI-142 Clear Foam-Cure, Craft Glue

[Monte.C]

Has anyone used this? How does it compare to Beacon Foam Tac?

Foam Tac seems like and acts like a rubber cement. For proper use you're supposed to get it lightly on both surfaces, give it half a minute, and press the pieces together. Works real good. Pieces are pretty darn firm right away. I think the full cure is overnight.

I'm on Amazon to buy more. It's crazy expensive. Then I find this BSI Foam-Cure. It's 30% of the price. It's described as silicon based and fairly flexible. I'd love to know if it's the same stuff.
https://bsi-inc.com/hobby/foam_cure.html

Or I should just buy it and see for myself and stop asking questions.

 

[Monte.C]

After a bunch of research it seems to work and act just like Foam Tac except each step takes longer. More air time before you joint the parts, longer working time before it sets too much, longer cure time 'til it's firm enough to depend on the joint. Some pluses & minuses.

 

[Tench745]

I haven't used Foam-Tac, but I did recently pick up a bottle of Foam Cure. If you wet both surfaces, stick the parts together and pull them apart half-a-dozen times or so most of the solvents flash off and it sticks pretty quick. Or, you can just let it sit for a few minutes and tack up on its own. I have read that seams sand better than with Foam Tac and I can verify that it sands pretty nicely.
Again, I haven't used Foam-Tac to directly compare, but I'm definitely happy with the Foam Cure, especially for the price.

 

[Monte.C]

I haven't used Foam-Tac, but I did recently pick up a bottle of Foam Cure. If you wet both surfaces, stick the parts together and pull them apart half-a-dozen times or so most of the solvents flash off and it sticks pretty quick. Or, you can just let it sit for a few minutes and tack up on its own. I have read that seams sand better than with Foam Tac and I can verify that it sands pretty nicely.
Again, I haven't used Foam-Tac to directly compare, but I'm definitely happy with the Foam Cure, especially for the price.

Thank you @Tench745 . Good input. My Foam Tac is running down but not empty yet. I just ordered the Foam Cure. One question: I can use Foam Tac in the hinge bevels for reinforcement. Is Foam Cure flexible enough to do that? (They say it's flexible.) Does it dry sort of rubbery?

 

[Tench745]

Thank you @Tench745 . Good input. My Foam Tac is running down but not empty yet. I just ordered the Foam Cure. One question: I can use Foam Tac in the hinge bevels for reinforcement. Is Foam Cure flexible enough to do that? (They say it's flexible.) Does it dry sort of rubbery?

I have not tried it for hinges yet, but it does dry slightly rubbery. I think I'll try making a sample one and let you know.

Edit: BobSmith Industries website says it's not flexible enough for hinges.

 

[Monte.C]

I have not tried it for hinges yet, but it does dry slightly rubbery. I think I'll try making a sample one and let you know.

Edit: BobSmith Industries website says it's not flexible enough for hinges.

Oh wow, they say no. Ok that's interesting.
Hey thanks but you don't need to run a test; I'll have the glue in a few days. Cool though, I'll have both on hand if necessary.
Others have said it before: I never thought I'd have so many glues on the shelf. A use for each one, and best tool for the job.

 

[Tench745]

Well, I made up a test piece anyway. It's two pieces of paperless DTFB beveled to a 45 with Foam Cure on the point. It's not fully cured yet but has been sitting for about an hour and seems perfectly reasonable as a hinge to me. It may harden more by the time it reaches full cure, but for now it looks promising.

 

[Monte.C]

Well, I made up a test piece anyway. It's two pieces of paperless DTFB beveled to a 45 with Foam Cure on the point. It's not fully cured yet but has been sitting for about an hour and seems perfectly reasonable as a hinge to me. It may harden more by the time it reaches full cure, but for now it looks promising.

Thank you! I appreciate the discussion.
Of course for my hinges I won't remove the paper, but the glue needs to be flexible enough to allow free movement and to not crack at the flex point over time. I'm looking forward to test results.

 

[OliverW]

I've used it a few times before. It works like foamtac but takes a bit longer to set up, and is a bit thicker

 

[Monte.C]

I've used it a few times before. It works like foamtac but takes a bit longer to set up, and is a bit thicker

I like having options. Now I have too many glues. But I use them all.

 

[Tench745]

My sample is fully cured now. The Foam Cure still has a little flex to it, but definitely stiffened up overnight. The hinge can still move easily enough, but I think most of the movement comes from the foam itself. More experimentation is necessary. I think a thin smear of glue along the top and bottom of the hinge may work better, more like a tape-hinge.

 

[Monte.C]

My sample is fully cured now. The Foam Cure still has a little flex to it, but definitely stiffened up overnight. The hinge can still move easily enough, but I think most of the movement comes from the foam itself. More experimentation is necessary. I think a thin smear of glue along the top and bottom of the hinge may work better, more like a tape-hinge.

It's a shame I have to still keep Foam-Tac on hand, but I have a feeling this Foam Cure will be stiff enough that it'll just allow the foamboard (paper included) to stress to eventual failure. My point here is to find the best - reasonably priced - alternative to hot glue. Hinges and servo mounts are the only places I use it at this point. I don't mind it for servos but for hinges it's just too messy.

Funny though, in normal use, in glops, hot glue seems pretty darn stiff. But in hinges it works fine. Like when it's very thin it's flexible enough.

 

[Ryan O.]

I

Has anyone used this? How does it compare to Beacon Foam Tac?

Foam Tac seems like and acts like a rubber cement. For proper use you're supposed to get it lightly on both surfaces, give it half a minute, and press the pieces together. Works real good. Pieces are pretty darn firm right away. I think the full cure is overnight.

I'm on Amazon to buy more. It's crazy expensive. Then I find this BSI Foam-Cure. It's 30% of the price. It's described as silicon based and fairly flexible. I'd love to know if it's the same stuff.
https://bsi-inc.com/hobby/foam_cure.html

Or I should just buy it and see for myself and stop asking questions.

I've had a perfect experience with it

 

[OliverW]

It's a shame I have to still keep Foam-Tac on hand, but I have a feeling this Foam Cure will be stiff enough that it'll just allow the foamboard (paper included) to stress to eventual failure. My point here is to find the best - reasonably priced - alternative to hot glue. Hinges and servo mounts are the only places I use it at this point. I don't mind it for servos but for hinges it's just too messy.

Funny though, in normal use, in glops, hot glue seems pretty darn stiff. But in hinges it works fine. Like when it's very thin it's flexible enough.

If never had that issue with spreading it. I just do it like how you'd do a hot glue hinge and it comes out even stronger

 

[The Hangar]

I like having options. Now I have too many glues. But I use them all.

No such thing as too many types of glues! I use all the different types of glue I have, and each has their own individual use that another glue just wouldn’t work the same for.