Elmer's vs Readi-Board Foam Board

[daniel_t]

I built my Baby Blender using Elmer's foam board. I was easer for me to get and I figured it was probably better quality. I just purchased my first sheets of Readi-Board and boy is it lighter!

Has anybody else built using Elmer's? How does the extra weight affect the flight characteristics?

 

[rockets4kids]

Using the Elmer's board will increase your wing loading dramatically, and all that goes along with it.

There are a number of people who even remove the paper from DT foam before building. The paper accounts for almost exactly one half of the weight of DT foam.

 

[rcspaceflight]

I used to use a foam board that is a lot like the Elmer's. It really depends on what you're building. Something like the FT Flyer is almost better with Elmer's because the wings are stiffer. But if you're making a complex build, you want the lighter stuff because the shapes of the wings and fuselage make the strength and you don't want any more weight.

If you keep the fuselages simple and any airfoil is just a crack in the foam like with the FT Old Fogey, you almost want the heavier stuff for it's added stiffness. Otherwise lighter is definitely better. Lighter flies slower. Slower is more efficient.

 

[eagle4]

Originally my local dollar store stocked readi board, then they switched to elmers, my personal preference is readi board, I find the foam to be of a nicer consistency. Nicer for cutting. As for weight I haven't weighed them, but they feel about the same weight.

 

[DDSFlyer]

I built my first scratch build out of Elmer's. It was the FT Cruiser. What a big pain in the arse that was to cut that whole plane out. It definitely will stand up to more abuse but even with two motors i think I'm pushing the plane with more throttle than I like. It flies nicely after I got used to it, but it would be a much easier plane to fly if it was lighter. I have the speed build kit as well and just haven't put it together. I should and just swap the power pods to fly the change, I'm sure then I could really tell the difference. I don't know what builds would be better since Flite Test bases their build on the dollar tree foam board but I would recommend making power pods from Elmer's just because they would be very strong and could take more use going from plane to plane