FoamBoard Warping

[buzzbomb]

I bought extra foamboard a while ago. I use the scraps from the previous builds as much as I can. So I've got six sheets that have been laying against my dresser, and they've become just a bit warped. They're bent here and bent there. The heating and cooling that happens over time in my room has warped them a bit.

Are they useable? I'm about to embark upon a Journey to build full size FT Planes, and mostly leave the Mini's behind. Mostly. There's some I don't think I'll ever leave and some I haven't explored yet. I'm about to build the Simple Scout and the SE5.

You needn't ask if you know me. Wild hair. I've got motors and ESC's and servos and whatnot. I'm still researching the batteries.

Simple Scout and SE5. Is slightly warped foamboard going to become straight in the build process, or do I just need to save it for more PowerPods and get some fresh board?

 

[Hai-Lee]

I bought extra foamboard a while ago. I use the scraps from the previous builds as much as I can. So I've got six sheets that have been laying against my dresser, and they've become just a bit warped. They're bent here and bent there. The heating and cooling that happens over time in my room has warped them a bit.

Are they useable? I'm about to embark upon a Journey to build full size FT Planes, and mostly leave the Mini's behind. Mostly. There's some I don't think I'll ever leave and some I haven't explored yet. I'm about to build the Simple Scout and the SE5.

You needn't ask if you know me. Wild hair. I've got motors and ESC's and servos and whatnot. I'm still researching the batteries.

Simple Scout and SE5. Is slightly warped foamboard going to become straight in the build process, or do I just need to save it for more PowerPods and get some fresh board?

Simply put, YES, they are still usable!
Well usable for FT builds which use the "A" or "B" folds. When the warped FB is folded the channels actually straighten the FB and the FB remains under a little tension. Under tension it can actually be a slight bit more rigid or stronger.

You just need to make sure that the cuts you make are straight and to the plan!

I used to quarantine warped sheets but was forced to use them for a few emergency repairs and they worked fine EVERY time!

Now the only time I worry about warped sheets is when making wings for things like the nutball or the mini Scout where there are few real bends.

It works for me!

Have fun!

 

[Arcfyre]

Yes it can be used. If you have a warped piece being used for a control surface like an elevator or rudder, it may make sense for you to cut a channel into it and reinforce that surface with a skewer to keep it straight. An added bonus is that tail surface is then much more resistant to toddlers "helping" recover the plane!

I do this to all my birds now as it's much easier to reinforce while building than it is to repair once damaged. It's also cleaner than the external skewers joining the horizontal and vertical stab.

 

[kilroy07]

To answer your question, YES you can still use it. I've found that the way the pieces are designed tends to fold at right angles to each other and that will tend to straighten them out (as long as we aren't talking a crazy amount of warping...)

That said... You might want to wait a day or two....
There just "might" be another package on it's way...

The FT SE.5 is still a mini BTW.

 

[buzzbomb]

The FT SE.5 is still a mini BTW.

Yep. But that's my son's plane.... You know I'm going to fly it. I may like it! I still want to build the DR1 so bad, it is ridiculous, and that's pretty much a Mini. Like I said, more Mini's to explore.

I've a sneaky suspicion I'm really going to like the flight characteristics of the Simple Scout. I can't say why. Maybe because the MiniScout is such a blast to fly. Oh, the possibilities opening up before me. If I can get stupid with that Simple Scout and it's better in the wind because it's bigger? Katy bar the door!

 

[CarolineTyler]

I keep my foamboard flat by storing it under the bed as I found storing it on edge does tend to cause warping.

 

[mayan]

Took me a while to get on the topic but here I am .
I support all of the above wrapped foam board is just as good as any other piece of foam. I don't know if you remember but some time ago I came back home with a stash of foam boards that were given to me they were beat up paper peeled off here and there and of course it had wraps. I built a few planes with that foam board and on all of them the build went prefect and they flew just fine.

I've read somewhere on the forum that you can straighten them up by put some sand bags on them and let them sit for a while. I haven't tried that and to be honest see no reason why to try if the bend and wrapped foam boards work fine without that extra step.

 

[kdobson83]

After you cut your pieces out and they still looked warped, like a wing or tail surface and your worried, you can always flatten it back out. Lay the part on a flat surface like your desk or hard floor, and put something warm/flat/semi heavy on top of it for a little bit. It should flatten it back out. You could use some freshly dried/hot laundry like a shirt and a piece of wood on it. I've flattend the tail surface on my explorer with a hair dryer and a piece of wood before. Get it warm with the hair dryer being carful not to melt it, and place wood on top. Wait for it to cool down and check. May take a couple attempts.

 

[slipshift]

I think the warping often occurs when one side gets dryer than the other and shrinks. I have been using a fine water spritzer on the convex side and just lay it down on the concave side.

Jim

 

[buzzbomb]

I keep my foamboard flat by storing it under the bed as I found storing it on edge does tend to cause warping.

I don't have that option. I have no "under the bed." What you said was that you keep foamboard, underneath your bed so that is doesn't warp! That totally rocks on more levels than I can count! You frackin' keep foamboard under your bed. Specifically so that it does not warp?

THAT is hard core on a totally different level.

 

[mayan]

You frackin' keep foamboard under your bed. Specifically so that it does not warp?

Your mistaken buddy she keepss it there so no one steals it from her .

 

[Bricks]

Well we at least no where she does not dust.

 

[CarolineTyler]

Well we at least no where she does not dust.

Seriously!!!! Who dusts underneath beds??????????

 

[basslord1124]

I think everyone else answered the question pretty well. I have very little experience with warped board and if it were me I'd use a little bit of heat to soften the adhesive and lay it under something heavy to straighten it out.

 

[moret]

Well we at least no where she does not dust.

If she needs to rebuilt as much as me, the board would never have time to get dust on it

 

[Hai-Lee]

There is one method that I have used to remove the warp from a sheet FB wing, *No folds or reinforcing".

I simply painted the FB both sides with white wood glue, (PVA), and waited until it dried. As it was drying it would warp as the glue tightened one side more than the other and so I used a paint brush with a little water to wet the side that was pulling the tightest and allow the other side to pull it back to flat, It actually worked a treat and an added benefit was the the FB became so rigid when dry that the wings outlasted the plane and the electrics.

Have fun!