Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.

"bryanska" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.

Hot wire or hot knife is what is done on job sites. You can use a soldering
gun and a template to guide it.
http://www.wind-lock.com/public/icf/2qc_hot_knife.asp

Open the window and put a fn as it will stink and smoke a bit.

You can use woodworking tools, but then you will have dust all over.

bryanska wrote:
Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.

Hello:

I've used a router to shape EPS foam but it isn't fun; tiny bits of
foam and dust go everywhere. For a 3" wide trench several passes would
be needed.

I assume we're talking about 2" or thicker foam. Would it be practical
to build up the shape you need from 1" thick sheets? That is, cut two
strips of 1" foam and glue them to the face of a whole sheet of 1"
foam, leaving a 3" wide gap between.

Best -- Terry

That knife works well...used one this weekend on ICF wiring. After
looking at the hot knife, I wondered if a soldering iron with a piece
of 10 gauge copper wire wouldn't do the same thing...never tried...mabe
I will.

If you go the glueing route...you might want to check out their
foam-2-foam adhesive...just don't get it on yourself...DAMHIKT I must
of used 5 cases this summer while building my new home. It's truely
amazing stuff. Much like great stuff, but not the same.

Another source for the foam adhesive is:
http://www.farmtek.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10052&storeId=10001&cate goryId=38355&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&top=N&parent_category_rn=38354& top_category=38354&breadcrumb_trail=Building+Mater ials%7CHandi-Foam+Products&breadcrumb_categoryIds=38354%7C38355 &isDoc=
I've not used this brand, but Windlock says on their site that they
will only sell to "qualified" contractors, FWIW.

Good luck,

Darwin

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"bryanska" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.

Hot wire or hot knife is what is done on job sites. You can use a soldering
gun and a template to guide it.
http://www.wind-lock.com/public/icf/2qc_hot_knife.asp

Open the window and put a fn as it will stink and smoke a bit.

You can use woodworking tools, but then you will have dust all over.

I once saw a friend make a super srarp knife just for this sorth of
thing, his was only 1" wide trench, and he had to work it in 6 inch
sections, but it was clean and quick.

Empressess #124457


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bryanska wrote:
Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.

"DAC" wrote in message
oups.com...
That knife works well...used one this weekend on ICF wiring. After
looking at the hot knife, I wondered if a soldering iron with a piece
of 10 gauge copper wire wouldn't do the same thing...never tried...mabe
I will.



Yes, the soldering gun works well.
Whose ICFs are you working with? Great way to build a fuel efficient house/

In article .com,
bryanska wrote:
Hey,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

It should travel vertically up and down the 8-foot high face.

Any ideas welcome.


Is the insulation 3 (or more) inches thick? If so, using a tablesaw,
rip the panel into 2 pieces. From one piece rip a strip that is 1 inch
less in thickness than the thickness of the panel. If necessary, rip
this piece down to 3 inches. I know this won't give you a single piece
with a trench or dado, but the 2 large pieces, with the narrow strip
between them, will probably work OK unless you have a real need for
single unbroken piece of insulation in your application.
--
No dumb questions, just dumb answers.
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland - lwasserm(@)charm(.)net

Polysteel, my wife and her family have done everything except pour the
concrete and set the trusses. I'm really looking forward to getting
moved in, hopefully this fall.

DAC


Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"DAC" wrote in message
oups.com...
That knife works well...used one this weekend on ICF wiring. After
looking at the hot knife, I wondered if a soldering iron with a piece
of 10 gauge copper wire wouldn't do the same thing...never tried...mabe
I will.



Yes, the soldering gun works well.
Whose ICFs are you working with? Great way to build a fuel efficient house/

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cut a 3-inch wide and 1-inch deep
trench into the face of a panel of EPS foam insulation?

We always used a hot wire (in a configuration that looked like a band
saw) for cutting that stuff ... no mess, no charged particles all over
the place. So some jig using a hot wire is how I'd go.

"DAC" wrote in message
ups.com...
Polysteel, my wife and her family have done everything except pour the
concrete and set the trusses. I'm really looking forward to getting
moved in, hopefully this fall.


My company does the molding for Polysteel in the northeast. They are one of
the best.

Most ICF companies have two to five molders around the country making the
product to keep shipping cost down.

Well my hats' off to you...granted I havn't used the ones you created,
but the ones from Fort Madison, Ia (I think) are a quality product.

Pass on though to the engineering staff that fastnenters in the corners
are the weakest link of the product. If they'd fix it...I think it
would be hard to beat the product. We poured almost 80 Yds of
concrete...nothing close to a blow out..braced well and careful during
the pour.

Keep up the good work!

DAC


Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"DAC" wrote in message
ups.com...
Polysteel, my wife and her family have done everything except pour the
concrete and set the trusses. I'm really looking forward to getting
moved in, hopefully this fall.


My company does the molding for Polysteel in the northeast. They are one of
the best.

Most ICF companies have two to five molders around the country making the
product to keep shipping cost down.

"DAC" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well my hats' off to you...granted I havn't used the ones you created,
but the ones from Fort Madison, Ia (I think) are a quality product.

Pass on though to the engineering staff that fastnenters in the corners
are the weakest link of the product. If they'd fix it...I think it
would be hard to beat the product. We poured almost 80 Yds of
concrete...nothing close to a blow out..braced well and careful during
the pour.

Keep up the good work!

DAC

The corner brackets were revised about a year ago and will be revised again,
I'm told. Glad to hear the job went well. Enjoy your new home.