Construction Foam in Spray Tanks?

[Tallor]

I was reading up on Construction Foam, and how it would be an excellent tool for combat engineers for shoring up defenses. The only problem is, I don't know how to use the substance (described as a liquid polymer) as a spray tank filler!

Does anyone have any ideas on how much of this stuff could fit in a pocket spray, full can, and backpack tank?

[RobKamm]

According to a website I saw (and promptly left without noting the URL -- bad librarian):

A 55-gallon drum of the unsprayed polyurethane foam is mixed 1:1 with 55-gallons of isocyanate to cover 2700 board feet. Creating a "3lb density foam" -- sufficient to be walked on. In this case a "board-foot" is area in square-feet multiplied by the depth in inches. This is fairly dense, a more typical insulation installation would be from the two 55-gallon drums and would generate 17,000 board feet. It doesn't say how deep you'd have to go for that "can be walked on strength." At a guess 3-6"?

So, how deep to actually qualify as even DR 1? No idea.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Tallor

I was reading up on Construction Foam, and how it would be an excellent tool for combat engineers for shoring up defenses. The only problem is, I don't know how to use the substance (described as a liquid polymer) as a spray tank filler!

Does anyone have any ideas on how much of this stuff could fit in a pocket spray, full can, and backpack tank?

The 1 shot in a pocket aerosol probably weighs 0.05 lbs. This would agree with the weight given for the 10x larger capacity of the full-sized spraycan.

Since 15 lbs of construction foam is said to create 5 cubic feet you divide that cubic figure by the weight difference of 300 (15 x 20). I get slightly more than 28 cubic inches per "shot". So a little more than 5 inches by 5 inches by 1 inch.

That's probably enough to block and air intake or something similar but you're not going to be doing much construction with construction foam in small quantities. I'd find more useful things to stick in my pockets.

[Bruno]

On the other hand a little can like that, along with duct tape, bailing wire, and some green stuff, can come in really handy for repairs.

[jason taylor]

How long before it hardends? I was thinking you could have two sheets of metal a couple feet across, a grate on top and spray through the grate to fill up the area in between making a composite wall. I forget the purpose of the grate though I think I assumed the load of construction foam came with the second wave into the AO and thus the preliminary outpost needed to be defensible.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Bruno

On the other hand a little can like that, along with duct tape, bailing wire, and some green stuff, can come in really handy for repairs.

I think a little can of molecular glue might be more useful.

[safisher]

I prefer the old UT construction foam. Yes it was cinematic super science. It was way more useful, too.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by safisher

I prefer the old UT construction foam. Yes it was cinematic super science. It was way more useful, too.

I think my favorite feature of it was when you inflated it with helium it weighed less than air.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I think a little can of molecular glue might be more useful.

Construction foam, like green stuff, is useful for filling in missing structural support or elements. In an emergency, you can shape crude things out of either (which one you pick depends on the resolution you need). Construction foam is also useful for filling in voids, when you just don't want empty space.

Molecular glue can substitute for duct tape in some circumstances, and is more useful in many and really does belong in a repair kit, but by being backed with fabric a tape can reinforce the joint. Or can flat out be used to construct larger sheets of fabric, see also duct-tape tuxedos, lab coats, boats, cups, etc etc etc.

Construction foam is "bulk matter to make crude stuff out of, in a can". Which is handy no matter how you slice it.

[Kalzazz]

What is green stuff?