Hey everyone! I'm on a unique project where I'm trying to create a solid ball hemisphere that can hold up to the weight of a person for some tests. It's been tough to find an affordable solid ball of that size other than bowling balls. After some discussion, I thought about using expanding foam to fill a hollow ball to see if it could work. Before I dive in, I've got a few questions for those who have experience with this kind of stuff:
1) Will the foam spread evenly inside the ball when I fill it?
2) Can the foam withstand 200 lbs or more of pressure without breaking?
3) Is there a higher density closed cell foam I should consider? Would using a post-setting foam be a better choice, or does it not stick well?
4) Are there better alternatives to sealant sprays or post-setting foam that I might be missing? I'm really stuck finding solid answers online. Any thoughts?
1 Answer
I’d suggest avoiding the big gaps sealant if you want a strong and dense foam. That stuff expands a lot (up to 200 times!) and isn’t really suited for your project. Instead, look for low-expansion foams; they’re more compact and create a sturdier result. While I can’t guarantee it’ll be perfect, the low expansion foam should be a much better fit for what you’re trying to achieve.
Got it! Thanks for saving me from potentially going down the wrong path. I've noticed the Loctite foams list density but don’t give actual values, which is frustrating. Do you think a low expansion foam will still reach the edges of the ball nicely?