Hard Foam Inserts

[sdumper]

How can hard foam inserts for a hold down be made?
I want a hard foam not a soft foam because the soft foam always deforms.
I currently have 4 useless hold downs because the foam is deformed and as expensive as the hold downs were to buy I really want to find a way to use them.

[OldChap]

When you say hard foam do you mean urethane? ...if so pour your own into a mould and fit with wood or ally endplate when bolting

http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html

[sdumper]

yep I think so is that a rigid foam. I want something that ends up being very rigid so that when you tighten the hold down it doesnt deform.

[n00b 0f l337]

That two part liquid polyurethane is good, I have used the 16 lb density with good success for molds, flotation, as well as HX boxes.
Warning though, it is not very clean to work with normally, quite oily and goopy. You should be able to buy bricks of polyurethane online though, just need to be able to cut them exactly, which would need a CNC router most likely.

[OldChap]

You will always need to reinforce the parts that are under nuts/bolts but should get away with any area that spreads the load well

[lalPOOO]

yep I think so is that a rigid foam. I want something that ends up being very rigid so that when you tighten the hold down it doesnt deform.

Lasercutting or machining sheets of derlin might deliver the results you're looking for.

[Buckeye]

How can hard foam inserts for a hold down be made?
I want a hard foam not a soft foam because the soft foam always deforms.
I currently have 4 useless hold downs because the foam is deformed and as expensive as the hold downs were to buy I really want to find a way to use them.

I have to agree Scott.

On my Jinu unit I kept noticing I was getting really bad contact with CPU's after awhile. At first I didn't know why that was happening but later saw that the Evap had sunk into the foam.

Only way around it, which I have not done yet, is to pull the whole thing aparts and shove a bunch of armaflex tape pieces on the top of the evap where the suction line comes in.

In the end tho I don't think that will last very long and the tape will squash up also after a time.

The Cooler Express unit I had has solid inserts, 3 pieces on mine, which is really nice

Peter's enclosures have a snap ring which holds the Evap in place next to a plastic ridge on the hold down. But it has no inserts so you have to use tape and foam after that to seal everything up.

All in all I think Cooler Express enclosures are the best now.

[johnksss]

I have to agree Scott.

On my Jinu unit I kept noticing I was getting really bad contact with CPU's after awhile. At first I didn't know why that was happening but later saw that the Evap had sunk into the foam.

Only way around it, which I have not done yet, is to pull the whole thing aparts and shove a bunch of armaflex tape pieces on the top of the evap where the suction line comes in.

In the end tho I don't think that will last very long and the tape will squash up also after a time.

The Cooler Express unit I had has solid inserts, 3 pieces on mine, which is really nice

Peter's enclosures have a snap ring which holds the Evap in place next to a plastic ridge on the hold down. But it has no inserts so you have to use tape and foam after that to seal everything up.

All in all I think Cooler Express enclosures are the best now.

i have foam tape inserts on the inside of the foam evap casing. it keeps my evap about 3 mm lower than normal. so when i tighten it down..it's flush without deforming the evap foam

[sdumper]

The problem is the top of the hold down. The evap puts direct pressure at the pull through opening at the top which over time tends to pull the evap right through the foam and out of the hold down.
Another possible solution is to cut to size a hard plastic shank as wide as the interior of the hold down. Drill a hole in the center large enough for your suction line + captube. Cut the plastic piece in half and then afix the piece to the top of the foam. This will at least provide some support.

Anyway my main problem at the moment is salvaging my existing hold downs which money was already spent on

[johnksss]

The problem is the top of the hold down. The evap puts direct pressure at the pull through opening at the top which over time tends to pull the evap right through the foam and out of the hold down.
Another possible solution is to cut to size a hard plastic shank as wide as the interior of the hold down. Drill a hole in the center large enough for your suction line + captube. Cut the plastic piece in half and then afix the piece to the top of the foam. This will at least provide some support.

Anyway my main problem at the moment is salvaging my existing hold downs which money was already spent on <---i hate to say it....but sometimes...we have to take a loss on money already spent... because using something sub-par could lead to disaster later on...

now back to the problem at hand.
that's a good idea there. that's basically what mine is, but instead of protecting the top...it's helping out on the bottom of the foam for me. i say run with it. also...as long as you have hard edges around the top foam inserts, your idea should be sound. (speculation of course)

[road-runner]

I cut a piece of thin flat plastic with a hole in the center then a spiral cut to the hole and fished it around the tube in there to help keep the foam from pushing through. Definitely need something better...

[sdumper]

I cut a piece of thin flat plastic with a hole in the center then a spiral cut to the hole and fished it around the tube in there to help keep the foam from pushing through. Definitely need something better...

When I was at your house you mentioned you made some foam inserts but i forgot to ask how you did it? Did you cut some from a sterefoam cooler or something?

[sdumper]

Pictures to show what im talking about...


The pieces: A hold down muff, foam insert, and a standard Chilly1 evap


Picture of the muff with foam inserts. The hole is for the suction line...


This foam is already deformed so much that the foam side extend past the face of the evap.


Picture of the back where you can see what is happening. When the hold down is screwed tight the evap pulls the foam through the hole of muff causing poor CPU contact.

[[XC] gomeler]

Maybe a large steel washer? Cut a notch in it for the suction line and use that to support the foam.