Recently I worked with some two part expanding foam.
It's pretty cool stuff.
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79&

In my experience the aerosol-canned stuff you buy at
the hardware store doesn't expand as much and takes a
full day to cure.  The two part Tap product is rigid
in a few minutes.

Here's an example of the extruded rigid foam
insulation John mentioned.
http://www.owenscorning.com/around/insulation/products/foamular.asp

--- John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET> wrote:

> I just had an e-chat with Sam Walters, and to answer
> the question "where
> do you get it" here is my response:
>
> ""Check with insulation installers. This stuff is
> often used to insulate
> commercial refrigeration units. Also, anyone making
> commerical or
> business furniature. They even make a "Furniture
> grade" foam with a very
> high density to form seat bottoms and seat backs.
> Tough stuff!!  One
> thing, it prol'ly would be a good thing to get a
> spray can of Polyease
> 2000 (see the Polytek web address further down the
> page) and give "The
> Object" a light coat before putting in the foam. The
> foam adheres like
> crazy and if any gets out of the plastic onto "The
> Object", it may be
> hard to pull the packing off, and if you do, there
> will be residue left
> that is a pain to remove.
>
> As far as the canned stuff goes, don't know how that
> would work. I have
> used that in old cars to plug holes in the
> wheelwells where dust was
> boiling into the interior of the vehicles. Jeep
> products in Alaska were
> the worst!! ""
>
> Also, to answer Greg Potts query, "What if the box
> needs inspecting ...
> say crossing national borders ...... When you make
> upt the insulation
> the way I did, the expanding foam creates a top and
> bottom monolith of
> foam. When the box is opened, if all went well, the
> form fitting foam
> packaging in between the plastic layers should slide
> right out of the
> box, and the top piece of foam is easiliy lifter off
> as one would lift a
> lid on a pot. And it should go right back over "the
> object" just as
> easily and slip right back into the box.
>
> Other sources form materials - check with your
> lumber yard. Often
> building supply houses carry extrusions that are
> made from the foam and
> you can ask them about their sources. Give them a
> call. I have found
> most times that companies are willing to tell you
> stuff as long as you
> are not competeing with them, and if you are foaming
> a transmission in a
> box, I hardly think that qualifies as competition.
>
> There are also companies that make foam home decor
> pieces as well. These
> places may supply with the info you seek.
>
> If all else fails, get on the internet and go to
> http://www.polytek.com/
> and check out what they might have from you.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL driver
>
> John Rodgers wrote:
>
> > Daryl,
> >
> > I have had to ship large heavy objects and I have
> found a way that works
> > good for me.
> >
> > I use expanding foam for my packing material. When
> I have something to
> > ship that is heavy, I get some plastic sheet from
> the local dry cleaners
> > ... the kind they put over clothes, and I buy some
> of that two-part
> > expanding foam. I sit a piece or two of 2x4 on the
> bottom of the box,
> > then lay in a sheet of the plastic so it covers
> the bottom and the 2x4
> > and comes up and drapes over the sides. I et
> everything positioned, then
> > I mix some of the two part foam, and pour it into
> the bottom of the box
> > and spread it around. I immediately place the
> seconde sheet of plastic
> > over the foam, and that is followed by mmediately
> placing the object to
> > be shipped on top of the whole thing, resting on
> the 2x4. The foam
> > expands, forming to the bottom of the "Object" and
> creates a custom
> > support and packing form.
> >
> > Next, I lay a piece of plastic sheet over the
> "Object" resting in the
> > box, mix the two-part foam, pour it in, and then
> cover it all with a
> > sheet of plastic. I close the box lid and put a
> weight on it, or I put a
> > box size piece of plywood over it with a weight on
> it. The foam expands
> > to the limits of the box, then begins to compress
> itself into a denser
> > foam, giving it more regidity. After a few minutes
> the foam is set, and
> > I open the box, remove the contents and allow it
> to sit in the open for
> > a while. The foam produces moisture during the
> chemical reaction, and
> > the water is what makes the stuff expand.  I allow
> it to dry, and then
> > repack.
> >
> > This works great. There are bags for the foam one
> can buy, and you do
> > not have to deal with moisture issue, but I never
> went that far.
> >
> > Just my way. Works great!! Shipped a lot of stuff
> to and from Alaska
> > this way, and never experienced a claim.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > John Rodgers
> > 88 GL Driver
> >
>

=====
'76 2002
'85 Vanagon
'91 GTi

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