Date:         Thu, 29 Jul 2004 14:41:08 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject:      Re: Shipping a transmission
In-Reply-To:  <4108DFA8.4010108@bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

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
>