I’ve been an EPS devotee for quite a few years. Scraps are recycleable, EPS is far less toxic in production than is PU, and I like the ‘springyness’ that EPS affords. Well, I had some weekend plans blown up this past Friday. So I had no plans. But I did have an old PU blank laying about in the shop. So, I decided to shape something. Well, I forgot how easy and pleasurable it was to shape PU foam. It was a dream session. I felt like a magician. Everything I wanted to do, I did easily. Wrestling EPS became to second nature to me that I never even considered EPS to be difficult. Wow, PU. I have one more PU blank that I will need to shape, soon. YMMV.
Just don’t bump it otherwise it will dent.
Not many realize also that PU glassed with Epoxy is probably the strongest combination. Dents can be taken out with a blow drier or heat gun. Which is something that can’t be done with EPS. Poly is barely toxic if you wear dust protection while shaping. One of those N95 masks will do easily. Nothing prettier than a “sugary” well shaped Poly blank.
When I started making boards again in 2005, I made EPS boards. All with hand tools, non powered. About 3 years later, I got 3 throw away made in China PU blanks to play with. I couldn’t believe how much easier it was to shape once the outer crust was removed. XPS shapes just as easy as PU.
Can’t shape pu foam any more, itche me crazy evry time I work with know. I lam epoxy on it for freinds, I don’t blow but vaccum, wear long sleeve with gloves. I don’t find resin grip on it well compare to eps especially at cut laps. More i go more i make exotic sandwich builds (I even stop surfing to windsurfing now so…) more I find poly lam on pu blank obsolete, as a building technic not for surfing feeling. But I am a technical geek LOL.