Quickie Q2 Lite Construction Manual - page 39
density, soft foam, which has the appearance of many spheres pressed
together. This is the type used in the average picnic cooler. It
disappears immediat1ey in the presence of most solvents, including fuel,
and its compression and modulus is too low.
.....
All three types of foams, urethane, styrene modified urethane, and
polystyrenes are manufactured in a wide variety of f1exibilities,
densities and cell sizes. Getting the wrong material for your airplane
can result in more work and/or degraded structural integrity. Since
sunlight can damage foam, avoid exposure of foam to the sunlight by
keeping it covered.
END OF SECTION
Q2 Plans – Chapter 3- Page 3-06
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
HOT WIRE CUTTING
.....
The airfoil-shaped surfaces of your Q2 are formed by hot wire
cutting the orange or blue-white styrofoam of 2 lb/ft3 density. The
hot wire process given airfoils that are true to contour, tapered,
properly twisted, and swept with a minimum of effort and the simplest
of tools. The details for making your hot wire saw were shown
earlier.
.....
The hot wire saw is a piece of stainless steel safety wire,
stretched tight between two pieces of tubing. The wire gets hot when
an electrical current passes through it and this thin, hot wire burns
through the foam. By making smooth steady passes, the hot wire gives
a smooth, even surface. The foam offers little resistance to the hot
wire's passage. To get a smooth accurate cut, a template is required.