Channels in Styrofoam

To avoid taking up volume inside the BalloonSat airframe, I cut channels into the walls of the Styrofoam and glue my tubes and dowels. It takes a little pre-thought when designing, but the result is a BalloonSat with the maximum interior volume.

Styrofoam

Lowes is selling sheets of 1/2 inch thick Styrofoam for $10. The sheets are four feet by eight feet and made from the "softer" blue Styrofoam. With 32 square feet of the stuff, you can make an entire fleet of BalloonSats.

Cutting Styrofoam

I've noticed a "grain" in Styrofoam. I suspect it extruded and that stretches out the polymer in the polystrene. When you cut Styrofoam with a dull blade, it creates chunks more readily if you cut across the grain.

The moral?
Cut only with a sharp blade and only along the grain if you absolutely must use that dull blade once more.