$5.00 Roombox from Foamcore

 You can build a 20" x 10" x 10" sturdy, but yet light, roombox from three 20" x 30" sheets of foamcore that you can buy in Canada at Dollarama for $1.50 a sheet.

You will need:

3 sheets of foamcore 

(Dollarama was out of black formcore when I worked on this. I probably would have done it with  black outside and a white inner.)

Glue (I've tried a few and the best I have found was Weldbond).

A wide piece of plastic to spread the glue (I used a 6" wallpaper smoother but any piece of plastic will do)

A straight edge (I used a carpenter's square to ensure my angles were correct but a good corked back ruler will work.) 

An X-Acto or utility knife with a NEW SHARP blade.

If your cut looks like this, you need to change your blade.

CUTTING FOAMCORE

The key to cutting foamcore is:

Besides the NEW SHARP BLADE

Three cuts:

Cut first through the upper cardboard layer

Then cut through the foam layer

Then cut through the lower cardboard layer

In this case where you're working through two layers of foamcore:

cut through the first cardboard layer,

then through the first foam layer

Then cut through the double cardboard layer

Then through the lower foam layer

And lastly through the last cardboard layer.

First:

Glue two pieces of foamcore together. (If the glue is not evenly spready, you may have trouble cutting through it.) Make sure they are aligned perfectly. Then weigh them down evenly with  books, stacks of magazines, whatever...just something that is heavy and evenly divided over the foamcore. 

You need to be quick with this before the glue has a chance to dry.

Take the third sheet of foamcore, Cut one third of it (10" x 20") and  glue it to the remaining 20" x 20".

Weigh that down as you did the othersl 

Make sure that your foamcore sheets are firmly adhered to each other. At least 24 to 48 hours.

Tomorrow we'll construct the roombox.