Removing Mast Foam

[Michael K]

Has anyone experience removing foam from inside a mast? If so, how did you go about it? Techniques that preclude environmental mayhem are most welcome. The nearly bare stick I will start working on pretty soon is ... uh ... 42' long and would be much improved if most halyards could run internally.

[mdbee]

"Techniques that preclude environmental mayhem are most welcome."

Well, I suppose that precludes using tetrahydrofuran, dimethysulfoxide, dimethylformamide, acetone or gasoline.

[scottyt]

gasoline, pour the resultng goop in a bucket, then let it evaporate the left over gas.

[Barquito]

I could imagine pouring acetone or something down the mast in rivers, and having the entire inside of the mast coated with melted foam goo. Not sure if that is what would actually happen.

What about sand blasting or a plumbing auger? (Just trying to think outside the box here)