Did you consider cutting the boards flush with the insulation and using two rachet tie down straps to compress?
I guess the reason that I went the way I did was to get as even distribution as possible when compressing the insulation. Thats why I used the angle iron along with the shelfing. The shelfing was already pre-cut at 3' by 16" by 3/4", it only cost $3.5 per sheet. The angle iron was more expensive at $7.50 per 6' length. But that is something that a lot of people either have or can get their hands on. It was just easier for me to buy then to call around. If I recall right my rachet strap (that I use on the tree stands) cost me about $20 for two.
Look around and find some high density styrofoam float logs
Yea, I could but I want to use something easily in front of me. If I had to buy them new, it would probably be pretty expensive.
Instead of the sheets of foam you could try the stuff they use to seal sill plates
Bent arrow, could you give me more info on that. I have no idea what they are. How much are they, how thick are they, where can you get them? How much woirk would be involved cutting and stacking them? Can you give me a link to what they are?
I guess that I used the insulation that I did because if comes folded in sheets that are 4' by 2' by 1/2'. Unfolded they are 50' by 4' by 1/2". So all I had to cut was the 50' length three times on the 4' side. What you see on the target is the three sections (folded back up) stacked on top of one another. It only took about 20 minutes to cut the insulation with a box cutter. And stacking them didn't even take a minute.
The target may not be for everyone, and I am still experimenting with it to see it I will build another one. So far it is working pretty well.