Custom cut foam, can anybody help me please?

[emadmoussa]

Im probably looking in the wrong direction.. I am after some foam cutting service. Can somebody guide me in the right direction please?

Thanks!

[wookie1965]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/hot-wire-foam-cutter

How about this you can do it yourself then.

[JamesF]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/hot-wire-foam-cutter

How about this you can do it yourself then.

I think that's probably the easiest way.  I've been looking at some of the thicker gauge nichrome wire I have left over from making dew heaters and wondering if I couldn't rig up a cutter where the wire was a loop, so I'd not even have to pierce the foam and cut all the way through.

James

[YKSE]

Have you considered John's way to use the pre-cut pluck foam?

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/199464-3d-eyepiece-model/?hl=%2Bfoam#entry2102982

[StuartJPP]

I think that's probably the easiest way.  I've been looking at some of the thicker gauge nichrome wire I have left over from making dew heaters and wondering if I couldn't rig up a cutter where the wire was a loop, so I'd not even have to pierce the foam and cut all the way through.

James

I did exactly that for a case I made a few years ago. Though I used an uncoiled spring pulled tight with a couple of amps flowing through them as I didn't have any nichrome wire at the time. Don't make the wire glow red hot though as it melts too much like that, should be hot enough to melt and remain "sticky" not too hot.

To get the best result, I cut the foam in half, depth wise, using the above method. I then cut the holes I needed then glued the two pieces back together again, worked very well. For some of the cuts I used a very sharp (i.e. fresh blade) craft knife. A million times better than that rubbish cube pluck foam, though as mentioned above, if the items aren't too deep then just using the foam for support is acceptable, but if you start plucking it they tend to fall apart...

If you are only doing a one-off it can be quite expensive getting it done professionally, I had a look around again a while ago and couldn't find any suitable...though there may be more available now.

[lardy]

Emad, In my gallery I show a foam cutting "lash up" using Nicrhome wire, a battery charger and some off cuts of timber, all very easy to do and  the results were quite good … it shows me cutting out foam to fit a diagonal, Pick and puck foam is easy to use but I find it "untidy" and quite expensive compared to the plain foam used for cutting.  patience is the order of the day while cutting and not allowing the wire to get too hot, I used templates made of cardboard which allowed me to achieve a clean cut without wandering. To cut circles use old tin cans / pipe with the edge sharpened like a cookie cutter.

Mark   

[pete_l]

If you freeze the foam, it's easy to cut with a serrated knife

[emadmoussa]

Thanks guys!

I was asking about where to buy a block of foam to insert into a flight case. The online sources I've come across are ridiculously priced, so I'm assuming I was looking in the wrong direction.

[emadmoussa]

Emad, In my gallery I show a foam cutting "lash up" using Nicrhome wire, a battery charger and some off cuts of timber, all very easy to do and  the results were quite good … it shows me cutting out foam to fit a diagonal, Pick and puck foam is easy to use but I find it "untidy" and quite expensive compared to the plain foam used for cutting.  patience is the order of the day while cutting and not allowing the wire to get too hot, I used templates made of cardboard which allowed me to achieve a clean cut without wandering. To cut circles use old tin cans / pipe with the edge sharpened like a cookie cutter.

Mark   

Thank you! I will surely have a look

[Tinker1947]

I have used these people....  http://www.easyfoam.co.uk/foam-cut-to-size.php

[Demon Barber]

The uk main agent for Peli-case offer a custom cutting/fitting service. Link: http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/?gclid=CMn9m62vxLsCFdOWtAodIVoADg

Regards

Mike