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How does one custom cut foam for cases? (NYC)

Ryan Samul

Ryan Samul

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I've got a few cases for my package that has foam cut in a very wasteful way, my gear doesnt quite fit in a satisfactory way and its just getting silly. is there a way to order, to DIY, or to walk into a place in NYC and get foam cut without using the pelican pick n pluck foam which doesnt seem to last very long.

Thanks!

Samul
 
I've read that there is an aerosol spray that you can use on the pick-n-pluck foam that sort of seals it and makes the cutout last longer. I've never seen it or have had anyone name the brand of spray.
 
Thee is a guy here on Reduser who says that he can do custom cutting on the East Coast. Jason Comparetto
 
There was just a whole thread on this. If you want to spend the money, get custom laser-cut foam. If not, buy an electric kitchen knife and trace your patterns carefully and cut carefully. The knife goes through the foam like butter so you have to be careful, but it works fine. Just make sure you leave enough foam around the lenses and camera to protect it when you plan the layout. This was in the other thread as well. I think two inches was the minimium.
 
do you have a link to the old thread?
 
Furniture makers cut foam, albeit lighter weight with a hot wire. It just melts through like butter and you have a smooth edge. Google Hot wire foam cutting. I bet you can DIY pretty easy. Its just a nicrhrome wire with some power. Just googled a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO8S1DNp7Q8
 
Heated nichrome wire works great for cutting rigid foam (insulation board, bead-board, etc.), but it's not very effective on soft, spongy foams. IMHO the best DIY solution for cutting those is an electric carving knife as mentioned above.
 
unfortunately those hot wire cutters emit toxic fumes when cutting foam, and i live in a NYC apartment. this could be a recipe for disaster. anyone know of a professional place in NYC to do this? id be willing to get a professional to take care of it if its a reasonable price. I tried getting some foam from an furniture supply store and cut it with a serrated knife (not an electric knife which may make a difference) and it was an unholy mess and the cuts were super difficult to get precise. maybe im a bit to anal?
 
Any wellsized architect company has a foam cutter + appropiate chamber with proper movable ventilation shafts. You can go there and ask to use the gear.
They use them constantly for blocking out concept architecture in pre-dev phase.
I sit in the same building as one of these companies with such a chamber, where i also spend my time doing my first plywood skatedolly as well as cut custom foam with the wire tools for my pelicans.
 
Get thee to Canal Rubber.

They sell planks of high density foam (1.5 lbs. density, 90 lbs. compression) and I believe they offer some basic cutting services as well. And it has that old world charm of a tiny little hole in the wall NY shop that's been selling the same stuff to tradesmen for decades on end.

http://www.canalrubber.com/high-density-gray-foam.html
 
If you do decide to cut your own (which I have done with good results) a good tip is to spray windex on the knife, helps to give you a nice clean cut. Also heating the knife helps too. Good luck
 
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