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So I have mastered using a sharpenned pipe to cut nice round plugs out of foam to hold my standard 25mm base minis, but my custom shapes are quite lacking. Does anyone have a good method for cutting custom shapes out of their foam transport blocks?

Depends on the type of foam. If you mean like battle foam stuff. the best best is a really sharp new blade hobby knife. If you are willing to get further a hot foam cutter works as well. I have used both but the cutter should only be used if you do not mind trial and error.

The best best is that hobby knife.

the best for bubbly foam is a bread knife b/c of the serrations


Automatically Appended Next Post:
the best for bubbly foam is a bread knife b/c of the serrations

Hot wire cutter. Dangerous as hell, but works brilliantly.

Cerebrium wrote:Hot wire cutter. Dangerous as hell, but works brilliantly.

Have you actually done this, or did you just think, "Hmmm. It's foam, and hot wire foam cutters cut foam..." I ask because the nature of that foam seems like it would melt. Not only through the foam like a cut, but melt what's left behind into hard, solid plastic chunks. You can even see these on insulation foam. It seems to me that this would be the case. If so, there is no way I would use that to store my carefully painted models for storage or transport. The risk of scratching is too great for me.

For irregular shapes, the easiest, best, and cheapest method is a retractable razor knife or a serrated kitchen knife. End of story.



King Ghidorah

The foam in question is gray isolation/soundproofing/furniture foam. I give that a hot wire cutter might work on exterior edges, but how in the world would you cut out interior shapes with it?

As far as the hot foam cutter, it doesn't get too insanely hot, but that's probably because of the wire's small body which dissapates heat quickly.

Something you'll want to keep in mind is that "scenic" foam, I.E., the kind you buy in large flat blocks from Woodland Scenics, do not cut well with ordinary blades. You almost have to use a wire cutter if you want it to look remotely smooth. But there's the rub - if you don't use a wire cutter right, it will look even worse. Something to keep in mind is that cutting a level plane with a wire foam cutter is next to impossible. Additionally, if your hands shake in the slightest, you can risk having very unsightly ripples in your cut.

One way to mitigate this is to continue to keep your wire taut through the cut - this way, the wire is always cutting and never has time to reach it's highest temperature. This way the slightest wobble will not appear. Unfortunately, this would mean taking your time on a cut would be equally impossible.

Keep in mind that Woodand Scenic's kind of foam is designed to have plaster paper or moldable grass mats on them, effetively covering imperfections in the foam.

There are also very thin, dense foam sheets you can buy from the same hobby stores you would get the other foam from, which work much better with a hobby knife. If you are doing relatively thin things like ruin walls, then go with that. You will have to add some bottom weight to your terrain, though.

If you are looking for further, small details like furniture, power boxes, or other non-flat or huge items, I would sculpt it out of a moldable material. It's the only way you're ever going to make it look appropriate.

If you're trying to do large masses out of insulating foam, I hear that it actually is easily molded with sandpaper for rocky contours. A hot wire cuter may not work with foam that dense, so if you could, I'd find a friend who has one and try it out. Or just get one for sculpting the thinner foam.

Another option you may want to consider is a "hand saw" which is basically a string with a ring on each end for fingerholes. The string his highly abrasive and thin. Good for such a thing.

Diesel,
I think you missed that I was inquiring about how folks cut shapes out of foam for their transport cases. Similar to the products that cam be purchased from Battle foam. The foams used for building scenery and the foams used for transport are quite different. Cutting scenic foam is no problem. I actually have a hot wire "table saw" built for that express purpose.
I have thought about using an electric turkey knife. But the one I have, only has serrated edges. It works like magic on insulation type and styrofoam, but leaves a jagged edge on the softer packaging foams. Anybody know if they make a smooth edge electric knife?

diesel7270 wrote:As far as the hot foam cutter, it doesn't get too insanely hot, but that's probably because of the wire's small body which dissapates heat quickly.

The heat of the device has nothing to do with anything. It doesn't actually cut the foam. It melts through it. Ergo, it's hot enough, regardless of how low heat it may be. I can assure you, from first-hand experience, they are hot enough to burn your hand. Anyway, if it's hot enough to melt through the foam to 'cut' it, it's hot enough to harden it.



King Ghidorah

And cut through SLOWLY, if you do it to fast it wont cut.

Hot wire foam cutters are outstanding for cutting exterior edges (like for making hills, display boards, or other terrain), but as Asphalt already identified, can't really work for making cutouts from the inside of a sheet of foam. Best thing I can think of was already suggested- a sharp new blade for your craft knife.

Sorry, Asphalt. I guess I jumped the gun. I had my own set of problems with a hand wire cutter and scenery foam, so I guess I just assumed that's what you were talking about.

I've seen some people use the soft kind of insulation foam and cut carefully with a hobby knife before. It can definitely work - just make sure that they fit snugly in your case without crushing them.

EDIT: But from what I have seen from others trying it, you may have some trouble getting a decent fit with a correct cut on anything deeper than what would hold infantry. But you may have more patience than the others I know.

I'm going to disagree with most of the posts here; a hobby knife will work, but it tends to make sloppy ragged cuts. Since you mentioned that you can sharpen pipe to cut plugs, you may want to consider buying a few putty knives in a variety of sizes, and once sharpened, use them to make your cuts in much the same manner as you have been doing.

I will post a tutorial on this subject in the next few months.

Well, I can't speak for anyone else here, but I wasn't referring to a hobby knife. A normal x-acto knife won't do the trick. It won't make a deep enough cut, nor does the blade travel far enough to make long, continuous cuts to stop the feathering, jagged edges. What you need is a retractable knife like this:




This will cut your rectangles, ovals, octagons and other basic shapes well enough to store your freakin minis in. The blade is long enough to travel fairly decent lengths, making clean, smooth cuts. It's sharp enough that you don't need a sawing motion. At this point, when people are one-upping one another with the best way to cut straight, clean, next-to-perfect lines, they're just talking to hear themselves talk. If you want a perfect, custom cut, buy Battlefoam. If you want a perfect standard cut, Sabol, GW, or any of the other brands.

You want to cut out fairly clean, basic shapes for transporting your minis?

Get yourself a couple of knives like the one in the pic.




King Ghidorah

Heh, I love reading your posts Ghidorah--you come across as a real spicy fella.

Here is a post that I found useful on this topic

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/331926.page#2194747

A utility knife can get the job done too. I hope you're of the opinion that the more information, the better. It seems to me that maybe you were looking for something more specialized/creative than the bog standard approach.

I'm surprised that the electric knife didn't work well, as most upholsterers use them to trim foam. Perhaps it's just not sharp enough?

i remember seeing on a show called "how its made" they cut a huge block of the foam in question (i mean HUGE, about 10 feet (3m) cubed) they used a giant, self sharpening razorblade-bandsaw contraption, and the narrator talked about how if it cut any slower it would tear the foam or damage the blade. but who has a tablesaw with a blade similar to your xacto knife not anyone i know

they make all sorts of hot wire foam cutters from the jewelers saw style to an actually knife style.
hot wire cutters will cut soft foam like the army transport cases but unless you have a jig it is hard to get an exact cut although you could make a template to cut a certain shape out.

Ghidorah wrote:Well, I can't speak for anyone else here, but I wasn't referring to a hobby knife. A normal x-acto knife won't do the trick. It won't make a deep enough cut, nor does the blade travel far enough to make long, continuous cuts to stop the feathering, jagged edges. What you need is a retractable knife like this:




This will cut your rectangles, ovals, octagons and other basic shapes well enough to store your freakin minis in. The blade is long enough to travel fairly decent lengths, making clean, smooth cuts. It's sharp enough that you don't need a sawing motion. At this point, when people are one-upping one another with the best way to cut straight, clean, next-to-perfect lines, they're just talking to hear themselves talk. If you want a perfect, custom cut, buy Battlefoam. If you want a perfect standard cut, Sabol, GW, or any of the other brands.

You want to cut out fairly clean, basic shapes for transporting your minis?

Get yourself a couple of knives like the one in the pic.




King Ghidorah

KG, Can't thank you enough for reminding me these exist. It works absolutely wonderfully.

*bow*
My pleasure.



King Ghidorah

Cut this one with a hot wire knife felt like the same type of foam. You can always trace a design on it with sharpie.