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I want to make some foam trays for my Tau and Space Marine vehicles using a hot foam knife. I love the material that Battlefoam uses but I don't want to shell out a fortune for them (I have a lot of models). What material do they use to make their trays? What material do you suggestion to make trays out of?

My plan is to trace my models and cut that shape with a hot foam knife. Then put down a 1/4" of foam at the bottom and glue it to a piece of that posterboard cardboard stuff that I get for real cheap. Any suggestions? If this is the wrong place to post this I apologize. Thank you.

http://www.caseclub.com/custom-foam-inserts.htm - check them out.. You still have to put a bottom on the insert but its not a hard process..

Ironically, I have been thinking about doing the exact same thing.

A couple of things - I suggest a hot wire foam cutter, rather than a foam knife - gives more control, and less heat output across such a wide area.

Also, on the case club link, while a cool alternative to BF custom trays, its still expensive, and you have to send in designs. I think the OP is asking about doing it himself.

I suggest either high density foam, or either polyurethane or polyethylene - the polyurethane is supposedly not easy to cut, but seems to be easier to acquire.

I am going to try and get some foam samples and test them out with my hot wire cutter, and will post back results.

I would suggest you try the same.

Also, another good place I found for foam:
http://www.foamforyou.com/custom_foam_packaging.htm#Charcoal Regular

best of luck!

You can just get pull and pluck foam.. I have not honestly ran into a mini that needed a CNC cut section of foam.. The custom inserts are cool, but way over board.. You can get 1" thick 12x18 inch section of foam for $13, but if you up it to 10 sheets of the same size it is $7.80 a sheet.. Which is cheaper than sabol and reaper's foam..

Yeah, but what type of foam exactly? I have seen several types on eBay. Mostly seat cover foam. Battle Foam uses a different type of foam and I'm trying to find out what it is. Its not mentioned anywhere on the website and no one seems to know.

I used to be able to get foam from work and I used a hot foam cutter to cut out shillotes of my tanks. It worked great but I need to do that for my other armies. I am only cutting foam for my tanks and riptides. For my troops I've already order troop trays from battle foam.