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MG Midget and Sprite General - Seat foam

Actually this has nothing really to do with seat foam, but I had to put some sort of title in!

What is a good way of cutting foam (that is like seat foam but isn't). A sharp knife sort of works but as it distorts the foam when you press, it doesn't produce neat straight or controllable cuts. I am trying to make some shaped foam inserts to go inside a tool case to hold pieces of equipment secure in their own padded cell.
Guy

Hot wire in my experience!

A.
Andrew McGee

Ah, good idea. I could rig up a bit of thin copper armature winding wire and pass a current through it from my battery charger. I wonder if that would warm it enough?
Guy

gabe on american hotrod uses an electric saw with a foot long blade. I reckon you could achieve the same with an electric carving knife.... just don't tell the wife :-)
graeme jackson

I was once asked to assess a machine that cut foam for car seats.

Imagine a 6 foot high band saw, but replace the toothed blade with a razor. There are no guards on it because it's designed to take 1 metre cubes of foam, so the operator has to wear a chain mail suit, gloves and helmets.

I still cringe when I think about it.
I Ball

AN ELECTRIC KITCHEN KNIFE WORKS FOR ME.
Two reciprocating blades cut cleanly.
darnoc31

"AN ELECTRIC KITCHEN KNIFE WORKS FOR ME.
Two reciprocating blades cut cleanly."

well they don't with a nice joint of rare beef. Give me a proper carving knife and a steel anyday!
Matt1275Bucks

Electric kitchen knife no good for me. Being from a vegetarian household we have no use for such a gadget - except of course for cutting foam!

Googling on U-tube found me lots of home made devices working on the hot wire principle, and e-bay even sell a range of them. I will do a DIY version out of bits from the odds and ends bin. There! I knew there would be a Spridget connection somewhere!
Guy

Electric carving knife - if its sharp - also use it for cutting loft insulation (rockwool) hence its edge is not as good now !

R.
richard boobier

In my other hobby of theatre set building, we've tried cutting foam before. a serated bread knife or an electric carving knife are your best options. Hot wire cutters are great for expanded polystyrene but don't often work on foam. Some foams are probably OK, I believe the hot wire cutters are used by architects making models, but any I've tried smoke horribly and stick to the wire leaving you with a horrible cut.

Maybe try phoning your local friendly upholsterer/trimmer?

-Craig
C Robertson

This thread was discussed between 30/11/2011 and 01/12/2011

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