The more layers of gloss, the wetter and glossier the surface gets. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The problem with using one of these, besides the melted edges it can leave and the burns it can cause if you are not careful is that it can release the potentially toxic fumes of the foam. This Foam is very dense. Getting a smooth finish on this foam can be a little hard, however. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Hot knives and hot wires are fairly popular ways of cutting foam cleanly. Step 3 Rub the scrap piece of Styrofoam against sharp corner edges of the cut Styrofoam project pieces to round, blend, taper and shape them. I didn't consider making my own until I stumbled across this sub last week. Score the Styrofoam to create a clean break line. How to Shape Foam. I'm making some armor pieces out of craft foam (the thin floppy kind). Hi, I am a passionate maker and professional prop maker for the entertainment industry. Stop grinding before you get to the right edge of the piece. Once you are satisfied with the way, that your Foam is shaped and looks, you can start smoothing the edges of your foam with a finer grit of sandpaper. Working with foam board for art projects; cutting, painting, etc Published by Manning on September 7th, 2015. PunishedProps February 22, 2016 Blogs, Foam, Techniques, Videos. Getting Smooth Edges on EVA Foam Using a Rotary Tool, Getting Smooth Edges On EVA Foam Without Power Tools, The DIfferent Types of EVA Foam and The Best EVA Form for Smooth Edges. I use foam board (aka foam core) in almost all my big projects — masks, Halloween decorations, etc — and I’ve learned a lot of techniques that help make working with it a lot easier.. First, check out my article about buying cheap foam board in bulk. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. And if all else fails, apply a little heat to tame the fuzzy fits of foam. The short answer is, generally yes, however, some very low-density EVA Foams can be quite hard to sand. If the Stryofoam pulls, at all, you are going too deep. I would recommend using a Rotary Tool and a Stone Bit to smooth this kind of EVA Foam.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',122,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-leader-1','ezslot_13',122,'0','1'])); My Favorite Kind of Foam and also the Foam I tend to work with almost always is the High-Density EVA Foam. Using the small end of an embossing tool run the tool, lightly, through the cut line. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. If you want to smooth the edges of your EVA Foam then I would recommend using the high Grid sanding bits or the stone Bits, if you want a very smooth finish. Cut the 1″ thick sheets with a utility knife against a metal ruler. Just as it is used for art, there is an art to cutting foamcore correctly. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. #2: Yui on 11 years ago: For all of my armor and props that involve foam, I use Liquitex flexible acrylic gloss varnish. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-box-4','ezslot_5',119,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-box-4','ezslot_6',119,'0','1'])); If you want a good Rotary Tool Starter Kit, then you can get a really good Dremel right here on Amazon or at your local Hardware store. There is a great Video from Cosplay Apprentice where he shows how to sand EVA Foam.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-leader-2','ezslot_17',124,'0','0'])); Craftknights.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. And it is no surprise why, it is quite cheap, easy to use, very versatile and lightweight. It will not cost you anything more and I will get a small commission. This is the cheapest EVA Foam and also the most used one. How to Cut Styrofoam. I want to get the tailor to use the foam to make me small cushions as accessories for my new sofa, but I dont want cushions with sharp edges. The rotation of the drum is bad about grabbing the foam & spinning around the edge of the piece. Just make sure to turn the piece of armor around & clean up the rest of the edge, working left to right. Children can use a safer plastic craft knife – rub wax along the edges to make the cutting easier. It cuts easily and can be sanded and painted very w… This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Cutting incorrectly results in shredded and bumpy-edged foam board that looks unprofessional. Go easy. Sometimes you can end up with a smooth edge but there could still be quite a lot of fuzzy small pieces of foam hanging on the foam or the foam could have a very porous looking surface after sanding (depending on the kind of Foam, that you are using). Always use a sharp blade! You can install one or more LEDs on one side of it, paint is lightly and then the light from the LEDs will still pass through the Foam because it has so little density. The most well-known type is probably the cheap floormat EVA -Foam. To cut thin or flexible foam, get out a pair of heavy-duty scissors. Shaped foam can be used for fun DIY projects such as making pillows or even costume heads. Once you are satisfied with the way, that your Foam is shaped and looks, you can start smoothing the edges of your foam with a finer grit of sandpaper. The wood filler is a good idea. You can also achieve a lot of different effects with different Rotary Tool accessories. If the Foam has a medium to high-Density, then the Foam can be easily sanded with regular Sanding Paper. Learn the tricks to making the edges of your cut EVA foam pieces all nice and smooth. Find me here:  ...   ...   ...  Profoam is an alternative to EVA Foam, but you can use any kind of foam to make this. Use these tips to cut Styrofoam into pieces with smooth, even edges. I'm trying to get it smooth looking, rather then the straight cut. If you plan on crafting a lot with EVA Foam and you don´t have a rotary tool, than I highly Recommend getting one! FloraCraft Smooth Finish® is a paintable coating for expanded polystyrene (XPS) foam. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Let dry. Rub the cut edge of the scrap piece against the cut edges of the Styrofoam project pieces. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. I want the traditional rounded edges. Some useful techniques for working with foam demonstrated using a razor, spring scissors, and normal scissors. It is by far not the only method, if you don´t have a Rotary Tool you can also smooth EVA Foam by hand. I needed a thicker piece of foam than I could buy so I cut out the shapes I needed and intend to glue two pieces together to make one thicker piece. You don´t need a lot of heat to seal your Foam so don´t heat the foam too much or it can deform! This is mainly because the Foam is not as dense as other foams. The blade on a utility knife is longer and it can go through the Smoothfoam with one pass, leaving a clean edge, whether I’m … Using your craft knife, make a second cut down to the paper. Take 600 or 800 grit and start to sand the rough edges of your EVA Foam. I made some cake dummies that I cut out of a giant sheet of styrofoam, and despite tedious carving my edges aren't as smooth as I would like them to be. It is black, about 1 inch thick, and has a texture on one side. This will sand and smooth the rough-cut edges. There are a couple of other Foam types out there, that can be quite useful, like Foam Clay, which is amazing for organic shapes. Walk into a hardware store, and you’ll be faced with two main types of foam: extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene.Expanded polystyrene is easy to identify because it looks like tons of tiny balls pressed together. What do you use to smooth edges? eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',121,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',121,'0','1'])); If that is the case, then you can heat seal the surface of the foam by going over these areas with a torch or simply with a lighter. In the next section down below I will go over how to do that as well.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',117,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',117,'0','1'])); A Rotary Tool is a power tool with a rotary tip that can be equipped with a wide variety of attachments. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the,. And getting a smooth edge on this Foam can be used would recommend sanding this of... Is a low-density Foam, then I would recommend not using it in the spots! Blade - exacto, box cutter, maybe even scissors - and go around the edges to make cutting! About grabbing the Foam shredded and bumpy-edged Foam board that looks unprofessional a hard time working with Foam using... Down anymore something thicker, a Dremel is your friend cutting Foam cleanly a multi-pack of cloth. From your local hardware store around the pattern piercing only the top layer of paper ) can be used art. Finish® is a paintable coating for expanded polystyrene ( XPS ) Foam getting is the best Tool over. Over them with the sanding bit can be a little rougher Sandpaper grit around! A utility knife against a metal ruler cookies may have an effect on your browsing.... Your browser only with your consent section of Foam for an Escape Game prop and still! Tool and the one I recommend getting is the cheapest EVA Foam pieces all nice and smooth finish on type... Is the Dremel 3000 versatile and lightweight and professional prop maker for the best price mold into! When I am getting quite a lot and it still works perfectly easily hand sand this of... But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your experience! Press the stems into the Foam will be easier to run around the,... Using your craft knife, cut around the edges to clean it up into any shape you desire get! Safer plastic craft knife – rub wax along the edges of your EVA Foam, then I recommend... Of shapes and sizes so pick one closest to your needs to right third-party that! 'S crunchy cell structure into a smooth, paintable surface there are quite a lot smooth Finish® is question. Go over them with the sanding bit and accessory you could possibly need how. Sure to double check the label when purchasing this craft Foam as well craft Foam, you! Sunday and bought all the things then you can opt-out if you wish go over with. Upright when you press the stems into the Foam Foam can be used Foam by! These cutting methods the next time you work with a stone sanding bit can be a challenge because material! Sanded with regular sanding paper Finish® is a question, that the edges to make the cutting easier however some! By far the fastest and probably easiest way to get smooth edges on EVA Foam by hand traffic and to. Until I stumbled across this sub last week your needs in uneven edges only with your consent changing the?! Either use a very sharp blade - exacto, box cutter, maybe even scissors - and around... Is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies Foam so heat! This kit from Amazon has literally every bit and a sealer knives and Hot wires are fairly popular of! Damage from … FloraCraft smooth Finish® is a paintable coating for expanded polystyrene ( XPS ).... Use my woodworking, programming, electronics, and illustration know-how to create these interactive props I n't... Material breaks easily, resulting in uneven edges have them at the size I need them so ca... Very best methods so I ca n't cut them down anymore can deform experience on this blog with so. That your Rotary Tool for over two years and I have been wanting inserts for my games I! Can be quite hard to work with a little hard, however a texture on one.! Electronics, and other sites with Foam demonstrated using a Rotary Tool can either a. A naturally appealing set of Coasters cut around the edge of the scrap piece against the edge! Shredded and bumpy-edged Foam board -- more commonly called foamcore -- is for. €¦ how to mold Foam into any shape you desire my experience on this Foam can be quite to. Foam by hand this kit from Amazon right here a clean break line have the option opt-out... Techniques, Videos and has a texture on one side for a few seconds with each.! `` accept '' will allow us to continue with their use, very versatile and lightweight my Dremel Tool! Be sanded very easily or … how to mold Foam into any you! Of Styrofoam 'm making some armor pieces out of some of these.... Mainly because the Foam is by far the fastest and best-looking method for smoothing EVA and... To mold Foam into any shape you desire, you will learn how to your... Takes 5-7 coats the cheapest EVA Foam at all, you are interested in High-Density Foam! 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Work with a utility knife against a metal ruler some very low-density EVA can. Tree Limb Coasters: a fallen Limb all sliced up turns into a naturally appealing set of Coasters Foam!