Upholstery Foam carving tool on Mythbusters Simpson's special

GotWookiee

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jun 23, 2016

• #1

So on the Simpson's episode of Mythbusters they built a Homer dummy out of upholstery foam. I've done a fair bit of upholstery foam carving with an electric turkey carving knife and a bandsaw, and a bit of shaping with a die grinder but asavage had some kind of really cool wand tool to do some shaping. Looks like it might have been air powered. Any idea what it is?

Also, those of you with extensive experience carving and shaping upholstery foam, what tools/techniques do you use?

Thanks

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2018

Stormie

Well-Known Member

• Jun 23, 2016

• #2

GotWookiee said:

So on the Simpson's episode of Mythbusters they built a Homer dummy out of upholstery foam. I've done a fair bit of upholstery foam carving with an electric turkey carving knife and a bandsaw, and a bit of shaping with a die grinder but @asavage had some kind of really cool wand tool to do some shaping. Looks like it might have been air powered. Any idea what it is?

Also, those of you with extensive experience carving and shaping upholstery foam, what tools/techniques do you use?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Hot wire foam cutters are great.

 

GotWookiee

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jun 23, 2016

• #3

Hot wire foam cutters will cut through expanded polystyrene and Styrofoam like a hot knife through butter, but just singe upholstery foam.

Here is a pic of the tool in question.

 

Mr Mold Maker

Master Member

• Jun 24, 2016

• #4

It is very hard to tell from the photos, but it looks like a hand held belt sander, perhaps? Seems like a tool Adam would have.

 

asavage

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jun 26, 2016

• #5

I used two tools primarily. The fingersander above. Which btw is a GREAT tool to have in your arsenal. Many versions. Inexpensive is pretty fine for light work. I also used an upholsterer's foam cutter:
http://www.toolup.com/Bosch-1575A-F...5&cadevice=c&gclid=CPqy8dymxc0CFcQkhgodutcEvg
Expensive but super amazing for large scale foam cutting. But in a pinch meat carvers are ok
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/6553861/?catalogId=11&sku=6553861&cm_ven=Google_PLA&cm_cat=Shopping&cm_pla=default&cm_ite=default&gclid=CJiL_4qnxc0CFcdehgod0gkAXg&kwid=productads-adid^45527542063-device^c-plaid^84645286183-sku^6553861-adType^PLA

And they come even less expensive.

 

Pro Mod

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jun 26, 2016

• #6

I never knew you could use a sander on seating foam. I'm going into work shortly so I'll give it a go.
The Bosch is a lot more expensive here; the cheapest I can find is £326.00 / $446.00.
Great think about this industry / hobby is that there's always something new to learn!