Need easy to find foam for quick rough sculpt

[Sulla]

I need to quickly carve a scale car seat to build some test models. I'm talking a quick and easily attainable foam that I can carve with a serrated kitchen knife, hobby saws, and or exact-o knives. the cheaper the better of course!

Maybe 1/4 scale, so the biggest pieces will be 10" x 6" x 3", but I am fine with piecing it together from smaller pieces.

It does need to be a little rigid, so no soft cushion foam. Color is no consideration, it will not be used for casting, vacforming, or anything other than testing some visual aesthetics.

I'm thinking maybe a few chunks of that foam insulation stuff? I think it's colored blue or pink?

Any thoughts?

 

[exoray]

I'm thinking maybe a few chunks of that foam insulation stuff? I think it's colored blue or pink?

The insulation foam is used by many...

You can laminate it to get thicker chucks with 3M Super 77 adhesive spray, or simply take white glue and water it down and use that to glue up layers...

The reason for watering down the white glue is to make it thinner so you don't get a 'thick' hard layer at the seam...

 

[Sulla]

The insulation foam is used by many...

You can laminate it to get thicker chucks with 3M Super 77 adhesive spray, or simply take white glue and water it down and use that to glue up layers...

The reason for watering down the white glue is to make it thinner so you don't get a 'thick' hard layer at the seam...

Cool, Thanks for the head's up. you wouldn't happen to know how much that stuff runs? Do I have to buy a huge quantity or is it available in single 'sheets' or what ever? I just want to carve a car chair that is about a foot tall.

 

[pandatrooper]

Make sure to get the pink insulation foam, and not the crumbly white stuff. The pink stuff is denser and can be cut, filed, sanded, etc.. You can buy them in 4 x 8 foot sheets. Sometimes I've seen half sheets, but they're not very expensive. Most home improvement stores have them.

 

[propologist]

if it's pink foam you get it at Lowes or home depot in 4" by 8' sheets... I think it's around 20.00 a sheet

 

[Sulla]

Thanks all. Looks like I am off to a big hardware sore tomorrow after work...

 

[Sulla]

I assume it's not hard to identify at the store? A big sheet or two of pink foam insulation board?

 

[Idaho Jones]

I assume it's not hard to identify at the store? A big sheet or two of pink foam insulation board?

Yup, be sure to use a dust mask.

 

[exoray]

Just hit up the insulation area, they are full 4x8 sheets so you won't have to look too hard , light blue or pink usually...

Most places carry it anywhere from 1/4" thick to 2" thick price will be dependent on thickness...

As said stay away from the cheaper 'white' foam that contains puffed circles, nothing but a mess to carve...

If you are picking it up in a car, bring along a good serrated steak knife, it will make quick work making smaller pieces that will easily fit in the car...

 

[Culvan Van Li]

The good folks at Home Depot were nice enough to cut mine into 2ft x2ft squares for me right at the store.

The 3M 77 spray adhesive will eat a little bit of the foam away. I'd probably recommend the elmer's glue approach. I've used wood glue on it with good results.

Andy

 

[Sulla]

Thanks all, you have been very helpful. Man I love this community and being a part of it.