Smooth on Foam It

[propologist]

Anyone use this stuff before. I was trying to find a good sculpting medium that wouldn't break the bank. A happy medium between Balsa Foam and pink foam. I was thinking in the area of making blocks to sculpt from. Nothing with real detail , more just the forms to cover and cast with. In reading about it on Smooth-on it seems pretty carvable at 10lb. but wanted to know what you guys thought or anyone had used it.

Thanks all ,lee

 

[The Kreator]

I just got in a gallon of the Flex Foam-It X for backing urethane skinned busts, and latex skinned creature masks. Haven't tried it out yet, but will be soon.

I could be misreading, but sounds like what you're interested in would be better off just buying dense foam sheets and building up a base form to carve from. Although since you're using the rigid foam, it might work ok. With these pourable foams, they're great for casting in molds rather than forming and then carving later. But I'd be interested to see what you have in mind for it.

 

[jedistine]

here's an option http://www.fibreglast.com/product/2_Lb_Polyurethane_Mix_and_Pour_Foam_24_25/Foam

 

[piehead]

i'd be looking for something like the r 8 foam from mouldlife / polytek / motion picture f.x it is great for this stuff. also dont know if your aware but you can make it harder and denser and reduce the foam time by adding liquid 1 to 1 mix urethane plastics such as easyflo 120. then you can get its to just the right rigidity / density that you want while still retaining carvability and the lightweight nature .

 

[Strofmos]

I'm using FoamIt X for creating ammo boxes for Kashyyyk Troopers (lightweight and yet strong)
It's great stuff to work with, but like The Kreator said: it better as a casting product, in a mould, then to sculpt with it.

 

[propologist]

Thanks guys...I have been checking out sheets too. I had seen where guys had made there own blocks as well.

 

[chewbaccadoll]

When attaching rigid foam sheets, insulation foam, etc. tobether to create a "block" to carve from, what is the best adhesive in terms of strength AND something that wouldn't be to difficult to cut through while carving.

I mean, the foam itself carves easy enough, but when you carve into where the sheets are bonded I was concerned about whatever I'm using to attach them being harder to cut through, or giving resistence.

I plan on making a giant "Big Mac" head from McDonaldland and want to start by carving it from foam.

Hope I didn't draw the attention away from the original question, I just thought it would be related. If it's out of place I apologize.

-K

 

[propologist]

When attaching rigid foam sheets, insulation foam, etc. tobether to create a "block" to carve from, what is the best adhesive in terms of strength AND something that wouldn't be to difficult to cut through while carving.

I mean, the foam itself carves easy enough, but when you carve into where the sheets are bonded I was concerned about whatever I'm using to attach them being harder to cut through, or giving resistence.

I plan on making a giant "Big Mac" head from McDonaldland and want to start by carving it from foam.

Hope I didn't draw the attention away from the original question, I just thought it would be related. If it's out of place I apologize.

-K

It's no problem. I have always used clay , stone or mixed media and wanted to branch out with something at was good but not break the bank. More than likely I will use a basic rigid foam as the core and use clay to sculpt the details. I want to cast them in resin eventually as well.
I thought the foam it might work double duty as a sculpting block and foam for other projects. I still may buy the small kit and play with it to see how it does.
I have always like the McDonald land characters myself. I always thought I would make some heads about 1/3 size just to enjoy. Not to big into costuming myself but would love them and static props.

 

[chewbaccadoll]

It's no problem. I have always used clay , stone or mixed media and wanted to branch out with something at was good but not break the bank. More than likely I will use a basic rigid foam as the core and use clay to sculpt the details. I want to cast them in resin eventually as well.
I thought the foam it might work double duty as a sculpting block and foam for other projects. I still may buy the small kit and play with it to see how it does.
I have always like the McDonald land characters myself. I always thought I would make some heads about 1/3 size just to enjoy. Not to big into costuming myself but would love them and static props.

Cool. So, if you were to use pink foam, etc. to make a block (if the Smooth-On Foam It isn't ideal for your project) what would you use to attach sheets of pink rigid foam together to get a block shape?

 

[propologist]

Cool. So, if you were to use pink foam, etc. to make a block (if the Smooth-On Foam It isn't ideal for your project) what would you use to attach sheets of pink rigid foam together to get a block shape?

This is just me , but if I was doing a larger project I would use spray foam and make a block and carve it. I use to make trees, rocks and other cool projects as a visual manager for a Bass Pro Shops and we used spray foam and cut with blades and rapses with great results.
I'm not doing anything that large but want good lines.

 

[Loess]

Cool. So, if you were to use pink foam, etc. to make a block (if the Smooth-On Foam It isn't ideal for your project) what would you use to attach sheets of pink rigid foam together to get a block shape?

I've been working on some pieces that were built up out of pink foam sheets, then carved. I used a 3M spray adhesive that's formulated to not attack polystyrene. It held the sheets together quite well, but the glue seemed a bit tacky and flexible whenever I was carving through the seams at a low angle, and there was some tear-out of the foam. That could be because I didn't wait long enough for the glue to set, but it wasn't bad enough to worry about for what I was doing. (making a plug to fiberglass over)

Regarding the OP, Smooth-On's website claims that their rigid casting foam can be cast into blocks and carved. I've never used foam-it, but I would assume it'd be at least a little better than spray foam to carve.

 

[propologist]

I've been working on some pieces that were built up out of pink foam sheets, then carved. I used a 3M spray adhesive that's formulated to not attack polystyrene. It held the sheets together quite well, but the glue seemed a bit tacky and flexible whenever I was carving through the seams at a low angle, and there was some tear-out of the foam. That could be because I didn't wait long enough for the glue to set, but it wasn't bad enough to worry about for what I was doing. (making a plug to fiberglass over)

Regarding the OP, Smooth-On's website claims that their rigid casting foam can be cast into blocks and carved. I've never used foam-it, but I would assume it'd be at least a little better than spray foam to carve.

yeah it's a good density so i would think it would work fine. I'm going to get the trail size and play with it to see

 

[Tearawayface]

When I've had to bond sheets of extruded foam together, I've used SmoothOn's Foam-it. It doesn't take much. Mix up a cup and drizzle it all over the sheet, then sandwich it with another. The only thing is the expansion of the foam will want to force the sheets apart. You need to get some good weight on top of it until the expansion is complete. Just keep layering. The resulting block is very easy to carve and you don't run into any gummy or sticky areas.

I have also used Foam-it to make quick sculpting forms. Mix up a batch and dump it into a plastic bag (no holes). The bag will fill up like a balloon. Once hardened, peel away the bag and you'll have a raw chunk of foam to carve away at. It won't sand as smooth as insulation foam, but it's good for sculpting over.

Just remember your ventilation!

 

[chewbaccadoll]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

propologist, do tell when you try out your sample of foam-it