JFcustom's FOAM files

Another question comes to mind...I have two flat objects I would like to use as eyes for my foam helmet.
To be able to glue them later,do I flatten the foam surface by sanding in the foam stage,ór do I sand the surface between plastic coats? My thanks in advance for your help
 
Another question comes to mind...I have two flat objects I would like to use as eyes for my foam helmet.
To be able to glue them later,do I flatten the foam surface by sanding in the foam stage,ór do I sand the surface between plastic coats? My thanks in advance for your help

Sanding foam can be a pain but is doable. How about cutting holes around the lenses and gluing flanges to the the inside of the helmet to attach them to (couple mm all round should be plenty without making it hard to see out). You could even back the flanges with a little 65D as well to strengthen them.
 
Talking of sanding, I found that scraping the resin with a fresh Stanley blade was much quicker and easier than sanding which got me nowhere fast no matter what grade I used.

 
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I'm using 6mm DuraFoam which,according to the dealer,is sandable.
I was just wondering whether sanding was useful at all,since I will be sealing and plastic coating the helmet and people tend to sand between layers.
So,should I prepare the foam beforehand or sand between coatings? Not sure if the layers would undo my sanding,you see.
Thank you again for your vision.
 
Ah, gotcha. To be honest I didn't bother sanding between layers, instead I waited until the "gel" stage to add layers as the two bond together better.
 
That's a good thing and the reason the two bond to each other. Once the first coat of 65D has set it's no longer an issue anyway.

Also, the 65D starts getting quite pasty pretty quickly, so try it out on a test piece 1st, to get used to how it reacts.
It's worth decanting out small amounts at a time (I used empty spice jars to store shall amounts and used the lids to measure out equal amounts of the 2 parts for mixing) and using a mixing tub with a wide, flat base (like a margarine tub). As this gives you a shallower volume spread, it doesn't get pasty as quickly. I found that a narrower tub gave a greater depth and so the reaction occurred quicker, giving less time to apply it. If it starts getting pasty, give up on that mix, let it dry, then continue with a new batch, as it starts dragging and you get pasty lines forming.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk
 
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Hey those who have made the Arkham: origin batman cowl, what did you do in order to get your head through the opening? So far I am cutting in a relief cut in the back.
 
Somebody want to unfold these batman beyond files for me? http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=244102
arkham-knight-620x400.jpg
 
May I ask a question about using magnets to connect foam pieces?
Is there a ground rule with regard to frequency when spacing them out?
Also,what magnet strength do you all use for different parts? 3kg? More/less?
*Sidenote: I intend to cover the magnet with foam,so the magnet perhaps needs to be a bit stronger than usual.

I cut one side of the shin and forearm and would like to reconnect them with magnets,but I'm at a loss what strength and how many to use.Same goes for the neck(collar).
I hope to hear from as many people as possible.Thank you all so much for your help.
 
hi again george ^^, i just ordered today some of what americans call rare earth magnet, neodyme for us, i allready got some at home for other purpose, enjoy myself with ferofluid, just for you to know 3 kg is quite strong,
http://www.supermagnete.fr/dut/schijfmagneten-neodymium i linked it in netherland for you

It s the website i ordered my magnet, look at the S-08-05-N picture the pressure on the finger and how nice they hold on it, it s heavy and also quite dangerous, i stick my finger between two of them while i manipulated them to make my ferofluid dance once, it hurted like hell

I you want a lil demonstration, i took some pictures with two magnets of 1.9 kg and EVA foam mat 1.2 cm

DSCF3268.JPGDSCF3261.JPGDSCF3263.JPGDSCF3264.JPGDSCF3267.JPG

So 1.9 is not that good when you cover the magnets with foam i try 3.8 and it stick really well meaning you can make foam rotate and it still dont move from the axis, also keep in mind it s just one magnet, put two of them each side and you re good to ask someone help to remove your armor ^^
 
Noreign,thank you so much for the information.I was told about this website by the girl who is using magnets for her armor.She covers the magnets with bits of foam to keep them in place (the strength would normally tear them loose from the glue,so I was told.The extra strength would compensate for the fact that the magnets are covered,but she never spoke of the specifics.

So,I will keep the strength lower than intended I guess,so I can use several for each armor part.I will order them and post photos.
Thank you for replying,Noreign.

One question though: do I need two magnets to attract eachother,or is one magnet and a small iron ring for example enough/better?
 
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Hey guys, mentioned this before, but I inset the magnets into the foam and then glue a piece of thin styrene over the entire foam/magnet surface. Works very well and looks clean. Here's the original post (#2972):

Just to throw in my two cents, I was typically using neodynums (1/4"x1/8" discs)... I bore out my holes, use an old soldering iron to cauterize the edges (hardens the foam up), then glue the magnets in. e6000 and barge cement are better than hot glue, the heat can demagnetize, and if the magnets weaken up you are going to have fun getting them back out. Anyways, after they're glued in, I then cut thin piece of styrene and glue that right OVER all of the magnets and the foam to cover the mating surfaces.... It distributes the magnets' pull over a much larger area, and (for me anyways) looks like a much cleaner mating surface, even if you're the only person to see it :)
 
@Laelee: I remember it just now,and thank you too for sharing that information !
Styrene looks like thin foam.Is there a difference?
 
Styrene looks like thin foam.Is there a difference?

Styrene is plastic, so sheets of styrene are good because they don't flex or tear like foam. You see a lot of people vacuum/heat forming with it. It ends up being a more sturdy surface to mount your magnets on. You put your magnet on a thin piece of foam, and you can see the warping and flexing from the pulling sometimes. It's a good method for keeping things thin, yet clean.
 
For what i ve seen you can use iron or other material attract by magnet, it work, but will be better with another neodym magnet, i made some tests. Regarding the styrene fact, i think it could also be a matter of density. except jfoam who use fitness mat 35kg/m3 people usually work with eva at least 45kg/m3 when it's not more than 100kg/m3, lots of people advise me to use 120kg/m3 so it probably make the attraction weaker while styrene is more like 35kg/m3, i suppose it could make a difference.

By the way, even if you put more than one magnet i still recommand to buy some more powerfull magnets than you plan, just in case, i took some 6kg for larger pieces and for pieces who could maybe flex or bend. It's strange people speak about size of magnet but not power, because it s what is matter in fact, you could have little size with more strengh than a bigger one and vice et versa

also the distance between the two magnet is the most important weakener fact when you use magnet, when i first try the 1.9 i use it on a worbla piece 3 mm including 2mm foam and one side worbla, it s stick really well, i could move one magnet on one side and see the other one follow on the other side, with foam and 1 cm between the two magnet it barely stick so 7 mm made a whole difference and like collinE83 said if you use a thin piece of foam for the purpose of not having a too big distance between the two magnet it could make your foam flex, rip, bad stuff, with styren it stay neat with more attractiv power, i ll use that when i ll build my stuff, good advise
 
I wasnt here actually to talk about magnet, i just totaly forgot ahah, JF i read somewhere you enjoy kids prop so am i and i think it will be really funny if i could see an Overlord/dady (from the videogame of the same title) sending his minion/child ravaging some hobgobbelin home Fourth_Overlord_Concept_Artwork.jpg overlordminions.jpg
 
Thank you for sharing this information,Laellee,Collin & Noreign.It took me a while,but I think I get it now :facepalm:lol
 
Hi guys, firstly I'm sorry if this has already been asked/answered. I'm in the UK and I'm finding it really difficult to find substrates and media's for foam builds. The only foam I've been able to find besides 15mm eva foam floor tiles is childs craft foam. What should I be looking out for. I've used Depron before for model aircrafts. Is this a suitable media? Many thanks in Advance.
 

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