Basics: How to get good, clean, straight cuts in XPS Foam (Black Magic Craft Episode 030)

[@lizpollock6534]

Based on my quilting experience - which involves lots of detailed and "fussy" cutting, I'd suggest cutting while standing rather than sitting. I find it easier to get accurate cuts on many layers of fabric by standing over it.

[@acmaurer50]

When you're standing, you get more leverage from your upper body.

[@deadinside4372]

Yes because sitting is not standing

[@ArtByKarenEHaley]

It’s really true. Standing while slicing is king!!

[@tonymin1555]

Man I should have done my homework. I’ve been a fan but I never thought to start from the beginning with your basics. I donated and did the Dice Tower build. It is a very cool project, but I was butchering some XPS with a $20 craft store foam cutter, a PVC saw and one pass cuts with a ratcheting blade. I made three bases. The one I covered so far ended looking nice, but a bit rough, almost like a goblin tower. The multi pass cut I just tried (even with a dull blade) is so much smoother. It would have saved me a lot of time and heartache. Now I know. Keep up the good crafting! Thanks again for working with St. Jude!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yup the basics vids are here for a reason :) glad to help.

[@jamesmikulski1183]

Just a little tip to add to your knife technique. If you do end up with a slight bevel, put the smaller side down. That way the top surfaces will still butt tight together.

[@PossumMedic]

I had been planning on making dungeon tiles as a thank you gift for the people who volunteer as DMs at my local comic shop. Thanks to your videos they are now getting double sided 1/2" foam tiles instead of the 1/4" printed and mod-podged foam tiles I was planning on making! Instead of just giving them a functional gift now I think they will be getting something they can really appreciate and integrate into their own games. Thanks man! :)

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

That's actually really cool to hear. And if any of them are interested in how to make more, make sure to send em over here :)

[@Xerock]

Having cut thick material for a living, i would recommend getting a weighted ruler, or if they are too expensive, get an iron bar cut down to match the length of your ruler and adhere it to the ruler using epoxy or some other adhesive. This prevents the knife from pushing the ruler around as you cut.

[@theexchipmunk]

I can always recommend one of these kitchen knife sharpeners (those round ones made from metal) if you do a lot of work with the cutter knife. If the blade gets a bit dull, use it and you are ready to go again. Makes your blades last longer and you won't have to change them as often. Withe the added benefit that it saves you some money, especially if you use more expensive blades. (which I always recommend as the cheap ones simply don't work that well with foam)

[@xXKyledkXx]

I was just trying this and it works perfectly with lining up my metal ruler with the cutting mat to get great pieces using a razor blade! Thanks, I was so frustrated trying to get the cuts right!

[@terrymyers699]

Great tute. Heres a quick FYI for your safety. I highly recommend investing in a chef's/meat cutters Cut Glove. They are gloves made from Kevlar that will not let a knife penetrate or slice thru to your hand. There are also chain male gloves that meat cutters use to keep all their fingers Intact. You can find them for like $5 or $6US on eBay. You get one good slip of the knife you can seriously gouge you can loose fingers. These gloves have helped save my hands for over 30 years of modeling.

[@theexchipmunk]

Yeah, thats a good recommendation. Its also why I stopped using cutters for the bigger stuff and got me a Proxxon. Had a few close calls that I will remember the rest of my live.

[@AVspectre]

When I first read this comment I thought you were saying you were saving your hands for a hand modelling career. :)

[@reneestanko6707]

This is so great! I'm taking an architecture class and getting ready to model a rammed earth structure. Amazing tips. Thank you!

[@tain-uwelemmer4489]

a good trick to make a 90°-Cut on thick material: use a strait, well sanded block of hardwood, instead of a ruler and keep the knife strait at the side of the block. (does not work with too flexible knifes). Hobbyknifes doesn't cut so easy in hardwood, so it works.

[@StrongholdCrafterKev]

Great stuff. I mainly use a hot wire tool for cutting large pieces of foam. Only foam core is cut with my hobby knife. I like that blade you demonstrated in the video as well as the method of cutting it.

[@emveedee]

You hit the nail right on the head. I made my first batch of dungeon tiles using a box cutter and although it did work, it was a lot of work, and getting the tiles nicely square was just a pain in the ass. Making a whole bunch of squares at the same time (4 x 4) did help speed it up a bit though. I did have lots of jagged edges since my knife wasn't very good, but you couldn't really see it in the end because you roughen up the tile anyways. When I got a hot wire tool it was suddenly so much easier. The end result does indeed not look very different, but it saved me so much time. Making squares you only need to set the distance right once, then you can just first cut long strokes of foam, give them a quarter turn and cut again. Cutting thin strips is really difficult to get done nicely imo, but with a hot wire table it is a piece of cake. Great advice, I fully endorse this :)

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

One you go proxxon you never go back!

[@emveedee]

I built mine myself as a hobby project but it's very similar to the one you have. Definitely don't want to go back!

[@mattott4274]

If you want a REALLY cheap hot wire cutter and like to get inventive... you can actually run a current to an olfa knife/blade and heat it up to make your cuts. I wouldn't say it's necessarily "better" but I've found it's faster and seems to help the blade stay sharper longer.

[@jirhonarmstrong4107]

Once again awesome video, I've been having alot of issues cutting the pink foam cuz all I have is a knife. But you have given me some great tips. Now I feel better on it. Thank you my friend

[@luxiscarbonus]

Where has this video been all my life?

[@Scar589]

I use a serrated steak knife. I like the 'rough' looking edge as it makes it look more like stone.Will probably use the box cutter for things I want more refined or nicer looking.

[@richardmorris6425]

Drafters/artist want that cork strip or thick tape on the back of the ruler so when they run a marker across the ruler, the ink does not bleed under the ruler.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

very interesting, did not know!

[@WylochsArmory]

Rockin! I have also done some mitered cuts with the Proxxon table. You need a protractor to set it up, but works aces.

[@King-ci8sk]

holy hell my man. ive been practicing and racking my brain about why my frickin cuts are just never perfectly straight for a couple days now. glad to know it isnt exactly all me

[@Zeoinx69]

Menards Local Store, I got three quarter inch thick XPS for 12 dollars for 4 foot by 8 foot sheet. They also cut down the sheet into 4 feet by 1 foot slabs for me, so I could get it home without being blown away by the wind.

[@VikingFyre]

I keep a sharpener on hand to get the most out of my blades. Thank you Bill Doran and Evil Ted for teaching me that trick haha

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

yea, I actually sharpen my blade on my jeans after ever few cuts (an oldschool technique for razors), but I didnt want to show that and have some person try it incorrectly and slice open their leg.

[@VikingFyre]

I use a 4 dollar dual sharpener I got from Smiths grocery store. Works in all blades really well

[@strandednseattle]

I use Jewelers Rouge and a piece of leather on a board to polish the blade. keeps it razor sharp.

[@theexchipmunk]

I can recommend the Zwilling Kitchen knife sharpener. That thing is normally for high quality kitchen knifes but turns my cutters razor sharp again and again.

[@beavisemojihere]

Thanks for this. I WAS trying to cut foam with an xacto knife, which was tearing, and I wondered what I was doing wrong. Will try using a razor utility knife and see if that works better. Thanks again!

[@laranettle9252]

Burnings in New Zealand also stock the same brand of xps as they sell in Australia.

[@TheUserInterface]

Thanks was about to go looking for some in NZ

[@ryancarter6876]

I've been using a crappy exacto knife and getting rough edges, but honestly, I have been making it work quite well IMO. It creates a rocky effect around the edge of the dungeon tiles, wouldn't be good for more detailed things, but for the ground beneath a layer of stone in a dungeon, it works. Also, I used 1 inch instead of 1/2 inch material for those tiles, and it was my first try.

[@shiroidaruma5046]

Thanks for the list with good XPS suppliers! I've literally been searching for days, but to no avail. Recently came across your channel and there's a lot of great stuff on there, so I subbed straight away and pretty lucky that you covered this subject now.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Hopefully you can track some stuff down now

[@shiroidaruma5046]

Thanks! Yes, I'll be driving down to either Germany or Belgium today immediately, haha. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@FoEDekker]

Just messing around, I tried this foam in some of my woodworking tools. My table saw cuts this to a factory finish with no tearing, so I decided to step up a notch. Believe it or not, you can feed this stuff through a thickness planer with zero issues. The only things I find don't work well are spinning bits. Drill presses and routers tear it apart.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I’ve also run it through a table saw. Gives a nice cut but the foam dust is a nightmare.

[@davidgates1122]

I regularly use the table saw with a carbide blade and a good dust collection system.

[@jaekaelae1198]

Bandsaw is also an option to cut different foam boards and you don't get toxic fumes. Downside is the crumbs but they can be get rid of with vacuumcleaner. Small bandsaw can be bought for $120+ and they can be used to cut all kind of materials not just foamboards. I have used bandsaw for cutting styrofoam and it works wonders. I like your videos and keep watching them.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Couple things.....for the price of the bandsaw I would rather have a dedicated foam cutter. I am a professional carpenter and have a band saw and a scroll saw but far prefer the precision, perfectly smooth, no mess cuts of the foam cutter. Saws are also loud and if like me you craft while the rest of the house sleeps a silent tool is better. As for dangers/fumes....heres the thing, this foam is only harmful when BURNT (black smoke), if your hotwire is set and used correctly it emits a white water vapor, and as long as you have some ventilation you are at very little risk.....the fine dust from cutting with a saw or sanding is actually FAR more dangerous. Not to mention a band saw is far more dangerous to use...For me as a carpenter that isn't an issue, but a band saw is not a tool everybody should be using.

[@jaekaelae1198]

:) Good point. But small bandsaws are not that dangerous when one is cutting soft materials like foams it won't kickback. Ofcourse it is more dangerous than hot wire cutter.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

really though, the risk of both tools is very low unless you are really really careless. The biggest factor for me is noise and styro dust....the main reason I got the hotwire was to not have to deal with staticky styro dust that sticks to everything.

[@rubenvor]

Let's cut the crap! Thanks for sharing such useful information! Exactly what I was linking for. Working on a boat project.

[@randyrice1429]

You are "Best Teacher Ever."

[@jeffd3201]

Hi, came upon this and took your recommendation on the proxxon and couldn't be happier. thanks for the great video! I am off and running with it...making some scale structures for a bunch of projects and this provides real nice, light weight building material...

[@DaisyMae404]

I like the straight foward approach you use.

[@ilonash.8157]

I wandered to your channel absolutely accidentally, but this is such a treasure. Your way of explaining is so clear and really engaging. Thank you a lot! (and please, in the future use some protection gloves or something working with the hot wire, bc my level of anxiety reached extreme markings watching you do it with your bare hands! I was worried you would cut your arm through!!)

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I don’t think you understand the tool. My arm isnt made of styrofoam.

[@ilonash.8157]

Oh, I'm sorry then. It looks more intimidating than it apparently is :)

[@SG-hg2zj]

Thank you for all your help getting started in this hobby. Go Jets!

[@PannkakaMedSylt]

Keeping your blades sharp is the most important factor, BUT I suggest getting something like a sharpening stone, I have one next to me when ever I'm cutting things and do a light pass on the stone every 4-5 min while cutting something that dulls the blade fast like Styrofoam. that said I still use a hotwire cutter pridominatly when dealing with styrofoam.

[@rickdillenbeck7397]

Fantastic tutorial, I don’t have a hot wire cutter so your tips on knife cutting was very helpful. Thanks

[@3create432]

"Let's cut to the chase" Lol.....I love it!

[@joshmercer8980]

I took 1d6 psychic damage from that xD

[@GeneralKetchup57]

Nice video, glad I'm not the only one having problems with angle cuts:) Just ordered the table and your razor set from your shop. Hopefully, the fee amazon pays you compensates for the beating I'm going to get from my wife ...LOL Seriously, it was the best price I found:)

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea, I don't think you can beat the amazon price.....and if you craft a lot it totally pays for itself with the time saved. I mostly want lots of crafters to get it so I can use it more on tutorials without making people feel left out, lol. For the record, because I'm all about transparency, I get a $7 cut for every proxxon table sold through my shop....so not quitting my job anytime soon, but it's actually an amount that adds up with a lot of purchases (and hey $7 for the channel is better than it going to amazon's pocket, they have enough $). People have bout 15 of them through my shop over the past month, so that's a lot of extra business for proxxon. I'm going to be reaching out to them to see if they can send me some of their other tools to test out for you guys.

[@GeneralKetchup57]

Great, looking forward to the next video:) Finally, going to attempt some of your killer buildings!

[@majintoast5278]

ive used exacto knives for cutting my tiles for years. no problems at all. perfect cuts. its all in the technique.

[@Runehammer1]

that cutter is amazers

[@josht9518]

We are still waiting for you guys to make a mini Guillotine to do the same job though... or behead some miniatures.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Its the absolute best crafting tool ever made. Hands down. No question.

[@Katniss218]

Hankerin'.... Hello there. ;)

[@intzbk1]

From 2017, and still helpful. Thanks!

[@ColonelIzabelleThorn]

B&Q has different types of XPS foam in the UK, though can potentially be a little pricey depending on shop location.

[@XRPDegen]

Builders skips sometimes are a treasure trove ... 😉👍🏻

[@AxelAllieu]

I forgot to like this one, sorry! Error corrected. Sometimes, going back to basics helps a lot. Thank you!

[@kickford]

Outside of a hot wire, I can tell you the absolute easiest way to cut foam board, is with a small, quality fillet knife. It's way better than any other knife you'll ever use, hands down.

[@dolfinmagikpro]

Any pointers on cutting curves with a blade? Like doorway arches, for example. Great video! Keep up the great work!

[@TimMcMahon80]

The taller your straight edge the more perfectly vertical your cut will be i.e. if you use a half-inch square rod as your straight edge you can keep the knife flush with the edge and be vertical.

[@ericmallory3050]

Olfa +1. I first came across an Olfa cutter while working for a sign company, and the yellow plastic had a whole bunch of red acrylic paint on it, made me remember to be careful to not cut any fingers off...lol Olfa blades are amazing, but first time users...safety tip, go real slow, these things are extremely sharp, and try not to work alone, because if you do cut yourself, you can do some serious damage if you are not paying attention... (Raises hand, shows scars) Why is it Olfa cutters always seem to be some of the ugliest, beat up, misused, tools? They pretty much last forever...looks like you're using one with a black handle almost, but I could see the yellow peek they in some spots... I think you almost have me convinced on the proxxon, but I doubt it will happen before xmas...rock on.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea a fresh olfa blade can cut right through your finger nail and you wont even feel it....I know from experience. I manage and see many different trades in my job and I've only ever seen olfa knives on site. They are the best. The one I have in the videos I spray painted black a while ago to designate it as the "black magic craft" one, ie it stays at the crafting table and doesn't end up in a pocket, tool pouch, or at work.....I've said elsewhere, I've never had an olfa knife break on me (no matter how many times dropped or used to open paint cans, lol), they only end their life with me when I loose them.

[@trojan403]

Great idea on the depth gauge! Never thought of that before

[@giotabiol1895]

XPS Foam: For Greece, you can find it as "θερμομονωτικό φελιζόλ", "Εξηλασμένη Πολυστερίνη", "Styropan XPS", "φελιζόλ styropan" etc. Its available at almost relatively big craft stores (I get it in a local one), including Practicer, Leroy Merlin etc. If researching for prices, pages like skroutz. gr can compare prices from physical shops & e-shops all over the country.

[@mikeet207]

I went cheap and bought a Styro Cutter for about $9.00 from Hobby Loppy. Does the same job as the foam cutter youre talking about. That being said i mostly just cut with my blade and yes good blades matter a lot.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea, handheld hot cutters are great for a lot of things, especially organic shapes. Personally I find them to be a pain to use for repetitive straight cuts without building a jig....and I'd rather save the time and use a table cutter.

[@mikeet207]

Yea it's basically useless for straight cuts.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I had no idea hot wire tables existed! I know what i wanna get myself for christmas now! I was making shabby cuts with a saw blade and xacto knife and smoothing them with a mini belt sander, terrifyingly 😂

[@h.p.4839]

Thanks again for that advice. Good thing I watched this video before starting to build up my terrain. ;)

[@workingTchr]

For a perpendicular cut using the razor knife, I'd try taking the blade out of the knife and clamping it to a known right angle object (say, a piece of wood) and using that along with a straight edge.

[@elysesmith8460]

Watching these basics videos as I get ready to go to Dollarama and Michaels 😅

[@rexmundi8154]

A bandsaw makes quick work of thick foam and the mess is containable if you use a saw with a dust collector. The hot knife can make a closed shop’s air quality pretty dismal.

[@claylewis8233]

Evil Ted Smith uses a Kershaw Blade Sharpener to extend the life of his blades. He builds eva foam costumes, the stuff dulls blades like crazy. I picked one up and its super nice.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

yea I need to start doing that I even have a really nice wet stone

[@robd1329]

Holy cow..that machine is perfect!

[@lllllllllllllllllllll1lll1]

Thank you so much for the techniques and demonstration!! Great info!

[@___Chris___]

I own a proxxon wirecutter, but it turned out being too slow for big parts (I was building big foamcore/fibreglass sandwich parts for the interior in my selfmade RV). I ultimately ended up using a jigsaw with a thin aluminum blade - works like a charm. As far as I've heard, a bandsaw with a thin blade does the job, too (and also with perfectly straight angles). I once was cutting with one of those larger knives like shown in your video and ended up in the ER to get some stiches: The knife got stuck for a microsecond and when it quickly got free again I ended up swinging it towards my other hand that was holding the part and cut a good cm deep, down to the bone. Oops.

[@Mikey__R]

Cheers! It's funny that, whilst it's easy with practice to cut a 2x4 square with a hand saw, even easier to cut thinner timber with a back saw, and cut a mortice plumb with a chisel, it does seem odd that a knife tends to angle like that in softer material. Do you think it might be because of body mechanics? We often cut timber whilst bearing over the board with our body, looking down on the cut, and chop with a mortice chisel whilst standing back to judge plumb. My woodworking bench is quite low, my sawhorse is even lower. Do you think crafting whilst hunched at a desk might be to blame for off square cuts?

[@jasonraper3864]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

so.....i guess this was a helpful video then :)

[@flinch622]

I find a 10" T-bevel handy. I can mimic angles for layout, and [at least for small pieces] I have a steel straight edge at the ready.

[@chd64]

in Europe, one manufacture is called stryodur and make 3000cs to 5000cs, variety of depths, in uk the only manufacture is in birmingham

[@chd64]

company called FoamTech

[@saintmatthew956]

J, this video is great. I wish I had it a year ago!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Better late than never

[@manuelurdaneta8649]

To make 90 degree cuts, instead of a ruler, I use a 1 "x 1" aluminum angle.

[@dhh7501]

A good sharp bread knife, with a curvy serated blade works wonders. Especially if it has a "flat" side to the left side of the blade.. like this : left side -> |/

[@jordanpark5533]

Hey man, love the videos and I love the work you create. It's opened up a whole new experience for me and a very nerd hobby. I do not have the space for a hotwire table though, as much as I would like one. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind eventually making a few videos based purely when using a knife. A hot wire table is clearly the more efficient and precise way but it'd be good to watch and learn from purely knife based techniques. Either way, inspirational shit man

[@BlueSparrow23]

I realize this is an old video and people are unlikely to see this, but it's worth a shot. Does anyone know of a left-handed version of that knife? As a leftie crafter, I'm always dismayed by seemingly simple tools that I either have to use with my non-dominant hand, or just go without. If anyone knows of a good place or site to buy quality left-handed tools, let me know. I've yet to find one that's more than novelty.

[@JimmyJamba]

Another great video! Good work.

[@maestro2114]

Black Magic Craft: Has professional retractable knife and foam cutter. Bard’s Craft: Uses Kitchen knife that’s been sharpened with file.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

His knife costs more than mine

[@KendellConiff]

I already have a woodworking bandsaw so I use it to cut my styrofoam pieces. It's a little messy but works great!

[@Tovenaar13]

Can't wait to build my HeroQuest tiles!

[@TheFlapper666]

Is there an easy way you can cut a thick plate into 2 or 3 thinner ones without using the thermo cutter ? I cant get the 1 or 2 cm ones here.

[@fuzzywigschickenemporium]

Guess I know what I need to ask for for Christmas...lol

[@justinhamrick384]

How do you recommend working with the XPS if you get a 4x8' sheet from a store? What is the best method to cut these? Do you recommend cutting them into a certain size so you can work with them on the hot wire table?

[@TattooBull]

I recently bought a aluminum fishing boat and I have been seeing videos of people using this to help make flooring to stand up easier in the boat .. my question is .. if you took a two-by-four and put it under each outer edge and stood on the middle so that the foamular board bent about 2" like the letter U , how much pressure would it take before the board snapped .. how much can it Bend before breaking more or less .. the reason I am asking is because the bottom of the boat has a little bit of a V shape and isn't perfectly flat .. I'm sure I can use something to fill in the center to make it where the board wouldn't bend much but I think it would still have a little Bend to it .. also how well can you sand the edges to round them off

[@seanooley7377]

For your standard dungeon tiles, do you use 1/4", 1/2", or 3/4" XPS? I also found that my contractor's table saw cut through the 1/2" foam with no problem and it came out very smooth.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

1/2" for all my tiles!

[@seanooley7377]

Thanks, that's what my local Lowe's has for $9.94 for a 4' x 8' sheet. The 1/4" stuff is much more expensive because you buy almost a wall of it and they won't sell it in smaller amounts. However, the 1/4" stuff probably has its uses in craft.

[@cheeseymann]

I'd say a knife is fine for the average joe just trying to make things here and there. The proxon is definitely more consistent and a lot quicker, so if your planning to make a lot of tiles or just a ton of the same things, youd probly benefit from a hotwire table.

[@alan262]

I'm considering putting a piece of pink XPS in my interior window in order to reduce the noise associated with my AC unit. Do you know if weather stripping (MD with adhesive) will stick to the sides of the cut XPS? Of course, I'll need the weatherstripping so that the XPS will fit snugly into the window cavity. Thank you. Alan

[@dragonpjb]

Why does no one remember you can just snap the dull part of those blades off. It is why they have the score lines on the blade. They even have a snapping tool built into the handle!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Who’s forgetting? I’m not (I’ve used thousands of olfa blades as a contractor) it’s just then when cutting foam you are often dulling across a large section of blade. If you are lucky, or only cutting thin foam, you can snap in half once and still have a sharp portion.

[@De_rare]

Hi, I've been watching a whole bunch of your videos, including the whole beginner 'track'. Love it! And I started working on my own tiles to practice. I also made a water well as the first centerpiece during my previous D&D session. The players loved it, although it was a very simple piece. Now, why do I reply to this specific 2 your old video? Because I'm stuck on making a specific cut: a 6x6 tile piece... For my 3x3, I was able to use my proxxon to halve my 2cm foam I could find here in Belgium down to 1cm tiles. But how in the world am I supposed to make the thinning cut on a 6" block? It doesn't fit the cutter. Let alone the 12x12 piece you sometimes mention. How do you do it? Or do you keep the original block thickness? I appreciate all the work you've done recording all of this inspirational footage over the years!!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Tiles of that size must be made out of foam that is the thickness you want. I make mine out of 1/2" foam. If you can not get appropriate thickness foam, make a bunch of 3x3 tiles and simply glue them together to create larger tiles. You can glue a thin bit of cardstock paper to the underside if you don't trust just the side gluing.

[@De_rare]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Wow, I did not expect such a quick answer! Makes sense to give gluing a bunch of them together, will do! Thanks!

[@hawkeyesplace7442]

Do you need to remove the paper from the foam? I’m am brand new to this. Bought my first xps and want to learn. I like your manner., and methods.

[@ozzyosmond1]

Great videos - I bought the Proxxon on your rec for cutting XPS and it's great but I'm wondering if you have tips for cutting a curve (like a large arch). I have some ideas, but I'm wondering if theres a way to use a template that doesn't get cut with the foam or another method. Does making a shallow blade cut first help? (I know I should be experimenting but I thought I'd ask a pro) Freehand is way too impossible for me.

[@wildvortex4565]

I got so XPS foam from my local hardware store but the only stuff they had was 1 inch thick. How could I reduce the thickness without sutting it up into small peices? BTW I do not have a wire cutter.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Unfortunately it is very difficult, near impossible to make foam thinner without a good hotwire tool. Your better of trying to work around the thickness you have, and make projects that work at that size.

[@wildvortex4565]

Ok. I'll just make thick dungeon tiles. Thanks for the quick reply!

[@charliehodges3940]

Would I be able to cut a piece of foam to 12" x 12" using the fence?

[@TheSerpent753]

You can also use a scroll saw to cut this foam. It cuts clean and your cuts will be perpendicular. I don't use foam enough to warrant buying a hot-wire cutter.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I am a carpenter so I own a scroll saw BUT I craft while the family sleeps and a scroll saw is way too loud.....the cuts with a scroll saw are decent, but not nearly as clean, and there are a ton of things you can do with the hotwire table that you cant do with a scroll saw. The other thing is the mess, I don't want the mess....and the health concerns. People always worry about the fumes of cutting foam with a hotwire, but if done correctly (not burning/black smoke) the vapors are essentially just water, and with a little ventilation you are fine. With a scroll saw you make fine dust that is way more dangerous and actually requires a mask. Anyway, this is just what works best for me, your needs and stuff may differ.

[@CGRTist]

I notice that insulation foam is quite soft and can be damaged just by scratching with a fingernail. Even pressing on the foam can leave dents. After priming and painting, is this still the case? I plan on using the foam as wall panels, (like that of the interior of a ship from a popular Sci-Fi).

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Don’t decorate large areas of walls with foam. It’s a fire hazard and most likely illegal according to your local building code. Foam can not be used as a finished wall covering, it must be covered by non combustible material. If your walls are covered in large quantities of polystyrene and you have a fire you will end up with a room full of napalm. Don’t do it.

[@goldiesincity8005]

I was wondering how to cut a design out of this foam , not a straight line , i carved out a design out of this foam using a exacto blade and your right it dulled it and the exacto blade wasn't 2 inches long anyway to finish , so i had to use a really sharp thin kitchen knife to cut the rest i took my time and it came out pretty good a little rough around the edges , i didn't think i could sand this foam with out destroying it , but you can actually sand it , i sanded out all the rough edges and any other imperfections , and it looked perfect . But it was a lot of work and i was thinking if i had a rotary type tool or something to make the cutting easier and more precise would be better for a future project , i now have a Dremel but not sure if it would work you really have to have a steady hand but the Dremel works for carving design into the project , haven't tried it yet , that's what brought me here to your video .

[@692ALBANNACH]

I have a proxxon but can't use in in my room at the moment will set off the alarms.I do use knives but they can dull up and I go through a far number of blades ! Until I get a place to use my machine will use a variety of sharp knives!

[@solarsynapse]

You could use a thicker metal bar instead of a ruler and run your blade alongside it to maintain a 90 degree cut.

[@Spenxaz]

Sorry for noob question but Ive see many people add foam terrain to wood base and the wood base are easy to cutting or shape with knives. May I know what the wood base is?

[@kylemcburgerson5207]

You and brent are great

[@malcolmfitzgerald6801]

I'm a bit clumsy should I bother with burn resistant gloves for a hot wire cutter? Also if you accidentally cut slightly at an angle could you just cut a little thicker than the final idea and just sand one side down?

[@logowatchman]

Absolutely right regarding Olfa knives. The only one I have used since I discovered the company 20 years ago. Home depot sometimes doesn't have them with the other brands in the tool department - look in the paint department.

[@gurfuzle]

What is the best way to make cuts on a large sheet? If I have a 2" x 4' x 8' sheet, what is my best method for cutting it down to more usable sizes? (I've been using a circular saw and guide, not sure it's the best though)

[@solarsynapse]

Don't breathe the dust a circular saw makes! There is a foam cutting blade for jigsaws and oscillating saws that you may like.

[@DRI1966]

Thank You for all this tips :)

[@foxtrotmusic4179]

Xps is available in the netherlands at a hardware store called: GAMMA

[@jonathanp1621]

Bedankt!

[@jesternario]

I've seen a lot of those ratcheted blade have grooves. Are they break away?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea

[@jesternario]

cool.

[@grinpick]

Good informative video. One thing you could do better, at least for me, is spell out the brand names of the tools/equipment that you recommend. For example, it sounded to me like you were saying "Holfa" for the brand of the utility knife. Turns out it's "Olfa." Might be that my hearing is deficient, but spelling the word out would help. Thanks for telling me stuff I've been wanting to know.

[@areshseptango9619]

couldn't you place a block of something on top of the square to guide a straight cut through the foam with a knife?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

you could. A jig of some sort would help....it's just...a lot of effort and if you are doing a bunch of cuts a foam cutter is worth the investment. For me my time is valuable.

[@Penz0id]

I wish I could get one of these tables, but $200 on Amazon Canada is pretty steep for me. Maybe someday!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea, we get pretty screwed up here when it comes to amazon....for me the 200 is still totally worth it.