How to Cut Foam (Polystyrene or StyroFoam)

[@smith3329]

Gotta love over glamorized shots of ordinary people 😊😊

[@kristibunny1620]

I’ve knife and sand paper a few times but pen in my cart now and going to try that! Thank for the suggestion!

[@lindadiane8705]

that is a dust mask. A respirator mask is needed for toxic fumes.

[@FritzHoppe]

A respirator is always much better, especially for melting the foam. A dusk mask will suffice for carving or cutting foam with a rasp, saw, etc.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

Watch this video ( as a foreigner) and every time this lad says "go ahead [and]" - take a shot of your favourite drink ahah. I'm wasted now... 14:52 "go ahead and do some research"...... It's such an American thing to say in instructional videos ahaha.

[@gadgetexpert3566]

Improvise soldering iron?

[@jagboy69]

Very thick pink foam can be hard to find locally and super high density stuff gets pricey. Homecheapo and Blowes sells sheets of pink stuff. Gluing it together to create the thickness you need $aves money. EPS foam sucks, stick to the pink or blue stuff. I hate chasing 5million little white balls. :-(

[@FritzHoppe]

But take caution with the glue! It is very hard to cut through or file down by hand, especially if it is a good strong glue. A thicker piece of foam will be easier than catching a knife or rasp on the hardened glue between those layers. If you have a band saw, then it shouldn't matter.

[@jagboy69]

@@FritzHoppe 3m spray glue. No hot glue that's for sure. 👍

[@hdb80]

@@jagboy69 Thank you for the advice! I needed this!

[@hdb80]

@@jagboy69 Do you have advice on how to round out edges and make it look like molding? I'm making 5' x 2.5' cathedral windows with faux stained glass. So, they're big. I had plans to go buy the cheap insulation and cut out pieces and then glue them together to create the frames. Is there a glue you recommend to give a strong bond, and does the rasp work well to round the edges of that foam? Any advice you have would be fabulous as I've never done this.

[@jagboy69]

@@hdb80 5foot by 2.5 foot cathedral windows? This sounds super cool! I gotta be honest with ya, I don't really do much foam work. I use it to bulk up sometimes. Typical 3M spray glue from HD will hold the pink or blue foam together. I have seen guys use a router to shape the foam. I would suggest signing up at alloyavenue.com and seek out threads by a man called kcoffield . When it comes to working foam into mechanical shapes such as yours, he is one of the best out there. Here is a link to get you headed in that direction. www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showthread.php?12972-Gating-Tubular-Lost-Foam-Part I will suggest your contoured edges can be created with a custom foam cutter you can make yourself. I've seen guys cut out some pretty impressive profiles mimicking crown molding out of blocks of foam! This will be less messy than using a rasp or router by a long shot. Something like this is easily created if your half handy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaCuXn1smsh4pJI You can wire up a foam cutter easily with an ac/dc transformer and some heavier kanthal wire that will hold your necessary shape. Mounted to a router style table, you can slide your foam against a fence and really deck out your frame. :-)) Hope this gets the brain cells working for ya.

[@gerlandkent6377]

[thank, you for youre helpful video]👍

[@TheIcemanModdeler]

What about a dremel?

[@FritzHoppe]

A dremel would work, but it may be best for detail work.

[@DeeDee-pt8tb]

Thank you

[@logans3365]

I just need to cut down some foam panels, to make an insulation barrier over my bathroom exhaust fan, so that the attic heat stops coming down. I wish there was an easier cleaner way If only my tool library idea was a reality already, maybe I could go barrow a foam cutter, I’ll have to get the ball rolling on that.

[@Bulltwinkle]

Very informative but requires patience. VDO could (should) have been 3 minutes with appropriate editing.

[@terrielynnrunolfson1184]

agree, three minutes in he finally says lets get started.....