THIS IS HOW I MAKE TINY FOAM BRICKS

[@maxlamee5149]

Semi related, I don't have full use of my hands due to paralysis, so I use a scalpel to place bricks for my buildings. Barely poking it and sticking it in place on the glue. It works really well in tight spots and is really fast once you get the hang of it. Even if you can use your hands it might be a handy practice when placing a lot of bricks. Obviously be safe when doing it.

[@ciarajeanr]

This is a far superior way of placing bricks. Even for people with full use of their hands. You're way ahead of the game.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I like doing it that way, it's more ergonomic, but I don't like that it leaves a little hole/dot on every brick :(

[@scottturner3831]

You can also try a tool without a sharp point, and dipping it in a dot of glue to make the brick stick to it.

[@gornser]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial most of those holes will be covered by other bricks though

[@MonkeyJedi99]

@@scottturner3831 A pencil or dowel with a dab of Uhu (the tacky poster-handing stuff) on it?

[@andytdport4]

The paper towel trick! So simple but perfect. I would wedge shaved pieces of coffee stir sticks in mine to hold it in place and it was a pain in the butt. This seems much simpler and I will for sure use it.

[@50goingon15]

I have the table. I have the foam. I have the coffee can and rocks. Someday I will make bricks, but until then I’ll just enjoy the process vicariously through you. Great channel. Thanks again!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Do it!

[@dirtybasementterrain]

When my small offcut pile starts to get a bit on the large size, I'll cut it down into bricks. This gives me a good supply of ready-made bricks for whenever I need them

[@CronosVids]

We sometimes forget that youtube was a platform with loads of tutorials. And I personally think you make vlear and accessable tutorials. Great video!

[@gornser]

It's great that you make videos of the basic stuff too.

[@spiridiums]

I really appreciate shorter videos like this one because I get to learn more about your process when doing your builds! Thank you for sharing!

[@Zambies]

I just got a foam cutter. Time to use it! Spending a day to make a stock pile of bricks makes it so much easier on your future self when you need them. Coming from someone who loves and collects rocks, if someone asks what type they are answer with: all rocks are good rocks. I instantly thought of using my rock tumbler for this 😆. It does have higher speeds and could work but I’m not cleaning it out every time to do this. Dirty can with junk is a better option. 👍

[@PilgrimofMatter]

The Bob Ross of brickmaking. Right here, folks!

[@MiniAxeCrafts]

The eternal question: Answered! ❤‍🔥 Seriously though, there's quite a bit of useful info in this video that is usually skipped over (i'm also guilty of this). The temperature of the wire just right so it doesn't create smoke, the importance of taking your time, keeping the trimmed pieces in order - Awesome job, thanks! "What kind of rocks?" 🤣

[@Y2KNW]

Every time I watch you make bricks I think back first to how much I really wanted a Hirst Arts plaster brick set to make awesome stuff, then how much I'd love a foam cutter to make bricks to do the same, and then about how little room I have to store anything already and how quickly I'd clutter up my nerd cave with stuff make of foam bricks that I know I'll never use.

[@Bobdd0]

I love little tasks like this. There is something so satisfying about putting in with that makes any future task easier in turn. Especially when they are streamlined to reduce hand and wrist strain!

[@stochasticagency]

For ease of separation, IKR, if you have a large bowl, you can use the same method for separating chaff from wheat. Lighter material moves to the top, while heavier material moves to the bottom.

[@Lucassrizzo]

Thanks Jeremy! I have just made a DIY foam cutting table and have been trawling through your older videos for all the good tiny-foam-brick tips. This video arrived at the perfect time!

[@dodgydioramas]

Very tempted to build something with millions of individual bricks now

[@TyRaff]

What kind of rocks do you think works best for softening the corners?

[@turnipslop3822]

So happy to see a simple crafting tutorial again! I really love this useful tidbits as I can directly apply them to my hobby making skills. Thanks for the great video Jeremy!

[@Toasty_Britches]

So much practical, sensible advice in this that really appeals to the carpenter in me hahaha thanks so much for this vid!

[@BillAllanWorld]

Thank you for doing this. I have only used the little handheld wire cutter, so learning your whole process with the table is really helpful.

[@pingpongwarlord618]

Crazy people ask what kind of rocks to use. The real question should be what kind of coffee did you get for the can. Dark roast or light roast? Decaf or regular?

[@LangeMiniStudio]

Your videos are always a good source of inspiration, thanks for doing these!

[@obadijahparks]

Simple, instructional, valuable. Thank you.

[@squippy111]

So now that's the video i need as a beginner! 😅I love your Content!

[@easternshorescreenprinting5426]

Kingspan GreenGuard is now the standard XPS sold at Lowes here in the US! If you can't wait for shipping

[@mancheckitout]

Thanks for the idea using the original fence. That’s a really good idea. I prefer putting 20 different sized river rocks in a Home Depot bucket with a lid and then adding a large amount of bricks. Then shaking it while having arm over lid. This works really well for texturing bricks.

[@TheCraftCave]

I love using individual bricks in my builds! It add so much more character to the project in my opinion!

[@paddlepedalproductions5452]

I've been making bricks this way since I ran across your channel many years ago. It's so simple yet so effective. Keep the great content coming sir!

[@merek5380]

Honestly, this is a lot of fun. I made a frostgrave board using foam techniques from BMC. One lesson I learned is that my first build had brick walls that r"an out" and weren't very straight. This problem isn't really an issue for builds thst don't have a lot of height, however my first few larger builds look okay, albeit a little bit more cartoonish with how tapered some of the walls are. I definitely recommend for larger builds what you see BMC doing where he glues bricks to thin sheets of xps that are already straight and true so you produce straight and true walls. Also I make a lot of wood planks with a similar method as the bricks. I just apply a wood pattern greenstuff rolling pin to thin sheets. Now if someone could find a quick way to make xps wood textured cylinder shapes I would consider that a crafting technological breakthrough

[@phillbosque2183]

Happy to know I follow these exact same steps, although I do need to get a fancy fence for the proxxon the default one is too small.

[@jonathanmarshall2297]

Will you include your recipe for the caulk mix you use on said bricks? Been constantly experimenting with some of your modular builds and always love the inspiration. I kinda want to try modular wall ruins with this brick technique next.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

It’s just acrylic caulking with some black paint added.

[@jonathanmarshall2297]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial guess I just need more practice working with the caulking. Was such a mess I figured I did something wrong and swapped back to your modpodge mix (which has been a miracle worker)

[@jaredport7544]

Lowes sells green Kingspan XPS foam in the US. At least in the midwest. You have to buy it in 1or 2 inch thicknesses though.

[@metachoi2764]

Possible little hack for a quicker separation of foam bricks from the bolts and rocks after tumbling them- just hold something (maybe even the coffee can/ wide XPS foam sheet / DM screen / etc.) in front of the pile of mixed stuff and just blow on all the foam bricks to quickly separate them, the little foam bricks will get blown and hit the makeshift wall and the tumble bits will stay right in front of you to scoop up.

[@dinonut80]

"Welcome back to Brick Magic Craft." 😅 Someday I am going to get a cutter, then I am going to drive my wife crazy by overflowing my area with terrain. Lol.

[@dicedrinksanddadjokes]

Its painful to make individual bricks like this but damn they just look sooooo good when they come together! Great vid man!

[@Slurgical_3D_Terrain_Channel]

That is awesome. Thanks for sharing. I have gone the digital route to make my buildings. I have about 300-400 individual bricks. I could automate it. But when I make a building placing each bricks individually when I want to turn that pristine building into a ruin it feels and looks more organic when I 3D print it. Made a few vids on my channel about it. Been working on Mordheim board for the past few months.

[@ruudsand5087]

We needed this video for ages! Finally it is there.

[@TombKingTristan]

Timing on this video couldn’t be better for me! Was about to borrow my pals proxxon to make bricks this weekend! Thanks so much!

[@TombKingTristan]

Update: I have made. So. Many. Bricks.

[@noe.hammer]

That shaking coffee can sounds great, you're ready to join Tanner at his noise shows

[@abehikura]

He's keeping the magic rocks secret!😄

[@X.davidWilliams]

HaHaHuzzah- MagicRocks

[@tsmcgu]

4:20 - Black Magic Craft ASMR

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

Super handy. I’m adding that Proxon to my Christmas list.

[@Blackmamba136]

Very good Tutorial. I already got a big box full of bricks. :)

[@fredericapanon207]

@BlackMagicCraftOfficial, for a variation on bricks, do you know about the ancient Mycenean rock builds in Greece? They have massive blocks of stone that are so well fitted together (no mortar) that one cannot slide a sheet of paper between. The blocks have various shapes, not necessarily rectangular, with rounded edges. The Myceneans are still an unknown, mysterious people.

[@capnskustomworks]

WOOT for foam bricks!!! I use a blade to cut mine, and I put a plastic bin at the end of the desk and gently blow the bricks toward it. 😆 I’ve been intending to build some plane-like cutters with a groove at .25” & .5” to see if it works on peeled foamcore! (Somebody must’ve tried this, I’d bet!) Also, ye really make me wanna put foam bricks in a rock tumbler now, to see if they come out as rounded cobblestones?!? Hahaha!

[@X.davidWilliams]

Huzzah,, Top Notch & setting the interwebs right.

[@mancheckitout]

I still prefer the pink xps you used to use from Home Depot. I think it holds texture well. I know your new preference is the Kingspan GreenGuard GG25-LG XPS 4ft x 8ft Insulation Board. 😊Thanks your early videos from the very first one inspired me to cut bricks and sell them on Etsy for the people that don’t have the proxon.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I mostly prefer the Kingspan because it is available in thicker sizes.

[@mancheckitout]

The pink XPs is available in 1 inch, 1.5 inch and 2.5 inch thickness in my area. I prefer thickness as well. Are you able to get thicker than 2.5 inches?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea, up to 4”

[@gabehugh343]

I dont have a hotwire table.... but i have one of those hotwire cutters from Temu.... i wondering if i can just use somekind of cutting mat and a carpenter square and or 2 metal rulers..... i tried one metal ruler last week it was difficult for sure. All the best Jeremy thanks again for all you do for our craft, community and world of gaming.

[@TheStrykerProject]

Appreciate the how-to, man. Thanks!

[@bradycobb563]

Bro, I reload ammo. Ammo tumblers use steel pin media and big magnet to remove them from the brass, also have sives and stuff to just pour them out. Check out rotary brass tumblers.

[@danielsmeds9563]

No question regarding the stone size, got it! But what flavour of the coffee can should I get?

[@mistac5050]

Great, quick video!

[@gtw94]

“Fork this” *throws the rest of the stack out of frame and pretends he’s done* 🤣🤣 love it

[@jeremycombs7326]

Great episode as usual love the channel

[@kcriggins1]

That is the exact system that I use, and truth be told cutting bricks that way is very therapeutic.

[@BarbarosaAlexander]

I did similar making a ton of tombstones for some Hallowe'en builds I am doing and will do later.

[@M.Melnick]

Very helpful video, Thanks

[@RN-du8wr]

Maybe it's worth pulling the bricks apart ahead of time for a more uniform softening of edges but leaving them together imo would allow for more variety. Depending on the build could look like an alleyway between old buildings- bricked up doorways and windows that were no longer useful in later years or weather eroded areas, etc. Less detailing to do later, maybe a little more subtle. Idk tho. I'm a bit of an armchair builder nowadays lol

[@themikejmartin]

What kind of rocks should I put in the coffee can?

[@MattBrysonLVP]

Solid ive made 2 sets of bricks and im not happy with the size of both of them lol now this is what im doing tomorrow haha

[@urosbrkic3370]

Question, I see a lot of people using XPS foam with a smooth surface. I work in construction and I haven't ever seen it in stores. We have XPS foam with a hexagonal grid indentation (used so the glue would hold better I think). Is it possible to use those?

[@lotharrenz4621]

nice, great tips and hints, very useful. :) I kind of like that foam's logo, but I'm a furry and biased obviously. ;)

[@jonathandavis4819]

What kind of bolts should I use in my can? Couldnt find any in my yard Wheres Frankenstein when you need him.

[@12nightmare34]

Asking what rocks to use may seem stupid, however the rocks in my area are brittle and shatter when I use them like this, it also covers the bricks in dust which can get messy or you can breathe it in which isn't great. My recommendation to go out and collect rocks that don't chip or break when you hit them together. You can just test them while collecting them and discard any brittle rocks.

[@wolfkaulen82]

Thanks for this video. Great timing as I'm about to start a build including tons of bricks. Love your content, keep up the great work and take care! PS: Did you ever accidentally burn yourself on the hot-wire cutter?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

No, you’d have to intentionally force yourself to keep contact with the wire long enough to cause a burn.

[@euansmith3699]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial How about on Hot Glue? 😬🥵

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Hot glue is WAAAAAY more dangerous than a hotwire cutter in terms of burning yourself.

[@mrspurplebat]

​@@BlackMagicCraftOfficialI manage to burn my hair or forehead every single time. I'm partially sighted and have to be so close to the wire to be able to see it, accidents are bound to happen. There's an exception to every rule, but I'm not giving up on modelling or painting 😂

[@fredericapanon207]

​@@mrspurplebat may I suggest a headkerchief to keep the hair under control and possibly also protect your forehead? Make sure there is NO synthetic in the fabric though. Any synthetic will melt and stick to your skin. Cotton will char but not stick. Polyester is found found in too many fabrics now.

[@DaveDeBaeremaeker]

Thanks for the video! As always its informative and entertaining. I've used this process for making my own bricks. Its funny how you say "the type of rocks don't matter" cause I was actually curious about that exact thing. I mean, generally any rocks will do the same job. I use granite rocks, cause thats whats sitting around my yard, but they end up creating a lot of dust (way more than what seems to be shown in the video) tho I tend to just collect it and use it as weathering later on in the process, tho sometimes the amount is annoying. I am curious if your rocks get changed out over time as they wear down, or if you just keep using the same ones forever, even tho they presumably get smoothed out over time.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I’ve been using the same rocks for several years. The same ones I used originally. They have broken down into much smaller rocks overtime and I should probably throw some new big ones back in there.

[@Tigerradde]

What kind of rocks?

[@X.davidWilliams]

HaHa- Magic Rocks!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Butt rocks

[@Tigerradde]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial What size of screws? 😉

[@E_Platypus_Unum]

Lowes sells that exact foam in 4'x8' sheets in different thicknesses

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

That’s pretty new. Do they sell it in 3” and 4”? They don’t where I am.

[@gtw94]

Use steel scraps and magnet chunks and then before you dump it stick a strong magnet on the bottom of the can and boom. No sorting. (Immediate edit after I thought about it for two seconds: The magnet chunks would only work in a plastic coffee can but then you run into a static issue lol….i guess your way is best or at least less hassle lol)

[@PatGilliland]

I use the same method but cut my brick a lot smaller - for rubble for WWII gaming terrain.

[@CorwinsTabletop]

Bricks for the huge towe-- I mean, brick god!

[@tragonius]

k, but what size bolt, jerbear? haha. love havin this 101 stuff all in one searchable vid, thanks man.

[@grimoirworkshop6623]

You can dump everything into the water, foam will float, rocks will sink!

[@windsleeper]

I love watching you place thousands of tiny foam bricks on big terrain projects. But there's no way I am going to place thousands of tiny foam bricks on a big terrain project. Thanks for doing the work so we don't have to.

[@firestaffer69]

I went to your site to have a look at the foam options. Your suppler doesn’t seem to ship to Canada but you yourself live in Canada. So how do Canadians get this foamed shipped to them?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Unfortunately they can’t due to cost prohibitive tariffs of foam

[@TomJones0065]

LMAO theres going to be some SMARTASS.. Love that and its SO TRUE... and Dollars to Donuts They have NEVER made anything with there hands EVER! LOL! DUDE FUN!!!

[@lauri.nordling]

I keep a big tray behind the cutter, so everything just falls in the bin. After cutting it all, I can just dump them in the container I want!

[@TheNerdyHobbies]

But Jeremy… what coffee jar do I use!?!? 😂

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

As long as it’s not decaf you’ll be fine.

[@drewwendell]

"The correct rocks are the ones in your yard".... *weeps quietly in Floridian*

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Florida doesn’t have rocks?

[@drewwendell]

@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Not in the way other places do. We're a giant sandbar - there isn't the kind of casual "step into the back yard and grab a rock" abundance you find in places with actual geology. The nearest naturally occurring source of something like granite is a state away. Even the gravel on roads/driveways is local sandstone or limestone that is more likely to be weathered by the coffee can than keep hard edges. Most of the real rock we do have is rounded inro pebbles from water action. Now, if you want top tier crafting sand in every grain size imaginable, we're heaven... but yeah... my backyard, like most of those around me, is nearly devoid of surface stone.

[@VerboseSparrow]

A lot of xps insulation foam is made of fiberglass. Are there are precautions that need to be taken when cutting it so that you don't inhale any fiberglass shards or so that they don't get embedded in your skin? Edit: like 10 seconds after I posted I got the part in the video where you mention protection from the fumes haha

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

XPS doesn’t have fibreglass in it.

[@VerboseSparrow]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial weird! Last time I looked all I could find was foam that claimed to both be "xps" and "fiberglass" but I just looked again and can't find any mention of it. Maybe I dreamed it haha

[@kingkreaghan]

I need bricks!

[@dungeonscronics3191]

Question my proxxon is clogged any recommendations on how to unclog it.?

[@mrspurplebat]

Which bit? If it's the wire you need to feed down a new length. If it the hole that the wire goes through, lift it up and check old pieces of wire aren't stuck in the hole and then use a pin to clear out any foam dust that might be blocking it up.

[@dungeonscronics3191]

@@mrspurplebat it’s the hole can’t get the wire back through I’ll give anything a try a this point thanks

[@MidnightMixx]

Try welding tip cleaners. They are like micro round files.

[@mrspurplebat]

@@dungeonscronics3191 probably old wire clogging the hole. You'll probably find a bunch of wires sticking out on the underneath

[@mariehiltscher3447]

you could also try CAREFULLY using a bit of acetone in a cotton swab to clean out the little hole the wire goes into on the base. be super careful not to get any acetone on the table markings, they will come off. good luck!

[@Berserkerworks]

this tutorial is very unfair to those of us without access to paper towel

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

And rocks.

[@Berserkerworks]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial i only have access to rocks for 2 months in the summer.

[@arissp4950]

I started making terrain crafts for DnD. I followed your guides about dungeon tiles but instead of MDF board I use cardboard, cause I cant find any mdf in my country ffs. Do you think the thermo cutter is the most important tool? Doesn't matter how much I use a ruler my tiles are always not the same size

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea, it’s probably the best tool you can invest in if you want to work with xps foam.

[@Some.random.person01]

Have you ever thought about selling bags of foam bricks?

[@MrSteelface96]

but what kind of screws though? :D

[@euansmith3699]

Indeed, we need more information. Metric, Imperial? Phillips, Slot Heads? What thread is best? 🤔😄👍

[@canuckchuck8836]

Do we have to make the same faces when tumbling the bricks? 😋😋

[@stickjohnny]

How do you build a tiny model wall? With tiny model bricks of course!

[@ryuutohazame3349]

What if i dont have one

[@AlaraInRuins]

Here I've been making my bricks out of air-dry clay! Wow, can't believe i didn't think to use foam. 💀

[@50043211]

But seriously, what kind of rocks shall I use?

[@georgedeppner418]

Bet you make a mean martini

[@brigittedarcel1498]

Could you talk inches too. Thx.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I usually use inches but mm are more practical for this task.

[@josray2557]

Your editing never showed how tedious that actually is. I thought ripping bricks looked like a 5min project. In reality... that looks daunting af.

[@pavellishin2972]

What? I can't buy official Black Magic Craft Brick Softening Rocks???

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I’ll sell you some magic rocks if you’d like 😄

[@Pimentel-Kreations]

I know a faster way. Having learned leather smithing gave me the idea.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Very helpful.

[@nat20crafts]

the rock question....... seriously? LMAO

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Yea 😄

[@thrrax]

When you have to buy so much stuff just so you can operate on hobby material easier, it's no longer a hobby, it's more like unpaid labor with expensive tools.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Most hobbies cost money.

[@wirrawaywonderer6011]

A nothing video

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

who shat in your cornflakes?

[@locustatv]

A nothing comment

[@Bobdd0]

Now that's just silly

[@ZedLeppelin1989]

Can we please stop endorsing Amazon? They're a horrendous company

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

If I could support my family without relying on the income I receive through the Amazon affiliate program that would be great. If you’d like to help my achieve this you can join my Patreon or purchase some of my merchandise direction my webstore. Thanks!