Where to get cheap camera case foam?

Hi,

You can cut that stuff with a hot wire, like you would use cut polystrene. Get some Nichrome resistance wire and pass a current through it and it will heat up enough to cut it. youc an cut out the shape you want from cardboard and stick it to the foam with double sided tape then cut round it with the wire. Looks pretty neat and professional
 
It's been at least 15 years since I've done this, but I just used the Thanksgiving turkey-carving electric knife from the kitchen. It's like those on Amazon, has two blades that slide quickly forwards and backwards.

As far as locating the right kind of foam, I don't have a solid answer and would hate to send you in a bad direction. I totally believe that the consumer can find foam that works perfectly and costs much less than 'professional case foam' from a photo retailer. However, there really are some BAD kinds of foam to use. I got an old camera case once and the foam inside had basically melted. It wasn't melted from heat or anything, it had just basically started to deteriorate and disintigrate into a gooey mess. It looked okay but as soon as you touched it it was like you were handling cotton candy.

I'd never heard the tale of some foams giving off gasses, but that could be what was happening in that case. The foam had probably been in there for 15 to 20 years before I got it.

I replaced it with some foam I cut with that electric knife I referred to earlier. I tried a couple different kinds of dense foam if I remember correctly, and I do know that one of them ended up being too stiff and would fall apart in really really tiny grains. It looked like it would work but after cutting it, its surface no longer would hold together completely and was not suitable for equipment.

In the end, I think I salvaged some dense dark gray foam from some other kind of case. Again, it's been a while so the details are thin. My guess is that a trip, or even just a call, to a foam distributor might reveal the specific kind of foam you're looking for. Maybe just taking in a piece of pick-and-pluck would be enough to identify it. People who spend their lives working around one specific kind of material are usually pretty good at IDing it. You might be able to walk in with a 1" cube from an existing case and they'll look at it and say, oh yeah, that's such and such, how much do you want?

Good luck.

Prodigi Pictures said:
Texanite -

Thanks! Is there an electric knife that you recommend?

Also, what kind of foam am I looking for?

- Justin
Click to expand...
 
> et some Nichrome resistance wire and pass a current through it
> and it will heat up enough to cut it.

Huh? More details please. :-)

I've often heard of "cutting with a hot wire" but I've never found anyone who has actually done it...
 
Taking the reading of this thread into account and the time and money involved sourcing foam, measuring and cutting foam, I guarantee you it will be less expensive to purchase replacement foam.

What case are you trying to fill?

e
 
I found the best price (by far) for replacement foam for my Stormcase at apgcases.com. They're shipping was decent, too. Foam is light, but it's bulky and often incurs an upcharge if you have a big case.
 
For the most part open cell is soft. Closed cell can be denser and harder. You'd best go into a store and take a look yourself.
 
Don't know if this is helpful, but I made a custom case for a Sony DSR250 Camera, and I bought a roll of foam that was sold to go under a sleeping bag.
It was fine, and was £5. ($10) You can use double sided Carpet Tape (the really sticky type) to fix it to your case.
 
Prodigi pictures explained the various foam types very well. The only correction is where he labeled the foam Urethane-Ether/Charcoal Foam. I assume he meant Ester/polyester charcoal foam which is more dense and hold up better than Polyurethane foam.

The easiest foam to cut and the longest lasting is the Polyethylene foam which is best compared to the foam used for Pool Noodles. You can trace your parts and then use a Jigsaw with a thin serrated edge or a Filet knife. Do not use a utility knife as the blade will bend when cutting.

Please contact me with any questions.
Steve
www.carrycasesplus.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top