I am looking for a source for foam blocks for instrument cases. I have looked at art stores and fabric stores and on the web and I don't even know what to call it or how to work it, I just know that I want it! I would like to do a case for camera stuff and pistols. (not in the same case) Any leads?
One search term is "foam rubber". Maybe try an upholstery type fabric store if you don't care about color. I don't know where you can get the black or grey stuff- perhaps "soundproofing foam"?
Best regards, Spehro Pefhany
Upholsters use a lot of foam. Another option is the rigid type of foam. You can make this into your own shape. Just get an aerosol can of expanding builders foam. Once set, it can be cut to any shape. Don't get it on any equipment though, it's a real *** to shift.
John
Something I have been meaning to try;
Get a plastic bag and get the case and camera ready,. Shoot some aerosol foam into the plastic bag and quickly place the bag in the case and the camera on the bag in place, in the case. Then wait for the foam to set up.
Haven't tried this yet so if you try it let us know how it works.
Bill K7NOM
My company goes through a few cases of foam each month from this company:
All in all, very well protected.
Pete
Be careful with "foam rubber" or whatever it may be. I once had a set of space blocks (gauges) that I sprayed in the box with WD40. Later there appeared a fine line of corrosion across each block where it was placed in the case. It wasn't "build up" of the WD40. It was corrosion apparently caused by interaction with WD40.
On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:59:25 GMT, "Tom Gardner" wrote:
In article , writes:
# Hello. # I need to invoke the net wisdom on a project that I'm currently # involved with. I'm building a hard case for transporting my shotgun with, and # am now at the point where I need to line it with something. My original plan # called for using several layers of blue Ensulite camping foam. However, a # company that makes packaging foam has suggested using polyethylene foam # instead. I don't know much about this stuff and was hoping that the gentle # rec.gunners might be able to steer me in the right direction. # Thanks. # # Ken Chambers
Polyethylene foam is great stuff if you can find it in large sheets. It's completely uneffected by various gun oils and solvents, and it's stiff enough to cut cleanly to fit around your hardware. The bad news is that it's also stiff enough to REQUIRE making a fitted case lining. You can't just squish things into place. The results can be very classy if you really know what you want to lug around, but if you buy an extra barrel, you tend to have to start from scratch. I have a couple of cases that came with nice 1" thick black polyethylene sheets, and with patience, they fit my gear like a glove. I've tried to purchase the foam locally, and nobody I've found sells the stuff. It's even pretty hard to find the high density grey polyester foam typically used in camera cases. This stuff is much squishier, and needs to be cut undersized to hold stuff firmly. It also eventually decays from contact with oils. The squishy stuff is also tricky to cut. Xacto makes a long 'woodcarving' blade thats good for straight cuts, and surgical scalpels are good for the fiddly bits. The other approach is to use 'eggcrate' foam. Almost any foam shop has polyurethane in white, and because of the eggcrate surface, it squishes down to hold things without fitting. I'm using eggcrate foam temporarily in one rifle case until I finalize what all I'm going to carry around in it. If anyone knows of a good source for grey or black polyethene foam in large 1" sheets, I'd love to hear about it. You may be able to get it from the case vendors, but the last time I checked, they had a hefty markup on the stuff.
Doug White MIT Lincoln Laboratory
"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"
I have seen this done as Pete says. The only problem I had when receiving the goods was removing the item without breaking the foam. It swells all around the article to protect it. It's a great way of packing stuff but generally a one shot use. You may be able to make a case liner with a centre split but it may require some work or carving.
John
On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 15:20:40 GMT, Bill Janssen wrote: ||Something I have been meaning to try; || ||Get a plastic bag and get the case and camera ready,. Shoot some aerosol ||foam into the plastic ||bag and quickly place the bag in the case and the camera on the bag in ||place, in the case. Then ||wait for the foam to set up. || ||Haven't tried this yet so if you try it let us know how it works.
I did something similar a few years ago when I needed a video camera mount for my race car. I basically cut a 6" piece of 4" C-purlin, Drilled a center hole for the 1/4" USS tripod mounting screw. Wiped camcorder with silicon spray, wrapped camcorder in plastic kitchen wrap so it conformed as much as possible. Installed camcorder in C-purlin with a soft silicone rubber spacer (from a HEI dist cap). Squirted aerosol foam in the gaps between C-purlin and camera. After it set up, removed camera, then used a dull hacksaw blade to remove and sculp the excess foam. Added felt and painted it, it worked like a champ. Texas Parts Guy
These folks probably have whatever you're looking for:
Hi Tom -
Look for polyurethane foam 1lb or 2lb are common.
If you need blocks, it is sold that way. Also try "convoluted foam" which is also called finger foam and is a good option if you are not "cutting to fit" with a die or knife.
Later,
SMA
Bill Janssen wrote: ...
I tried this once, to pack something for shipping. The foam never set up. Or, it didn't set up in the time that I was willing to wait (overnight?). The foam that I used was the stuff used for insulation. It is designed for use in small cracks, not the large spaces I used it for. Also, having sprayed it into a plastic bag kept the air away from it.
YMMV, but do an experiment first if you decide to go this route.
Good luck, Bob
Tom,
You don't want upholstery foam - it dries out and breaks down. I believe you are looking for ETHA and/or dense ETHA foam. This is the same foam that is used in Pelican cases and the foam we use to ship computers. It retains is resiliance; I've had a pelican case for my cameras since 1996 with the same foam. The foam is still as pliable as ever.
Check this site for retail purchase, but I'm sure you could use Thomas Register to find a better price.
Allen
Type 'foam' in the search @
Wayne
Hi Tom,
You almost answered your own question....I have gotten this type of foam at a camera store in the past...It was a large block of high density foam and was perforated into 1/4" or so pieces ( picture a bundle of 1/4" square rods ) so you could remove needed areas fairly easy.
The other type that is nice is convoluted foam...Looks kinda like an egg carton and is real cushy....Camera shops might have this too !!
Jeff
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The following (from google on: packing foam) has several of these kinds.
McMaster Carr has a wide range of foam in moderate sized pieces, and a good description of the characteristics of various kinds of foam. They have greay polyethylene, which will require carefully cutting to size. Many camera cases supposedly use polyester foam, which is reasonably chemical resistant, but I think a lot also use polyurethane, which isn't quite as resistent. McMaster also carries grey eggcrate foam that you wouldn'n have to trim, but it's in polyurethane. The only bad news is that McMaster doesn't carry pieces longer than 48", which means they won't fill some rifle cases. I bought soem big pieces of black polyethylene foam many years ago, but I had to buy a big order at an industrial foam place. They had to cut it up to fit in my station wagon, and it was both time consuming & expensive. Per square foot it was very cheap, but they had something like a $75 minimum order.
Doug White
I just go to a health store or yard sale and buy an eggcrate mattress.
A bit of trivia...
The best tool Ive ever found for cutting this type of foam, was an electric carving knife from the Goodwill store. $3.
Works great.
Gunner
"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"
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