Cutting Foam in Travel Cases

[Bobson]

Title kinda says it. As an alternative to hot knife, electric knife, etc, what have you guys used to cut foam in the travel cases (pelican, copies of, whatever) for your guns, with good results?

Thanks.

 

[Mizar]

A thin snap-off blade knife.

 

[HamSlamma]

I have read that if you freeze the foam first,,,it cuts easier. But It still looks like I used a chainsaw to cut mine...............

 

[jmorris]

And electric fillet knife is the best thing I have used for internal cuts.

For external edge cuts I use a MIG welder with the wire speed turned off and power set so low it just glows the wire, feed the foam, through it.

 

[Browning]

Black and Decker electric knife, box cutter, couple Mora's and a marker.

Then later I sprayed it with a rubberized compound over the whole thing so the foam wouldn't fray.

 

[hdwhit]

My neighbor (now deceased) would draw the outline of the shape on the foam, push a piece of nichrome wire through the foam, wrap the wire around a couple old wooden tool handles and then connect the wire to a variable voltage powder supply, adjust the voltage to just get it hot enough to cut the foam and go to town. He made some nice inserts for my son's tool cases that looked like they had been die cut.

 

[DavidABQ]

I use an electric carving knife. It works well and the person at the supply store recommended it. I like it a lot better than using a regular knife.

 

[TheDomFather]

A thin snap-off blade knife.

This is what I have found to be best, extend it all the way out, Home Depot has quite a selection of these and allows you to cut all the way through the foam.

 

[420]

Woodland Scenics Hot Wire Foam Cutter...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006KSMEU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Outline object with chalk and cut following outline. Go slow and it will turn out nice with smooth cuts.

 

[Steve_M]

I have used a serrated steak knife to cut out handgun shapes. Just move the knife in short up and down strokes as you slowly go forward like an electric knife would but it is better for the short lengths required for a handgun.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Box cutter with short little sawing action.

 

[Armored farmer]

I have a couple of pairs of the heavy duty EMT style scissors. They work really good if you need to 'scoop out' sone foam material for a better fit.
Just press them into the foam and snip out little bites.