How to properly CUT Foamcore / Foam board ?
Vložit
- čas přidán 9. 05. 2012
- DioramaWorkshop.com FAQ : Frequently asked questions ...
Greg Boyce - asks: How do you properly cut Foamcore ?
Believe it or not this is a problem that MANY first time Action Figure Diorama builders encounter. I get this asked in MANY emails, so don't feel silly if this happens to you too.
Click on the video to see Frank Diorio's answer to the question.
See how to CUT CIRCLES: • How to properly CUT Fo...
If you have a question that may help others... dioramaworkshop.com@gmail.com
Make sure to subsrcribe and visit me at Dioramaworkshop.com and follow on Twitter @dioramaworkshop to see exclusive LIVE pictures as I build my latest creations in my workshop area before they appear on any web site.
Those super straight cuts were strangely satisfying to watch for some reason 😂..this was great advice you save my project thank you
I know what you mean :) Im glad that it was helpfull AND enjoyable almost like ASMR LOL.
Great instructions. Takes a frustrating task and makes it easy. Thanks so much.
Omg you’re a lifesaver. This helped sooooo much with my current project of diy drawer dividers. Everything is even now thank you
Glad I could help Lauren
Same projects, cheers!
Ong I just spent four hours making drawer dividers but the rough cut made it impossible I was going to throw in the towel. ThanksI
wow!! that changed my craft making! thanks
i can NOT explain how uselful this is going to be for me!! Thank you!!!!
Lol I'm gonna use this for some great anime props
Thank you Frank
You very welcome A. Sorry it took me this long for me to reply and say so. I truly appreciate you taking the time to comment. Frank.
This answers a few problems I had with wanting to make a building but didnt want to use foam board bc of the jagged edge thing.
Super duper helpful ! Thank you!
very clean explanation and cut also :)
Thanks, you make such amazing things! Love your work!
than you Cy that means a lot
That was a great video short and precise!
Thanks Re' hope it helps your future builds :) I will be adding more of these basic Question Answer techniques starting in the summer now that I have more free time in retirement :P
Thank you! Very useful!
Thanks! Very helpful.
THANK-YOU So Much for teaching Me how to properly cut foamboard!!!
You welcome Shelley. Its my pleasure. Frank
So helpful. Thank you!
You very welcome. Frank
That was so satisfying to watch hahaha
God damn it, it’s always the simplest of answers! Lol thank you for stopping any more grey frustration hairs from sprouting!
You very welcome Leanne. Glad I could help with your future crafts :) frank
Muchas gracias!
Bienvenue Hector
Thank you! You saved my day
Gee Anette, my smile of the day, glad I could help. Frank.
Thank you sooo much! Blessings to you
You are so welcome. Glad I could help with your project Kevin
Thanks for your instructions, Do you have any recommendation to make a 45° cut?
Thanks, that is very useful.
Very Helpful
Glad to hear that Art. Thank you so much for taking the time to say so, I truly appreciate the feedback. Sorry I took 9 months to thank you :) Frank.
This video is super old but thank you so much!!!!!! This saved my diorama craft from being a frustrating mess
I posted it long ago but it keeps helping many crafters and diorama builders every day. Who knew it would be so helpfull :)
Very useful thank you
This is so helpful. I was cutting the wrong angle the whole time and not realizing that’s why
Glad I could help, and dont forget to change blades often :) Frank.
Thank you so much!
You very welcome JC glad it helped you out. What will you build now ? :) Frank.
You’re a genius thank you so much
Thanks so much. Really needed this.
You welcome M. I am still shocked how many people discover this video years after it was posted. Glad I could help.
this techniques was useful!!!!
Thank you
you very welcome Mel, glad I could help out :) Have a great crafting 2023. Frank
Straight cuts great - what about curves??
I get that a lot Brian, I think it's time I make a video explaining how I do my circles and angles. It may help a few of you guys and girls out. Stay tuned... Frank
Mind blown! 🤯
hahahaha Why K. ? Because the answer was so simple :D thanks for taking the time to post a comment. Frank
Had to comment on the ultra satisfying slicing montage🔥
Never heard it described like that :)
Perfect. Thank you. :)
Glad I could help Sid. Thanks for taking time to comment. Frank.
Thank you Frank. NOW I know what to do!
You very welcome Sandra, glad i could help you. Frank.
Glad I could help
Thanks. So just tilt the blade handle as flat or as close to the board as possible to maximise the length of the blade that is touching/cutting the board as opposed to holding the blade handle near vertically. I also sharpened the blade with a steel. Works a treat.
new blades with foamcore always give cleanest cuts, the Styrofoam dulls them quickly yes. And I found through the years lowering the angle as parallel to the table as possible does give me better results and less jagged bubble edges. Glad I could help you out all these years later Nick :) Frank
Thanks for posting the part about the angle of the blade. Saved my butt
You very welcome William. And remember to CHANGE BLADES OFTEN :)
Frank.
Thank you!!! Everybody I watched said to use X-Acto knives and I broke mine
awesome
Thank you! :)
You very welcome Jazmin, that YOU for taking the time to comment. Frank
Thanks:)
Thank you for this tutorial, I was wondering at what angle do you have to place the blade?
As you see in the video Kevin, with many cuts through the years, i found that lowering your blade close to the table surface, maximizes the blade surface that will cut the foamcore super clean. Many years i cut with just the tip end and never understood why 2 in 5 cuts were caca :) and dont forget change your blades often :)
Using a jigsaw to cut foam board is fun.
First take a box cutter blade, shape one end with an angle grinder so it fits like a jigsaw blade.
Box cutter is kind of brittle, so you may have to glue a piece of metal to strengthen the end.
Cutting foam board is easy.
Hi Frank, very nice work! I was wondering how one would build a shadow box with various rectangular interlocking compartments. It's the interlocking part that I'm finding tricky. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hey Fred, there are some specific tools you can buy that allow you to cut perfect connecting angles and miter type joints you would do with wood. You will see in the product videos that the 2nd layer of board doesnt get sliced through and thus overlaps perfectly on the edge thickness of your 90 degree angled piece. And thus a seamless connection but little trickier. It also always remains about the blade sharpness.
I cut the same way and it’s smooth.😊 And also using metal ruler.
For sure you need a metal ruler , I learned the hard way that plastic gets cut too easy :) And with Cork bottom helps keep it from sliding but I am sure you know that :) . Frank.
you saved my life lol
Hi sir.
Cen I apply fiber glass to the PVC foam board. it not be melted the PVC foam board sir
Question, when you’re cutting foam that has peel away adhesive backing, do you cut from the non-adhesive side all the way through to the adhesive side or do you cut from the adhesive side all the way through to the nonadhesive side?
Good question Adam. If it was me, I woild place peel adhesive on the table since that is where it will be glued. The top exposed side should appear cleaner. But with fresh blades, it shouldn't really matter. Frank.
Very helpful! Doesn't this result in angled edges? How would I square them off properly?
the angle will change depending on how your wrist is positioned when cutting. If you want a 90' perfect square cut, try to keep your wrist and hand straight above the foam. if you want angled cuts, to join 2 45' pieces for example, then you would turn your wrist to that position as you slice. its not the perfect way to do it, but works most of the time after practice on scrap pieces.
What do you use for your grids? The worst part for me isn't cutting the foamcore but cutting it with 90 degree angles.
hey Robert, I actually just eyeball it, the trade is no 2 cuts are ever perfect the same, but after many cuts, it gets easy. There are special plastic guided blade devises that cut 45 perfectly, but the problem is that after 4-5 cuts the blades dull and you end up with the jaggy edges again and the refils for these tiny blades (that you cant snap off) cost a lot.
help! i cannot tell the difference between the first and second ways you are holding the blunt blade.
neither do i..
the first cut that causes jaggys is holing your knife almost vertical, higher than 45 degrees which allows only the TIP paert of the blade to touch and cut the foam. When you extend your blade, and use more of it buy lowering your angle, to almost parallel to the foam itself, you are cutting using 2-3 inches of the blades surface which prevents jaggys on more dull blades. At some point, your blade WILL become too dull for even that approach and you just need to keep snapping or replacing your blades.
How do you hold the knife parallel to the board?? That's not what you did in the video. And i don't see how you're using 2-3" of the blade. You're instructions are not making sense.
@@junetee52 sorry to hear that J. Maybe the words I used are confusing, What I meant to say is try to lower the blade closer to the surface (horizon) vs holding it at a high angle where only the tip part touches. You want the entire blade to make contact. Does that make more sense ?
dioramaworkshop this makes better sense. From the video I thought you were saying to tilt the blade at an angle when cutting, almost on the side, but then your movements didn’t match that lol.
TYFS 🤓👍🏻
You welcome Ann, i think lol what does tyfs mean ? I know im old ;)
Nice video! I was wondering, why not break off a pre-scored piece of the blade and continue with that? Or does it not have such a sharp edge anymore, as the original tip in the full-length version?
Good question Joe, you can indeed snap your blade when cutting shorter pieces to make it last longer, but when you start lowering your blade almost parallelle to the table, the styrofoam is dulling the entire length. Thus even if snapped the new tip will be contaminated if you will and already on the path of dullness. Does that make sense ? Frank
@@dioramaworkshop makes sense indeed and I already found the answer in one of your other videos, where you mention it explicitly :-) Thx!
Can I use a jigsaw to cut foamcore? Need to make perfect circles and other shapes
OMG Sista HELL NO - LOL. I assume you mean the electric tool that cuts wood ? LOL. Foamcore is styrofoam and a jigsaw, or regular saw for that matter, would TEAR IT TO SHREDS :) It could work maybe for a diorama that needs destruction, but I feel it good advice to stay away from this idea :) You can use HEATED WIRE if you don't want to use Xactos, bu that works best for thicker foam.
How would you cut out a circle?
What method do you use for cutting multiple circles of various sizes in Foamcore?
Hey Kimberly, i've cut so many now, I can freehand the circular or curved cuts with ease. you could use a guide like a lid or such and trace but the trick is to do it in ONE movement. doing a circle over itself is a lot harder and will mess up your edges
How would you cut a straight perfect cut the length of an 8’ 1.5” thick foam board?
Hey Nole, without a jig, if it was me cutting, I would for sure start with a fresh new blade, extend it as long as you can, lower it close to the surface, concentrate to not wiggle it sideways as you go down your ruler. If you must go down twice. It will all depend how many cuts you made during your hobby and how comfy you feel with your hand, wrist co ordination. I never tried this but it just came to mind... what if you heated the blade with a lighter or lightbulb ? Then the blade would melt the foam while cutting thus not needing to push as much pressure. But staying too long in one spot could cause melted holes. I would like to try that one day, since we know hot wire cutters work well with thick foam, but you cant use that cutter with guided ruler. Hope that helps, let me know how it turns out. Frank.
you mean DECREASE the angle to the table surface. Got it!
yes exactly, those are the words I should have used :)
How does one clean the dirt settled on the foam board??
dirt ? like if you drop it in earth ? I have never seen that, can you explain more detail ? not sure I understand your question Nikhila
just use a whet stone. sharpen your blade instead of buying replacements. ive been using the same blade for 8 months and it still cuts clean
What type of knife are you using? Where can I buy one like yours? All I can find at my local hobby shop are those skinny Xacto knives with small blades.
Maybe it's known differently outside Canada, The Xacto are usually yes, the pencil handle with pointy triangle blades, good for corners and details but the one you seek is also known as UTILITY KNIVES but NOT Box Cutter, that is different and doesn't work well at all. Olfa makes good ones, but any work and can be foud EVERYWHERE, make sure its the WIDE BLADE... www.homedepot.ca/product/olfa-18mm-snap-off-utility-knife/1000103351?eid=PS_GOOGLE_D25%20-%20E-Comm_GGL_Shopping_PLA_EN_Tools_Tools_PLA_EN__PRODUCT_GROUP_pla-560180521355&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLH3BRApEiwAqX9arRsQ1EChjZ8ag9kyaDwYH12GgAluOZ9LvZ4ETCv5MbgKDb3IGxTDZhoCOD4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
@@dioramaworkshop Thank you!
What blade did you use?
Hi LM, just the standard 18mm blade. Can get refills from Stanley like mine or any brand really, they are very common. Hope that helps. Frank
how do you cut perfect foam core board circles
I will have to do a NEW video for this, you can get compass type tools but the blades are so tiny, great for paper but not foamcore. For me it's free hand and lots practice.
bradberry darlene hi, you use a circle cutter.
What to do about foam board that has adhesive on one side? I didn't realize this when I bought it. Damn Joann's Fabrics...
Hey Erik, the technique will remain the same, however, the tacky glue will dull your blade more, faster, than plain foamcore. If I was cutting this, I would also cut with the tack adhesive side on the bottom, to limit just the sharp edges (tip) touching the glue as much as possible. You dont want the entire blade width (surface) to become sticky and start messing with the cuts. Does this make sense ? Frank.
@@dioramaworkshop Thanks, yes, that makes sense. Definitely cutting front-facing helped with precision and snagging. I'll be sure try out non-adhesive next time.
what can you use to glue foamboard together?
HOT GLUE GUN - your Diorama best friend. Sold everywhere, get the one with DUAL temperature control. The HOT GLUE Melts the styrofoam from the foamcore, and when 2 pieces are pressed together, melt into each other.
@@dioramaworkshop - so which temperature do you use - low or high? Thanks! Great advice on cutting foamboard, BTW...
I personally always use the gun on HI setting to allow me a little more jiggle room in aligning the 2 pieces together. Also, sometimes, when I used LO on long distance gaps, say a 12 inch or longer piece, the start is already cool by the time i get to the other end and start to touch the 2 pieces together. This would make a great separate question/answer video.
dioramaworkshop - thanks - that makes sense. The other possibility was that the “hot” setting was just too hot for the foam core... Thanks again for this video. 👍
But what about cutting circles? I’m getting ready to make Christmas ornaments and keep putting off trying to cut a ball shape! 😱
Check out this video Lizard, maybe it will help. Frank. czcams.com/video/3oJmlYCj_hE/video.htmlsi=C3jwm59cnEVRgVP9
See the link below, my separate how to cut circles tutorial. Frank.
whether it has in Macedonia
How would you clean cut an 8 foot 1.5” board length? It must be 90 degrees.
The only way to perfectly cut such a piece would be with a jig in a pro shop. You could create one with block of wood but it would never be as clean as metal.
My experience is to use new blades because they simply don't last very long. Also a more expensive blade lasts longer. I use box cutters
Hi Frank, what kind of Styrofoam You use? i only know the One with the "big styrofoam Balls" yours look so fine.
it's basic architect foamcore or foamboard as its called in some stores. comes in various sizes, thicknesses. at most home ior online art supply stores.
Please tell me what kind of knife you have? Thanks
Its just a standard exacto knife
Mael is right, most knives work the same. Some have wheels you can turn to lock the blades in place, DO NOT that these are NOT BOX CUTTERS. Those only have a sliding button that exposes a tiny triangle. it will cut yes, but bot as easy as a knife that allows to extend your blade. you can use the thinner models where blade is half the size, but I find those tend to bend too easy when cutting circles.
I was confused by your meaning of "angle" since you might have meant holding the vertical of the blade at some angle also.
Hey Jennifer, you are not alone, many still get confused as I thought I was explaining clearly when filming but watching it I see the confusion myself. Indeed what I was trying to say was the angle height from the table cutting surface. You want to keep the blade lower not high up. We want the maximum surface of the blade to cut the foamcore, not just the tip.
@@dioramaworkshop OK. Thanks.
I'll be damned. It worked. 🤯
Why did you doubt yourself D :)
@@dioramaworkshop I know right. Never again! This was great, thanks!
Glad I could help D
what about cutting shapes in the middle of the board that dont reach the board's outer edges?
Good question, I have been asked this couple of times, I should film a new video to explain this and how to cut circles and such. A lot of it is practice to get your hand flowing properly and NEW BLADES to get CLEAN CUTS. Watch out for your fingers though... I will try and film the making of before end of next month. Frank.
Hey YS - This is Foamcore or FoamBoard. basically Styrofoam center with paper on the outsides. It's what many architecs use for models, and so easy to use. This is NOT the same styrofoam as the balls or insulation.
You can find this in most art supply stores in different size sheets. Aprox $5 a sheet
I just discovered you can get 30"x20" foamcore sheets at Dollar Tree for $1!
What about curves? Or something that aren't straight lines?
Hi Armand, I filmed a video recently explaning circles... curves are similar... czcams.com/video/3oJmlYCj_hE/video.html the most important trick is to always use new blades at the start of every project.
Foam board kese hotahei
Can we cut foam board with scissors?
NO !!! the blades are just not long enough, plus when you press down the blades, you will SMOOSH the foamcore, like when you make a peanut butter jelly sandwhich and go to slice the bread in 2 halfves, where the knife cuts, presses down, it drags the bread with it, into a slope, does this make sense ? Trying to have you visualise it easily. You need a SHARP (new blade) utility knife to get best results of a clean straight cut.
dioramaworkshop HAHA that was a really good visualisation thank you so much😊
or just use a sharpblade... (or a wamed up blade for the matter)
Few people mentioned hot warmed blade, I have never thought of that or tried it. My experience has been to swap fresh room temp blades.
Circle cut
You mean on angle but drop it down a little
Yes, sorry for the confusion, it's not angle side to side, you want try keep that 90 degrees as possible with table surface. You are correct in undersranding what I was trying to explain. Imagine the tip of your blade being the anchor point and your hand, or xActo handle at the other end, you want that to be lowered as close to the table, not high up to give your blade a 50-70 degree contact, you are trying to stay at about 5 degree max. Allow as much of the blade to touch your foamcore, not just the first sections tip. Frank.
ok so now i feel silly. sounds like my problem all this time was that my blade must be dull?
you arent the first to say this SW, we don't think of it as an issue when starting building with this material for the first time. a blade cutting paper or cardboard lasts a lot longer before the dullness issue arises. its the styrofoam that really kills the blade rapidly
Who’s here from Mr. Gomez
I didn’t see a difference in the ‘angle’ you say to put your blade at?!!
Hey Tommy, what I was trying to explain was that apart from the obvious, changing new blades, if you hold your knife, blade, at a high angle like you do with a pencil and thus mostly have just the pointy end of the blade cutting the foamcore, you will have higher chances of jaggy edges than if you lower your hand (from up to down - not side to side) closer to the table thus making your xacto knife and blade almost parralelle to the surface. Doing this will allow more blade surface to cut through than just the tip and will give you the nice smooth cuts shown in the video. Does this help you understand a little better ? Frank.
Good tip but...I still can't stop my hand wobbling all over!
Hey Sam, with time and more cuts, your hand will stabilize more n more, in meantime you can use a cork backed ruler to help you. The cork helps the metal from sliding around when pressing down. Frank.
@@dioramaworkshop thanks just gotta keep at it! First time working with this stuff. And thank you for taking the time to put together a little tip video in the first place!
You say "cut at an angle" and then the camera POV moves across shows us the side - but we don't see ANY DIFFERENCE IN ANGLE. What angle are you talking about?
He lowered the knife closer to the foam board so that the blade moved closer to parallel with the board. Obviously, you cannot make the blade parallel to the board, but you want the edge at a shallow angle.
I WATCHED VERY CLOSELY AND NEVER SAW YOU ANGLE THE BLADE. PLEASE SHOW AT A BETTER ANGLE SO I CAN SEE EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT'S ANGLED.
I missused the word angle, its NOT a side to side angle I am explaining (45 degree for ex) but the angle from the tip of the blade to the handle of the knife. Pretend the tip is glued to the surface, you want to lower the handle as close to the foamcore to allow maximum of the blade to cut through. Thus a low angle. Does that make more sense ? Sorry for the confusion Bella. Thanks for your question. Frank.
@@dioramaworkshop yes that’s better! I think I just have to keep practicing. I just started yesterday. I have that old Barbie doll house from 78 and I just watched the Barbie dream house challenge and why oh it’s not shaped anything like that house I’m trying to decorate it as close as I could. I can’t find a square shaped tub and I’m trying to make one out of foam board like this one CZcams girl did but she doesn’t show how she cut out her foam board. It was already done so your video helped me I just have to practice more, thank you so much and thank you for getting back to me! I really appreciate it! So not angling my blade just lowering the handle instead of using so much of the tip. Using more of the blade.
@@dioramaworkshop are you on Facebook? If you are, may I friend you?
@@bellagabriella1 yes, search frank diorio diorama .
@@bellagabriella1 architects used foamcore all the time to build house models before computer models. Its a perfect material for your barbie project. Frank.
Common fkin sense...good job
Doodoo
like CaCa ? LOL
Bad