What's that foam called?

Subject: What's that foam called?
From: GUEST,Laura in England
Date: 30 May 01 - 08:06 AM

Help! Does anyone know what that foam that you get in microphone and camera cases is called. You can cut shapes out of it to fit items snugly in a case. What is it? Where can I buy it? It is a bit more like the stuff you scour pans with rather than the stuff you sit on. I am tired of my beloved whistles rattling around in an old cloth bag and I have a nice little leather case that belonged to my grandmother. I ask camera freaks and sound men at gigs who all have cases with neat holes for lenses or microphones. They all look blank and say " Yeah I've always wondered what that stuff is." I've got my Dremel all ready to go to work but I can find the foam. Help anyone?

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: RichM
Date: 30 May 01 - 08:11 AM

Go to a store that sells television sets, radios, etc. They will likely have some of this from unpackaged sets, and should be happy to give you some.

Rich

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Grab
Date: 30 May 01 - 08:22 AM

You're not talking about expanded polystyrene, are you? Made up of lots of little balls?

As an alternative, try expanding foam. Cover the item up REALLY well with cardboard and plastic so that none of the foam can get in, position it with more cardboard exactly where you want it, then squirt the foam in and it'll expand to fill the holes. Leave it to dry, and you'll have a nice form-fitting shape in closed-cell foam left behind. But you MUST make sure the item is completely sealed in, cos if the foam gets in then it'll fill up the instrument as well, and it's almost impossible to shift once it's dried - you can cut it apart, but you'll never get the last bits off.

Graham.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 30 May 01 - 08:31 AM

If you mean the soft foam ,not hard polystyrene, I think camera shops sell it in sheets for you to put in your camera case and cut your own shapes round your lenses and camera bodies. In the days when I looked at camera mags I'm sure there were adverts for it.
When I got my first SLR I became a serious camera nurd deciding what lenses and filters to get: a camera nurd is someone who reads camera mags for the equipment ads and doesn't notice there's a four page spread of glamour pics! (just as Rick F can tell you the guitar behind which the nude model is hiding but not whether she's a blonde or not!)
RtS (no longer a camera nurd though I do "paint with light" occasionally)

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Gary T
Date: 30 May 01 - 09:13 AM

I believe it is called, in part, open cell foam, as opposed to the closed cell foam (one brand name is Ensolite) which is used to make beverage can insulators (koozies) and some camping ground pads. Closed cell foam is quite dense, doesn't compress much, and doesn't absorb water. Open cell foam is "squishable" and will absorb water. It comes in many varieties, however, and I don't know what terms are used to distinguish the product you describe from, say, upholstery foam.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 30 May 01 - 10:09 AM

Laura,

Most branches of Jessops (the ones in London anyway) sell a range of camera cases ranging from about six inches to around 3 feet square ready lined with foam sheets. you can cut these to fit your camera/instruments/favourite beer glasses etc. They range from about a fiver for the small ones up to about £20 for a standard briefcase size

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 30 May 01 - 10:22 AM

Rabies.

Spud

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 May 01 - 10:26 AM

I think generically it's called "that foam stuff you can cut shapes out of it to fit items snugly in a case and is a bit more like the stuff you scour pans with rather than the stuff you sit on."

Glad to help out.

Spaw

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 30 May 01 - 01:36 PM

A good chum of mine used Lego to make 'slots' in his briefcase for carrying his whistles and such.. it looks kinda really cool and works like a charm...

Ya might wanna give that a try...

;-)

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 01 - 01:46 PM

Styrofoam is the really nasty hard stuff which, if you try to cut it into shapes, quite often crumbles into a mess. I am guessing this is not the kind you mean?:-)

Good luck,

kat

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 May 01 - 06:06 PM

Lightweight packing foam.

If that doesn't get you any, take a small sample and show them.

LTS

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 May 01 - 07:19 PM

Mr. has some in his camera case that came in pre cut squares, all you have to do is take out the ones you don't want.......

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 31 May 01 - 08:47 AM

You don't need to use something as high-tech and unworkable as that foam to protect your whistles. You could buy or salvage some bubble-pack plastic and wrap them in it. Or if you want something prettier, go to a fabric store and get some fabric and quilt batting and stitch up a case with padded pockets.

Then spend the time you've saved on playing your instruments.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: GUEST,MarkS (at work)
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:30 AM

The stuff you are looking for is Urethane foam, mostly sold retail through upholstry shops. It is available in a variety of different densities and weights. Ask for foam sheets which have been through a "convoluting" machine. These sheets have been cut in a deformed manner which makes them "bumpy" and can be cut not only to cushion but to "grab" the items you wish to protect. The stuff comes in large loafs called buns which are then cut down to the size the customer seeks. Any large upholstry shop should be able to get you all you want.
Mark

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: paddymac
Date: 31 May 01 - 12:18 PM

It might be easier to just go to your local office supply store and by a small roll of the "bubble wrap". It's cheap. easy to work with, and easily replaced. On the other hand, your problem sound like one easily solved with old bath towels.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: GUEST,NH Dave
Date: 31 May 01 - 11:14 PM

Laura,

Regardless what it is called, be very careful cutting it with anything that can cause it to dEcompose from heat, like a Motor Tool. Most of these foams release really poisonous fumes - think formaldehyde - when cut with a hot wire or rapidly rotating bit. These fumes can easily disable or kill you, so be sure you work in a well ventilated area.

DAve

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: MarkS
Date: 31 May 01 - 11:28 PM

Dave is correct, but unless you want to cut some really oddball profile, do not even consider using a hot wire. Just a scissors or hobby knife (very sharp) will do just fine.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Gypsy
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 12:07 AM

To add my 2 cents worth....any china or glass store gets this stuff in shipping and will often save it for you, if you pick it up in a timely fashion. We got lots of it in a place of former employment, and i used it for all kinds of treasures.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: ddw
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 12:34 AM

I used to have several camera cases to carry all the lenses and bodies and I had to cut a lot of this foam stuff. Learned a trick to getting a good cut. Freeze it first. Put it in the freezer for about 24 hours and it slices much more smoothly.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Barbara
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 09:46 PM

You can also use the insulite pads that are sold for camping purposes for this. (you know, the blue thingie you put under your sleeping bag that theoretically makes a cushion and an insulating layer between you and the ground, but in fact just slides partway out from under you wherever the biggest rocks are). Blessings, Barbara

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Bert
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 12:44 AM

There's lots of different kinds of foam. The kind you want, as Skiff has already said, you can get from a camera shop, or maybe an upholsterers or haberdashers. If you really want to get expensive you can shop around for some Dunlopillow, which is used for upholstery, it is really good but degrades after a few years.

There are a couple of other common kinds of hard foam. Styrofoam, which is soluble in gasoline (petrol) and urethane foam which is often used for shipping odd shaped items. Urethane foam can be bought in small cans at hardware stores and is OK is you want to pack something for shipping.

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: fox4zero
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 01:44 AM

Spud I loved Rabies! Actually if you live in an area that permits Gun Shows, you can buy a hard plastic case, meant for a large handgun, which already has several sheets of urethane foam in it for about US$10-20. Seeing that you live in the UK, perhaps you have a friend in the US who would send you one if you give him/her the size of your whistles. Larry (from one of those degenerate areas that still permits gun shows)

Subject: RE: What's that foam called?
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 03:14 PM

Aquarium filter foam.
Laguna brand (made in Italy - no URL) 15 inch square by 2 - 3 inch thick costs 10 UK pounds
Specialist product & not that cheap. But Hey! It will never go mouldy.
seriously, there were all sorts of Shredded wheat type products, Giant loop Velcro pile as well as the foam you are looking for
I would have grabbed some but none of it in red.