Foam

morristh · Post by **morristh** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:06 pm

Ok we all know we use Foam in the SCA for a lot of different things. What I am looking for is a source for a large piece or pieces that can be used as "the closed cell" foam for youth weapons, for helms etc. I dont want to use the blue foam from walmart. The stuff gets brittle with age, a grey/brown/black would be cool. I am also interested in it as different thicknesses--you know you need 3/4 and half 1/2 fo you cut the other 1/4 by splitting the 1/2 you have and oh what a pain.

Ideas???

Tim

Mike Garrett (Orc) · Post by **Mike Garrett (Orc)** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:23 pm

See if you can source a foam called Plastazote.
Comes in a variety of thicknesses and colours (inc. black) I find it most useful for a variety of purposes.

This tech data may be useful - http://www.capitalservicesny.com/Plastazote.pdf#search='Plastazote'

Agnarr · Post by **Agnarr** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:03 pm

mandrake sells it.

Sebastian K · Post by **Sebastian K** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:21 pm

Zotefoams Plastazote and Evazote rule!

See here for distributor infos in the US.

http://zotefoams.com/pages/EN/distributor_list.asp

PZ comes in weights up to 70kg/cubic meter, the heavier the harder. I usually use the 45kg varietey.

Gabriel_Carduus · Post by **Gabriel_Carduus** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:41 pm

morristh,

I use the old style military bedrolls (the solid foam ones, not the new ones that have a plastic coating with an air pocket surrounding the foam).

They're olive drab green, and I use them for leg padding, ect.

They run about $5 each at my local Army/Navy store, and one did my entire kit.

Hope it helps,

Shawn

M S Anderson · Post by **M S Anderson** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:46 pm

I use the EVA foam from this distributer for padded weapons and other items. It should work well for your purposes also:

http://www.foamorder.com/closedcell.html

Gregoire de Lyon · Post by **Gregoire de Lyon** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 8:38 pm

McMaster-Carr sells closed and open cell foam. Pick your poison, they have many to choose from...

Kolbeinn · Post by **Kolbeinn** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:13 pm

i know about the blue stuff you can get from wal mart but you can also get those foam floor tiles that look like big puzzle pieces, those work pretty good and their a bit cheaper than those blue rolls of foam.

AJ · Post by AJ » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:13 pm

Is mandrake's foam good for helmet padding? Or is there something better?

Bart · Post by **Bart** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:58 am

Hi Tim,

I've used Mandrake's EVA foam in a couple of helmets now, and I really like it. Not too squishy, not too hard.

I tried some of the same to pad out a pair of leather gauntlets I've been working on. The EVA worked very well at first, but it wasn't long before the foam had bottomed out in a few critical areas, such as over the front knuckle of my first finger.

For those parts of the armor that lay over that and other high-impact bony protuberences, I've started using garden kneelers. Not the cheap-o ones, but the really nice ones that look like they were made of water-skiing vests.

At least one local store has them marked down through the winter months, which is perfect for me, as I do a lot of re-building in the winter. The best way to cut them is with a band saw. You can even thickness saw them with the band saw if you take your time. I get about 1 square foot of really nice 2" thick foam (or after re-sawing, 2 square feet of 1" thick foam, etc.) for eight clams.

-bart

clalibus · Post by **clalibus** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:09 am

i have done alot of work with both zotes and evas and must really endorse the microcell eva's more than the zote line for standard padding, of non helms; and 100% when manufacturing boffer type weaponry (2000 core with a 1900 outer wrap lasts average three to four years with hard continual use.)

finding distribution is a bit rough. i happen to be local to a [urlhttp://1polyplastics.com/]good one[/url] in austin, who fab's both the m.c. & zote, as well as lots lots more. they ahve a minimum order but i am about to make a decently large purchase if you are interested in procuring a sheet or two

Sebastian K · Post by **Sebastian K** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:11 am

clalibus wrote:i have done alot of work with both zotes and evas and must really endorse the microcell eva's more than the zote line for standard padding, of non helms; and 100% when manufacturing boffer type weaponry (2000 core with a 1900 outer wrap lasts average three to four years with hard continual use.)

finding distribution is a bit rough. i happen to be local to a [urlhttp://1polyplastics.com/]good one[/url] in austin, who fab's both the m.c. & zote, as well as lots lots more. they ahve a minimum order but i am about to make a decently large purchase if you are interested in procuring a sheet or two

I have had no problems whatsover with my Plastazote weapons in continual use for several years as well, I think it is a matter of making them the right way. However I am highly interested in new materials. Can you give me detailed infos on the foams you recommend? Brand names/physical properties/weights etc...?

That would be so helpful!

Thanks

Sebastian

gvkeitz · Post by **gvkeitz** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:46 am

I've been making (and using) foam weapons of all types for over twenty years, I've been using the black "standard" (NOT fire-resistant) EVAlite from McMaster-Carr for 6-7 years now. It comes in 1/8," 1/4," 3/8," 1/2," 3/4," and 1" thicknesses (sheets are roughly 3' x 4'). I have and use all of these thicknesses for various purposes.

I have heard folks suggest using plastazote for foam weapon making for the last year or so; I keep meaning to get around to finding, purchasing, and using some.

I also use gray minicell from either McMaster-Carr or the foambymail site, it tends to be a bit cheaper and firmer than EVAlite, but the last batch I purchased from foambymail was *way* too hard for foam weapons.

clalibus · Post by **clalibus** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:02 am

Sebastian Kempkens wrote:
clalibus wrote:i have done alot of work with both zotes and evas and must really endorse the microcell eva's more than the zote line for standard padding, of non helms; and 100% when manufacturing boffer type weaponry (2000 core with a 1900 outer wrap lasts average three to four years with hard continual use.)

finding distribution is a bit rough. i happen to be local to a [urlhttp://1polyplastics.com/]good one[/url] in austin, who fab's both the m.c. & zote, as well as lots lots more. they ahve a minimum order but i am about to make a decently large purchase if you are interested in procuring a sheet or two

I have had no problems whatsover with my Plastazote weapons in continual use for several years as well, I think it is a matter of making them the right way. However I am highly interested in new materials. Can you give me detailed infos on the foams you recommend? Brand names/physical properties/weights etc...?

That would be so helpful!

Thanks

Sebastian

the site i misslinked has all the info http://1polyplastics.com/ that should do it

Rick Higgins · Post by **Rick Higgins** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:52 am

not sure about the other types of foam mentioned here... I come to this forum from the SPFX industry and have used several two-part cold foams for a variety of applications and mold filling... there are self-skinning flexible foams that might fit the ticket, especially for helms...
checkout http://www.smooth-on.com or give them a call... they might be able to set you up nicely