Foam Build

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

I am Fuzzy Bear

Well-Known Member
First things first, WHAT THE HECK IS A FOAM BUILD.

Second, HOW CAN I DO IT TOO?!?!!?

Third, (and the real reason I am posting) I would like to know about what a foam build is and how you do one. I don't see a sticky about it, but I keep hearing people building with it. I am excited and ready to do TWO builds at once, and if foam is realatively cheap and brings good results, so be it. I must gain this knowlege.
 
Foam builds are made using EVA floor mats from Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-mart, etc. I think people just super simplify pep files into around 20 main pieces, trace and cut them out on the floor mats and assemble it with hot glue. After the piece is completed many people usually coat it with plasti-dip. However I have never worked with foam so I'm sure someone else can give you a much more detailed step by step guide. I have heard that it is much easier and faster to work with though.
 
Foam builds are epic. Cheap, easy(ish) and really fun. Floor mats are the way to go, and aswell as that you can use camping mats for smaller detail and where you want the most flexible parts. Im not using pep at all in my foam build, i just draw from in game images and the game then figure out how big parts should be by eye, scale those onto card as templates and then cut them into foam, It works well and the scale is perfect since your building it specifically for yourself. You just need foam mats, a craft knife, some paper (to draw out templates) and a hot glue gun. Cheap as chips
 
With some proper planing foam builds can work really really well. Just take your time and lay out your plans before you cut. For the most part its pretty cheap, although it might take a little experimenting at first. Good luck, I really look forward to seeing some pics.
 
There may not be stickies on foam builds but there are tons of threads on them here if you do a search. Heck there are so many now that I'm sure there is one on the front page right now. A lot of them of them have detailed information on the process and the tools used but there are many different tools and methods to use it all depends on what works best for you.

Nick nack patty wack, timecon, Halogodess, and BenStreeper are just some the guys on here that have really good threads with builds and step by step of what they do to get what they get as a result.

Box cutters, exacto knifes, hot knifes and (one of my favorites) electric knifes are just some of the cutting tools people use but there are people that even use full on power tools. With your relgular cutting tools like box cutters and exacto knifes I would say buy plenty of blades because the foam can dull the blade quite quickly, but I have heard they can last longer if you sharpen them.
 
Theres no cut and dry tutorial on foam. BenStreeper has a thread around here someplace with some info and tips. Using foam you will make a lot of decisions on what to do and when on your own.

The only file that you can consider foam friendly is L3xbluer1v3rs torso, and you will see that it isnt a perfect set up but it IS a great way to make a good torso.

Foam is cheap. Jump in and try it out. Research it here first of course! Itll make it a bit easier.

Check out HaloGoddess; foam thread too... there are others read through them and you can figure out the rest easy enough.

Good luck!
 
*points to his signature* hope it helps. but the basic points are. get your model in pepakura and take off the tabs. if its not a foam template (which most of them are) then you will stare at the model and figure out which ones to print out and trace them onto the foam mats and cut them out. using the model plan how to glue the pieces together and which pieces need angles cut into them to help them bend a certain way. then glue them. sand any edges facing the outside. Also some peptemplates can be glued together to make one giant piece to be cut on the foam to save you some time. after you have the entire thing done. seal it with either plasti dip or mod podge then primer and paint it. it requires a bit of thinking on your part to get pieces to fit all together.
 
Ok I think I kinda got how to do this now.

Step 1: Buy foam gym mats and foam camping mats from wal-mart
Step 2: Print out pep files of what I want to build.
Step 3: Trace the big important pieces onto the foam and cut them out.
Step 4: Attach big pieces to each other
Step 5: Add detail
Step 6: Somehow harden the suit and paint.
Step 7: World Domination
Step 8: ????
Step 9: Profit
 
hellome said:
there is no hardening. You use plastidip to paint on the foam.
Click to expand...

Well that's not completely true. You don't have to use anything to harden it there are some ways to do this and are alternatives to the plasti-dip. Cujo has been doing a great job on his ODST foam build and has used a really strong looking material to harden his stuff, I forget the name of it. Many others have used foam hardener that you can find listed in Benstreepers foam thread.

I have been using the spray can plasti-dip but I thinking of using the liquid stuff to get a smoother surface.
 
Foam is great for costumes that you wanna be able to move in, and theres no hardedning, just plasti dip , paint and done!
 
As of as soon as I press "Post Quick Reply", I am going out to Wal-Mart to buy some Gym Mat foam and Camping Mat foam and upon my return I shall start my build.

For future refernce, what kind of foam do you guys use?

I have also been seeing some things about Mod Podge. Is that any good? I'm not to the point of Plasti-dip yet, but I am looking forward to it.
 
I am Fuzzy Bear said:
As of as soon as I press "Post Quick Reply", I am going out to Wal-Mart to buy some Gym Mat foam and Camping Mat foam and upon my return I shall start my build.

For future refernce, what kind of foam do you guys use?

I have also been seeing some things about Mod Podge. Is that any good? I'm not to the point of Plasti-dip yet, but I am looking forward to it.
Click to expand...

It's all a matter of preference. I would suggest trying them out on scrap pieces to see what works best for you.

Oh and I use the mats from harbor freight and craft foam.
 
when people talk about foam builds we tend to mean the E.V.A interlocking floor mats that are used for the gym or garage. Craft foam is used for smaller details that the thicker floor-mat foam cant do. the camping mat foam is a cheap alternative to the interlocking floor mats but it has that texture on it which isnt as smooth as the gyrm/garage floor mats. I use the camping mat foam for padding or under armor parts that dont need to look smooth and like "metal".
 
I saw Gold's Gym interlocking foam mats for $19 at Wal-mart. I think that's what you're using J326. How did you get the foam to bend for the curves in the chestplate?
 
i got my foam at home depot cuz my walmart didnt carry them but its the exact same foam type anyways. and surprisingly i didnt heat shape the foam on my chest piece. i just kept bending it and it seemed to stick well. but i just got a heat gun recently and will use it where i need good curves. alternatively a good hair dryer also works.
 
I am Fuzzy Bear said:
Can you tell me what brand you bought? I like the results that you are getting so I want to start out with the stuff more experienced people use.
Click to expand...

The mats you bought are the exact same thing so it doesn't matter what brand you get because I went to another walmart and saw the gold gym ones and they were the same as the home depot ones except its walmart and they were cheaper just in price so i was sad haha. I just bought what was available to me at the time. Recently I got some mats from Harbor freight and its the same thing except its not the diamond pattern but that other one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

korranatedcorgi
1st Build Reach Recon foam build (still wip) :)
2 3
Replies
52
Views
1,699
Zylenko
Zylenko
Strix3D
1st Build ODST Medic Foam Build
2
Replies
25
Views
2,411
BaronArden
BaronArden
Sigma2421
Foam armor templates
Replies
1
Views
232
Cadet
Cadet
Dilofos
Mark V (Halo CE) Foam Build
Replies
3
Views
1,315
Dilofos
Dilofos
OscarWyler
3D Printing vs Foam Building
Replies
7
Views
774
OscarWyler
OscarWyler

Similar threads

korranatedcorgi
1st Build Reach Recon foam build (still wip) :)
2 3
Replies
52
Views
1,699
Zylenko
Zylenko
Strix3D
1st Build ODST Medic Foam Build
2
Replies
25
Views
2,411
BaronArden
BaronArden
Sigma2421
Foam armor templates
Replies
1
Views
232
Cadet
Cadet
Dilofos
Mark V (Halo CE) Foam Build
Replies
3
Views
1,315
Dilofos
Dilofos
OscarWyler
3D Printing vs Foam Building
Replies
7
Views
774
OscarWyler
OscarWyler
Back
Top