Carving a prototype

E-Dub · Post by **E-Dub** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:19 pm

Working on a project that needs a piece roughly the size of a pack of cigs.

What I want to do, since it's a fairly simple shape is cut a prototype from something to use as a stand-in for the real part to coordinate the other pieces of the project, then shave down the prototype to create the actual piece on a home vacuumformer.

What should I use as a source material. Tried a bar of Ivory soap but too soft. Ideally I want soft to facilitate carving, just not that soft. And I should be able to, once the other parts are properly positioned, slice the prototype down the long axis to vacuumform both top and bottom halves.

Hope this is clear.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:34 pm

Basswood, soft enough to carve easily but still hard enough to be durable when handling and easy to split for vacuforming.

Available at most craft supply stores like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc.

If you can't get basswood locally poplar will work too.

Ken

KLINGON CAV · Post by **KLINGON CAV** » Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:52 am

Balsa FOAM is fun.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:42 am

Or the classic blue or pink insulation foam.

Handy trick, ceramic blades don't need wax to get them to cut smoothly through foam.

Joseph C. Brown · Post by **Joseph C. Brown** » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:44 am

Kylwell wrote:Or the classic blue or pink insulation foam.

Handy trick, ceramic blades don't need wax to get them to cut smoothly through foam.

Oooohhhhh! Gotta try that -- oddly enough, I don't have a ceramic knife in the house. Gonna fix that!

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:51 am

Just don't try to pry with them. That'll snap the blade in a heartbeat.

Joseph C. Brown · Post by **Joseph C. Brown** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:26 pm

E-Dub wrote:Working on a project that needs a piece roughly the size of a pack of cigs.

What I want to do, since it's a fairly simple shape is cut a prototype from something to use as a stand-in for the real part to coordinate the other pieces of the project, then shave down the prototype to create the actual piece on a home vacuumformer.

What should I use as a source material. Tried a bar of Ivory soap but too soft. Ideally I want soft to facilitate carving, just not that soft. And I should be able to, once the other parts are properly positioned, slice the prototype down the long axis to vacuumform both top and bottom halves.

Hope this is clear.

Signboard foam seems to be (potentially!) your best bet if vacuforming is going to be involved -- at least, when it comes to ease of carving. Blue or pink insulation foam *might* stand up to vacuforming... but it is not the way to bet.

Balsafoam is fine for alot of folks - I've personally never liked it, and have found it to be crumbly and basically nasty. YMMV.

Signboard foam is high density urethane (HDU) foam, a few steps down from Renshape. Any shop that does custom signs should have cut-offs and other foam scraps that can usually be had for very, very cheap -- sometimes just for asking.

Joseph C. Brown · Post by **Joseph C. Brown** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:28 pm

Kylwell wrote: Handy trick, ceramic blades don't need wax to get them to cut smoothly through foam.

Picked up a nice Faberware ceramic blade today, and test cuts on some foam scrap went AWESOMELY well!

E-Dub · Post by **E-Dub** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:23 am

I went with the wood. Carved down good. Split well. Filled in some spots where I'd overcarved with regular auto putty. Am sanding away the edges now.

KLINGON CAV · Post by **KLINGON CAV** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:59 pm

I just bought aluminum cigarrette cases.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:23 pm

KLINGON CAV wrote:I just bought aluminum cigarrette cases.

oh...kay...

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Carving a prototype

Carving a prototype

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