Can you use X’s instead of circles when cutting the foam? I don’t have any tomato paste cans or anything. Also, if it turned out I had. Cookie cutters, how would I sharpen them?
If it’s large-ish X, it should work OK. Stars actually work best, specifically 6-point stars, although 5’s are fine. The inner points grip and accomodate a larger range of yoyosk, from popstar to 58mm or so yoyos.
Werrd uses triangles in their cases.
The tomato paste can is NOT good for use in my experience, but it does have the advantage of the can itself being sharper than cookie cutters. The reason I say “no” to this idea is that for undersized throws, the can size is too large and the yoyos won’t stay securely in place.
I find there’s no reason to sharpen cookie cutters IF you use an EXACTO knife to cut the foam. Press the cutter into the foam, then cut around it using the exacto knife. Fast, clean results. It does take some work, but it’s not that bad. Using this, using circular cutters, I made a 12-space case with 3 extra smaller holes in about 2 hours, most of that time was spend taking breaks.
The cookie cutters in question:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000VLOWW/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00
Cutting around these saves time and ensures cleaner results.
I’m gonna order these:
As twisting is out of the question, it will require hard pressing(and in 2 inch high density foam, that’s not really comfortable and easy) and cutting with a very sharp object, which makes an X-Acto knife a requirement. It won’t be super easy, but it won’t be super difficult either. It will take practice. Use your scrap foam to get used to how it will behave. Just be warned when doing cuts near the edges of the foam, it can be a bit difficult to work there.
The 2.25" one is the ideal star size.
Both of these are thick steel and are DEEP.
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The undersize throw issue is easily solved by taking the circles that you cut out of the foam, and splitting them into four long ways, then wrapping two of these pieces around your yoyo. I can post pictures if you’d like.
One shouldn’t need to made an adaptor. That’s my opinion. That’s where the star-cut ones really shine. The inner “spikes” grip smaller throws, yet crush easily to accommodate larger throws.
Your idea isn’t bad, I just feel there’s better solutions.
I agree with you that in a perfect world stars are the way to go, but in my opinion they take much more effort to correctly cut, whereas the tomato paste can method is relatively easy. To each their own I suppose.
For undersized I have used plumbing insulation foam to make a ring. Place the ring in the catch zone problem solved.
Would a hit wire cutter work?
You can’t use a hot wire cutter on this type of foam, it releases a gas that could be harmful.
Your opinion is fact. You’re right. The stars take either specialized equipment(a press and die) or the patience and effort and skills to use the cutter/knife method.
For me, I’m used to spending days upon days and hours upon hours soldering or writing code or building cable harnesses or wiring patch panels, so I’m not worried about detailed work that requires a lot of effort.
People should experiment and figure out what works best for them. I like my method, I can custom make the cases to the specs I need. I’m not good enough at it to make cases for other people yet.
Are there any websites where you can order custom cut foam pieces? And if so what are their names?
Try foam by mail, you want grey packing foam
I have had very good results just using a 2" hole saw blade with a cordless drill.
Make darned sure you run the drill, hence the blade in reverse or it will grab and tear your foam.
Also, use just a small shot of silicone, or even a small spray of Pam cooking spray on the outside of the hole saw blade before each cut so the blade slides through the foam nicely.
Use a piece of scrap foam underneath your cut so you can push all the way through the foam you are cutting.
The results are really amazingly clean and precise holes.
You can find the blade at most hardware stores for aroung $10 - $12 as well as the silicone spray.
There are a few that I’ve used in the past but often the price is greatly dependent upon quantity so a small order is costly while purchasing 50 and higher brings that price down.