I found a good tool for cutting foam in the drywall section of the local Home Depot. It’s called a ‘jabsaw’ and is used for cutting holes in drywall. It is a tapered saw (pointy end) and is sturdy enough to allow jabbing it right through drywall to get a hole started. Of course you can do the same thing with it in foam. It cuts quickly because it has swarthy teeth, but by the same token produces a lot of sawdust. It has a big comfortable handle too. And it only costs about 5 bucks.
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aka keyhole saw or drywall board saw. A serrated kitchen knife or steak knife also works well, and makes less dust.
Ditto what he said…
Much to my wife’s chagrin, my chosen tool is a heavy steak knife, the kind like they give you at the “aussie steak house” and such… One of a set we got for our wedding (and thus the chagrin)… Much less crud created than a keyhole saw…
PS - What’s with HD and calling it a “jabsaw”… weren’t the 6 different names for the thing enough already? That’s a new one on me. Some slick marketing guy trying to add “brand equity” I bet.
Dollar General Stores sells a nice serrated bread knife that is flexible and costs a whole buck. No disagreeing with the wife over her knives being “ruined”. Just remember to keep the receipt to show her when she starts b$#@hin’. “Hey, it’s my knife thank you, it cost a whole dollar six with tax dear. Here’s the receipt!” Been there done that. Fred
The knife rather than the saw, less mess.
Flee’s right. If you use any tool that looks like it belongs in the kitchen, save the receipts. It’s a lot easier than the fight you’re gonna have when she sees you sifting plaster on your layout.
Since I do most of the cooking and have bought all of the knives anyways, I dont have this problem [:)] But I think I’ll check out the store for one of these knives anyways. No sense messing up one of my good knives. Then I would have to sharpen it agian.
Yep! I have one of those saws, and have used a wide variety of knives and other blades and saws. The Sureform tool is great for shaping/tappering foam grades. And I’ve even used ,my palm sander with a gritty grade paper to quickly shape and smooth areas.
Trevor
Get thee to the flea market or nearest Good Will Store and purchase an old but working electric carving knife. Nothing like having the power of the utility company working for you. Lots less mess and reminiscent of Thanksgiving day with dad in control of the power tools…
Uh Uh Uh… Power Tools… OOOOooohhhhhh……
If we want to talk about other foam tools, the ultimate is a hot wire cutter. I made mine with about 4 inches of 20 gauge nichrome wire and an old weller pistol soldering iron. The wire can be shaped into a trencher, a slicer, or about any shape you desire and takes about 20 seconds to become active. As with all hot wire tools use it with caution, but it don’t really get hot enough to become like a light sabre and slice you fingers or arms off if you slip. Fred
Fred, you wouldn’t have a pic you could post so we could get an idea of what you created? That sounds perfect for shaping foam. Sawing drywall or foam is gonna create a ton of grit, crud and dust that will work its way into all the wrong places eventually. Like sandblasting a car, you will find that stuff in the shop for years. And you don’t want to paint the car anywhere near that area. Thanks.
That sounds neat, Fred. Do you use it on the blue (or in some cases pink) extruded foam?
JaRRell