DIY foam design? (for transport)

[TopsyKretts]

One common way for mini transport is foam. We can't all stay home to play and I am happy to visit friends, but then you need transport solution. I've bought various different transport cases with foam from GW, Battlefoam etc. But with skirmish games I prefer making it myself using scissor and knife to cut out some foam. Found this and want to try it to make foam design easier!

I want to test it on car wash sponges! They work really great, but not sure how heating will affect it compared to cutting with knife. That foam is really light so should be easy to work with for this tool.

 

[Ben_S]

I've seen people use that kind of thing to cut XPS for terrain. Not sure I've seen anyone use it for storage/transport.

You won't be able to cut a hole out of the middle of the foam (like a ring or doughnut). You'll need to cut in through the edge, but I assume you can glue it back together.

 

[TopsyKretts]

I manage to cut a hole almost through and then poke it out and scissor a tube off to keep the "floor" intact. A bit fiddly but works. Have to experiment to achieve something similar, perhaps carving out holes? I've ordered it so excited to try out.

 

[Stoof]

Professionally made tools for something I'm sure White Dwarf (or another modelling magazine) had instructions on how to build yourself. Whatever is the world coming to. Hours of fun shorting out a 9v battery along a thin piece of wire to cut polystyrene to make hills (getting wasted on fumes and burning yourself repeatedly optional).

 

[TopsyKretts]

It wasn't succesfull It didn't get hot enough for car wash sponges which surprised me as they are so full of air, not much mass to cut through. The Ryobi tool didn't get hot enough at max power to really carve successfully. Instead it was able to cut more similar to a knife. Haven't tried hotwire cutter part yet, which may help shape the foram easier to fit in the box.

Would a pyrography burn pen like used in woodwork class at school work better? Hoping it is hotter, melting foam better.

 

[TopsyKretts]

Perhaps a hotter tool would do better. Here is a good example, but the foam for terrain, not transport/storage:

What about a soldering iron?

 

[MedMos]

I have a hunch that car wash sponges might be better to cut with a sharp knife!? If you melt them I think they create a rougher, hardened surface.

Edit: or cut them with small, sharp scissors, like for embroidery?

 

[Winky]

I magnetize bases and store minis in metal tins. Works great.

Pictured are a tin full of goliaths, magnetized.

20260815_121610.jpg

• Winky
• Aug 15, 2026
• storage

Magnets for storage

20260815_121610.jpg

• Winky
• Aug 15, 2026
• storage

Magnets for storage

 

[MusingWarboss]

C’mon @Winky shake test video or it’s just a photo turned 180°

 

[Winky]

Haha, not sure I'd hacky sack the sucker, but it'll take a trip in a carrier bag.

 

[TopsyKretts]

Not sure about magnets, how they hold up with vibrations? I ride on maxi scooter so transport will get bumpy.

Tried a 100W soldering iron pen today. It was very effective on the sponge! But too effective. This is apparently outdoor activity as it produced some smoke. It also seemingly made a brown crust, however foam was still soft to the touch. But sticky like oil... Next up is a 30W version. Unfortunately none of these tools seem to give info on temperatures.

 

[TopsyKretts]

30W made yellow sponge brown and sticky too. Great for carving, but too hot.

I would the effect like this:

Perhaps heat is the wrong way. This looks like perfection:

DATRON Foam Cutting Tools for Milling PU Foam

Visit www.datron.com for more info. DATRON Foam Cutting Tools - The perfect alternative to conventional PU foam machining. DATRON foam mills offer a cost-effective, time-saving and, most-importantly, a rework-free alternative to conventional machining methods such as wire, water jet and laser...

vimeo.com

But need to vacuum clean the room afterwards haha.

 

[TopsyKretts]

Btw here is basically the process of carving by knife:

It takes a lot of time.

 

[MusingWarboss]

It might’ve been better to go to an upholstery shop and get some of the blue foam for chairs. It comes a variety of sizes and you could slice off 5mm thick strips and hot glue them together in a custom grid onto another sheet of foam.

Though by that point it might’ve been quicker to just buy some pre made.

 

[TopsyKretts]

20260816_114615.jpg

• TopsyKretts
• Aug 16, 2026

Custom foam

Difficult to explain if you haven't tried. Here is an example, a fairly small box, foam is cut to fit the contents precisely. These models are enough to fill all options for at least 2 kill teams, possibly 1 or more additional. No glue. The floor is as soft as the walls. There are no commercial products which can achieve this in this small space. The walls are much thinner than the stuff you buy.

This takes an evening to cut and carve. With a proper tool it takes perhaps 30 min?

 

[TopsyKretts]

Thia material is cheap and regular available at local common shops. It is alao very soft. So I am going to experiment more to see if it can work. Perhaps soaking the sponge?

 

[TopsyKretts]

Tried with wet sponge, no luck. The effect was reversed, minimal ability to cut or carve. Perhaps only boiling the water locally.

 

[Winky]

Not sure about magnets, how they hold up with vibrations? I ride on maxi scooter so transport will get bumpy.

Tried a 100W soldering iron pen today. It was very effective on the sponge! But too effective. This is apparently outdoor activity as it produced some smoke. It also seemingly made a brown crust, however foam was still soft to the touch. But sticky like oil... Next up is a 30W version. Unfortunately none of these tools seem to give info on temperatures.

Just realized I never answered this. The magnets work fine for cat transport , but I can't comment on scooters.

 

[Ben_S]

Just realized I never answered this. The magnets work fine for cat transport , but I can't comment on scooters.

Magnetising a cat seems more trouble than it's worth. They always land on their feet anyway.

 

[TopsyKretts]

Wanted to see a magnet transport test, but most seem to just wiggle it in the air. Is there anyone who could hit it against something hard or drop it from a proper distance? My ride won't be that brutal, but regardless it can happen just by dropping it.