Foam Shaping Question

[McJeep]

I have a couple of commissions for seat reconstruction - this will involve deepening the seat pocket on both. I see where people are using rasps and carving knives for shaping. I see this working for outside curves really well, but am at a loss for how to shape a convcave hollow.

Have toyed with *trying* a small angle grinder with wire wheel attachment to sculpt things out but really don't want to experiment with a client's seat in case this turns out to be a very very bad idea

What are people using to hollow out foam when rebuilding a seat?

Thank much

Rob

[rickeyfro]

Rob something Ive done was to position the foam on the pan and mark out the general are of the pocket then I take the foam and lay it on something, I use a piece of 6 inch PVC this will put the foam in a convex instead of concave position, them I use an angle grinder with a 3 inch or 2 inch sanding disk and slowly remove the are i need to remove, takes a little practice and moving the foam back and forth between the pan and pipe until you get what you want, remember you can always remove more but you cant put it back so take a little bit at a time, this Ive done with high density closed cell neoprene. havent tried with any other foam

I have a couple of commissions for seat reconstruction - this will involve deepening the seat pocket on both. I see where people are using rasps and carving knives for shaping. I see this working for outside curves really well, but am at a loss for how to shape a convcave hollow.

Have toyed with *trying* a small angle grinder with wire wheel attachment to sculpt things out but really don't want to experiment with a client's seat in case this turns out to be a very very bad idea

What are people using to hollow out foam when rebuilding a seat?

Thank much

Rob

[Jimbob]

Small harbour freight cheepo air angle grinder works on all foams...I use 80 grid for fast removal, 120 for slickening....220 for licking it clean....remember if its off u cant put it back on....haha.....so be careful!!

james

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

We used belt, and disc sanders to shape foam for winery labelers, so a sanding/flap disc would probably be better than a wire wheel. Sanding left a really nice finished edge.