Insulation Foam For Molding Leather?

[minimal Oz]

I was fooling around on Youtube when I found a video in which a Spanish lady uses insulation foam to do wet molding. It looks quite easy to use and holds its shape pretty well. Any one has experience of it? If insulation foam is workable, then it must be a lot easier to make comparing to wood. Could this be a good idea?
here is the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTjkKAQs_c0

Edited June 18, 2014 by minimal Oz

[Trevor]

Hi there Minimal.

I do and have done a lot of molding and this method looks hard and is very impractical.

I have always used the wood pattern over block way of doing it and have had great success with this.

Here are some of the finished items that were made with wood.

Cheers

Trevor

"Way Down Under"

[BDAZ]

THis is NOT insulation foam. It is closed cell Minicell foam. I use it for kayak seats and carving knee braces in sea kayaks. It's very firm, tough and EXPENSIVE. Eaier to form than wood but way more expensive.

Cya!

Bob

[Basically Bob]

Interesting ... Trevor, those cases are awesome!

[Trevor]

Thanks Bob.

To me the whole idea of making a molded pouch means to stretch the leather over a shape to get the desired result.

These pouches are simple and can be made easily with some wood and a few bits and pieces.

I used to use a large vice to squash it all together but I now have a proper press. But the vice is still ok.

Using anything soft or semi soft would not allow the leather to stretch properly

Cheers Trevor

[minimal Oz]

Hi there Minimal.

I do and have done a lot of molding and this method looks hard and is very impractical.

I have always used the wood pattern over block way of doing it and have had great success with this.

Here are some of the finished items that were made with wood.

Cheers

Trevor

"Way Down Under"

Thanks Trevor. I would love to use wood too, but I just don't have sufficient tools to work on wood. That is why I was interested in alternative materials.

[minimal Oz]

THis is NOT insulation foam. It is closed cell Minicell foam. I use it for kayak seats and carving knee braces in sea kayaks. It's very firm, tough and EXPENSIVE. Eaier to form than wood but way more expensive.

Cya!

Bob

Hi Bob, thanks for the info. I was only guessing from the 2 seconds in the video. If it is so expensive then I will forget about it. Thanks mate

[billybopp]

It occurs to me that if you don't have the tools, skills, or friends to get wooden mold, then foam might be a good alternative. The foam shown in the video may well be expensive, but there may be other foams that are usable too! They make stuff called Modeling Board, and carv-foam that might be usable and not outrageously expensive. They are relatively easily cut with knives, etc. and some can be worked with power tools as well. I may experiment with this stuff at some point!

Another interesting thing that came to mind while thinking about this is using a rigid urethane foam to form a mold of a pre-existing piece. Put a piece of thin plastic into the bag, or whatever that you want to duplicate, mix and pour the expanding foam into it. Let it set and then pull it out! Some of these foams are relatively dense and can be tooled after they have cured. In any case, it just might work if I can find a suitable piece that I'm willing to sacrifice in case it doesn't work!!

Bill

[papaw]

Just take a trip to Goodwill or yard sale buy .50 -- $2.00 cheap bag to try it on.

[BDAZ]

Minicell is not outrageously expensive. You can buy it here. You can also buy blocks of foam used for flower arranging at hobby shops which may work as well.

Cya!

Bob

[minimal Oz]

Minicell is not outrageously expensive. You can buy it here. You can also buy blocks of foam used for flower arranging at hobby shops which may work as well.

Cya!

Bob

thanks Bob, I will google some Aussie sellers. I never knew this flower foam, will check it out.