Foam board -- more commonly called foamcore -- is used for a variety of art projects, from model building to mounting artwork. Source: Amazon If you are going to be cutting a lot of foam and don’t want to have to deal with a mess, then the best option for your use is a hot wire knife.This knife will either run on batteries or plug into the wall and it can quickly heat up to very high temperatures, allowing you to use the blade to slice easily through foam without any problems. You do not want to have the blade come loose while you are cutting! View the video above to watch one recommended method for cutting foamboard with an X-ACTO knife. Stop cutting when you get to within 1/2 inch of penetrating through the foam. Use an x-acto knife and a metal ruler to cut through the mat board. and involves minimal tools and effort. Use an electric kitchen knife, such as a carving knife or a fish fillet knife, to create clean cuts in Styrofoam. However, because it is so strong, it can be difficult to cut down to your preferred size. Bits of foam always break off and don't leave the nice edge that straight line cuts do. 3. We recommend changing your X-ACTO blade frequently to insure that you always get a precise cut. Hang the areas to be cut over your cutting table and slowly run the knife around the traced design. This will result in a small impression or etching in the board. Stenciling – Due to its extremely precise cutting edge, the X-Acto knife is ideal for creating stencil designs and shapes.. Pencil shading – A lot of artists use X-Acto knives to create bold highlights and shading to works of art by scoring lines on the canvas or paper before shading.. Cut polystyrene foam with an electric kitchen knife. Cutting incorrectly results in shredded and bumpy-edged foam board that looks unprofessional. If you allow your child to use an X-Acto knife, supervise carefully. It's the dumb way to cut foam. (Get the heavy duty blades for more dense material) These work great on spray foam, board type insulation, soft foam (for tool/pelican cases) etc. 3. Before using an exacto knife, it is always a good idea to check if the collar can be tightened. It helped my son in cutting 10mm craft foam for a project. Step Two: Place your artwork in the center of the mat to measure the location of the opening. The blade has a sharp edge and pointed tip, so it's necessary to use it with care. I know I have had to use them in my personal and professional life a lot over the last 10 years. One of the things I neglected to mention in my banquette-building post was how to cut the foam. Precision knife with a safety cap for fine deep cutting Built with a black A-type handle and a carbon steel blade for a reliable cut every time Soft grip removes tension from the hand, allowing you to continue making precise cuts needed to finish the job with comfort and confidence Once again, the knife blade cut was smoother. Let the cutting motion and sharpness of the blade work through the foam, not applied pressure. I know almost everyone has used an X-Acto knife at some point. Having no money, I cut through five-inch-thick foam sections by making repeated swipes with a cheapie utility knife like the one above. For thicker basswood,you may want a little model-making saw, which you can get there as well. Before you begin, cut your mat board to the size of your frame. I also have had questions regarding foam board and it … It's also made from foam board (bought for a dollar at Dollar Tree!) This is the easiest and best method I have ever used. Typically I leave a 1/4″ on all sides. Serrated blades are great for cutting thick foam. If you are cutting paper, the blade life will be longer. I remember when I took my first class at college, the first thing the professor did was show us how to use an X-Acto properly and how to cut a mat board. X-Acto #1 precision knife is the original cutting tool for any application requiring a precise, accurate cut. To measure for artwork that is perfectly centered on the mat, simply subtract the width of the artwork from the width of the mat and divide that number in half. Cutting thicker material can wreak havoc on your hands. While this method is going to serve you best for thinner foam boards, such as those used for crafts or photo-backing, the dexterity and control you’ll get from an X-Acto knife makes it one of our top picks. Tightening and Changing the Blade. Now for the most exciting part of making this entire DIY Kids advent calendar….filling it with candy or chocolate! When the first cut pass has been completed, Design Space calculates the expected cut-time remaining based on how long the first pass took and based on how many passes are pre-programmed for that material. It was time-consuming, messy, far from accurate, and doing the curves was a real pain. In Stock - Ships within 48 Hours General Tools 16 Piece Hobby Knife. Also note that there is a 5 mm thick craft foam and it is too thick for the machine. Discover a variety of premium blades for every hobby and craft - X-ACTO When using a serrated blade, make smooth and gentle back-and-forth cutting motions through the foam. I lined the letters on the blade of the knife and put them down ~ when I didn't get it straight I used the blade to pick up the letter and re-position it. 5 Push hard so that the tip of the knife penetrates all the way through the final 1/2 inch. You can usually find a kit with multiple types of handles and tips. Wish they provided more than 2 blades. They usually come in small or large sizes, with replaceable blades. I am having much difficulting cutting curves (particularly circles) on foamcore board. X-Acto Knife. I have used exacto knives and razor blades. Xacto X5282 Basic Knife Set For designs that can't be cut with scissors or a paper cutter, use an X-Acto craft knife. They cut straight lines just fine but when it comes to curves, they leave a big mess. Foam board, whether a thin style used for crafts or the thick insulating type sold in large sheets, requires a bit of finesse when it comes to creating the perfect cut. Just as it is used for art, there is an art to cutting foamcore correctly. Using the Exacto knife cut foam board to desired size using the puzzle edge as a guide. Place foam board to the side and put puzzle face down on wax paper. Place the electric knife on the foam along the desired cutting line. Highly recommend. I lay the board flat and use a ruler & the exacto to score the board (just a shallow cut), then I stand the board on end, place the exacto blade in the scored groove at the top of the board and cut downward, and I almost always get a perfectly smooth edge. The X-Acto knife did not disappoint me~ cut clean even in the tight spots!!! To tighten the collar on a typical #1 or #2 exacto knife, ensure that the blade is pushed all the way into the collet. I used my favorite m itre saw to cut the wood dowels, but you can make this sign with a simple X-ACTO knife or small hand saw. Will need to buy blades separately. The X-Acto knife is perfect for tiny and intricate spots where other utility equipment won't work. The X-Acto #1 precision knife is built with a carbon steel blade for a reliable cut every time. Then, a third cut through the paper back. Step 3 - Cut the Foam Insulation Board. Use scissors, or an adult can use an Xacto knife to cut off the extra foam board from around the Santa Advent Calendar, leaving just Santa and the egg carton candy cups. I tried making my first insert last night using my craft knives and while they work, I'm not getting straight edges because it feels like the blade isn't cutting through the foam board, even by making three cuts as recommended on here. A mat cutter is basically a blade that cuts a 45-degree angle, instead of a 90-degree angle like an X-ACTO knife. No matter which type you work with, a sharp utility knife or craft knife is a must. I will be using foam board even more in future projects. With your utility knife, score the foam insulation board by firmly running the utility knife along the outer edge of your straightedge. 5. The handle of this knife is rubberized for a more comfortable … Scoring – X-Acto knives are often used to score cardboard and paper in order to create precise folds. 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