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Author Topic: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam  (Read 4700 times)

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C855B

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New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« on: December 29, 2017, 09:09:38 PM »
+1
I was dreading the future task of using SurForm rasps to contour pink foam for the layout... the mess, the work, the aching shoulder, the scars on my left hand from the "oops!" Yeah, a belt sander could be used for the coarsest cuts, but real contouring was back to the SurForm. So last weekend I was "imagineering" a power tool, something along the lines of a small hand-held drum sander with the drum sideways for fast but well-controlled contouring. In a perfect world, this tool would also have a provision for connecting a shop vac to deal with the volumes of foam dust this device would generate.

It turns out this tool exists! The Porter-Cable "3.5 Amp Restorer" is exactly what I imagined. Here's a very quick demo:

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Notice the vacuum hose connected to the handle! Not totally dust-free, but darned close! Very impressive.
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...mike

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Philip H

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2017, 11:16:31 PM »
0
How did you get turned on to that rig? And where did you get it?
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C855B

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2017, 11:30:25 PM »
+1
Had the idea, and did an online search... 'hand-held drum sander' or something like that. I fished through a few of the results and found a couple that mentioned a type I'd never heard of, "surfacing sanders", and there it was.

Got it at the local Lowe's, $100. Home Depot has it, too.
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peteski

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2017, 01:21:57 AM »
0
Great idea and nice find!
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Ed Kapuscinski

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2018, 08:35:59 PM »
+1
Holy *****. One of those is definitely going to come live with me before my next layout is started.

Awesome find.
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C855B

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2018, 09:05:05 PM »
0
Thanks, Ed. I kinda thought you'd appreciate it. Keep an eye on the GC&W thread, I'm about to carve a mountain with it. :scared:
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...mike

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Ed Kapuscinski

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2018, 09:06:13 PM »
0
Oh, I am... Godspeed.
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Mark W

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2018, 09:46:36 PM »
+3
Quote from: C855B on December 29, 2017, 09:09:38 PM
Not totally dust-free, but darned close!

What's the fun in that?! 

I just use a wire wheel in a drill.  :D




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C855B

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2018, 10:16:04 PM »
+1
:facepalm:
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Scottl

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2018, 07:15:04 AM »
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That foam dust will be great filler for Sculptamold  :ashat: :facepalm:
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DKS

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2018, 07:43:35 AM »
+5
Not to be the grumpy contrarian, but I still haven't seen anything to beat a hot wire tool. Clean and precise, with the ability to create shapes (such as undercuts) impossible with any other tool.
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Lemosteam

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2018, 07:59:29 AM »
0
Mike, are you using the sanding drum or the paddle grinder?
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C855B

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2018, 11:09:18 AM »
0
Drum. I was using the coarsest sleeve (60 grit) in the demo clip, but have since discovered it "grabbed" too easily with concave cuts. I'm using the finest sleeve now (120 grit), which oddly enough cuts the foam at the same rate as coarse.
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...mike

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C855B

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2023, 03:42:20 PM »
0
A local MRR just called to ask about the tool since I had demo'ed it for him a while back. Checking the DIY big-boxes for him... I discovered it has been discontinued, apparently for a couple of years. I did find somebody selling NOS on eBay, so if any of you are still interested, they have two left.
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...mike

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ednadolski

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Re: New (?) Power Tool for Carving Pink Foam
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2023, 04:09:24 PM »
0
How would you compare it to an oscillating tool with a scaper blade ?

Ed

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