Posted: 11/13/2006 3:29:35 AM EDT
also aobut $5 at HD, and come in very handy
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Having cut tons of Pelican cases for TV gear I can tell you the following professional secrets. First, get a piece of poster board, or other heavy non corrogated cardboard like kids use for school projects & cut it to the same the same size of your case. Lay out your objects, guns, mags etc on top of of the poster paper and trace around them using a Sharpie paying particular attention to keeping the Sharpie vertical and the objects from moving as you trace around them. Next, carefully cut out the silouettes using a razor knife making a stencil. You'll use the full sheet with the holes, not the cut out pieces. Secure your stencil on top of the pieces of foam you wish to cut thru. Usually there are 3 layers in the bottom and one in the lid. You only want to cut thru 2 layers, take one layer out of the bottom and set it aside. Take the remaing layers and using 3M spray adhesive p/n 8080A or similar spray adhesive specifically made for foam, glue those two layers together. And place them back in the case. An electic carrving knife works good but a deeply scalloped steak or bread knife with a straight back works best, or an insulation knife which is also scalloped but has to be made pointed. DO NOT use some POS you have in your kitchen or made in china. Buy a brand new quality scalloped edge knife, thin blade, if you know of anyone that can polish the edge professionally, have that done too. Hold the knife vertically betweeen your thumb and forefinger and work it like a jig saw blade up & down using the edge of the stecil as a fence or guide, keep one side of the blade riding against the stencil while paying careful attention to keeping the blade vertical. Draw it towards you slowly as you saw up & down. When you come to a corner, pull the blade out to change direction, don't try to make sharp turns without withdrawling the blade Don't ever press down or compress the foam to cut, it will look like shit when you're done. When you are done, you'll have nice neat cut outs, no ink on the foam, no ragged edges. It will be as close to die cut as you can acheive by hand. |
Thank you cs and everybody else who posted!!!!! Only think I'm confused about is cutting through two layers???? I know you want to glue two layers together, but wouldn't you only want to cut through one?? |
Thats EXACTLY what I thought!! Yes, three foams!!! Only cut 1!! |
Good idea!!!! THANKS!!!!! I had planned on shooting it this Wed., but this is the only day I can go to Orlando to meet a cyber pal home on leave from Iraq. Gun shooting may have to wait...this week anyway. |
When you're ready to buy, check out these guys... www.all-pelican-cases-4-less.com/index.html pardon the hijack, Catsclaw. |
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Best price I found on foam is: Foam By Mail Look under packaging foam.
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Might be too much work for just one case.......but looks like the best way. Cutting Foam I was planing to get one big pelican case, get 2 sets of replacement foam, and configure to carry three ways, 1) two 16" w/ colaps. stock 2) my LR308 24" brl  3) one 16" and couple pistols |