Making Your Own Foam Cutters?

[Fly Swatter]

I've decided I'd like to try to make my own foam cutters, such as the ones I've seen for making frogs and dragonflies. Can anyone give any pointers? I have plenty of wood-working tools, a Dremel tool, and epoxies. I figured I could use the steel tape from a broken tape measure since that's a form of spring steel, and possibly sharpen it with a sanding drum in my Dremel tool.

Has anyone tried to make their own cutters before? Just wonderin'...

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds!

[flyandtie]

hmm never tried it but it sounds worth it.
i would think either tape measure spring steel or some kind of aluminum or brass sheeting would probably work

[arend003]

what i Have used for making foam cut outs not for flies but when I was into R/C airplanes was a soldering iron .. and I used copper wire for the tip bent to the shape I wanted . then light sanded the finished product ..not sure it work for frog bodies or not .
Tom

[dixieangler]

Not sure exactly what you are looking for in foam cutters but here are some link ideas for you:

[url=http://warmwaterflyfisher.com/tyingtechniques/Foamsandalpopperplugs.htm:18c35]Making Foam Plugs for the Foam Sandal Popper[/url:18c35]

[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/082205fotw.html:18c35]Creative Foam Fly Tying - Dremel Bugs[/url:18c35]

I don't think these will fit a drill so the chuck end might need to be turned down to fit a drill.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... umber=3838

Another idea that Jim Smith uses is brass cartridge cases with the primer hole drilled out to take a small bolt. The bolt head should fit into the case with bolt going through the primer hole. The nut is tightened against the base of the case on the bolt and then the bolt can be chucked in a drill. Best of luck.

[William Fitzgerald]

I have a number of the cutters and it looks like they are made from heavier stainless than measuring tape material. As a former engineer I would say they are sharpend in the flat and then formed. They are in a wooden holder set in epoxy. Large hole liquid epoxy,set and left to harden. I use the Beetle for cricket bodies ,body with rubber legs and the frog will catch bass.

http://www.riverroadcreations.com

[Fly Tyer CC]

The ?River Road Creation? company is an excellent company to deal with and they make a quality product. This is especially true if you want a foam cutter other then a cylinder or circle.
I had an occasion to order a custom foam cutter for a unique fly pattern that I tie. When I e-mailed them with my question and drawing for the custom cutter, I was interested in, they were very helpful plus the cost of the cutter was nominal.

[ohiotuber]

Another vote for River Road Creations. I also have the Beetle Cutters in sizes 12 & 14, & will most certainly add more cutters of various types in the future. Their stuff is quality & they seem to constantly add new products.
Mike

[ducksterman]

It seems to me that if one wants a pretty extensive representation of the various types and sizes it can run into some serious $'s

Does it work to order the larger size in a type and then when you want something smaller just trim it a little...that may still be easier then starting from scratch and free handing it????????

[Normand]

I figured I could use the steel tape from a broken tape measure since that's a form of spring steel!

I doubt that will be strong enough to punch thru foam. if you saw the ones from river road creations, you'd see why i say that.

[kengore]

I have also tried to come up with a 'homemade' foam cutter, so far I have not been able to find a material that works well as the cutting edge. I wonder if you couldn't come up with somthing more like a wing burner.

I make wing burners from 1/2" wide strips of brass, purchased at the hobby store. I fold the brass strip in half making a large tweezers. I can then shape the profile (both layers of metal at the same time) using metal files and a thin metal cutting blade in a jewlers saw.

A larger scale version might work for a foam body blank. Several layers of foam could be clamped at one time and the profile trimmed out using a long exacto blade or hot wire knife. The brass template on either side would insure accurate cuts. Perhaps not as efficiant as a die cutter, but more easily and more cheaply constructed.