Went to a JoAnn store with the wife and while looking around saw some 2MM closed cell foam sheets. They are 9 X 12 in various colors for 69 cents each. Has anyone ever used it? I bought some to tie some ants.
works great and doesn’t cost a whole lot.
The craft store is my favorite place to buy foam sheets, glass beads, odd feathers, and whatever else I can find.
Kelly.
Ants, hoppers, beetles, crickets, crease flies, gurglers… I heart foam.
Regards,
Scott
Hi Donat,
Craft foam sheets have been the source of foam for bluegill bugs for a big number of us for many years. It is also used for foam hoppers and many other foam bugs.
We warm water tiers have used it for years, and trout fly tiers have been using it for many years also, as mentioned above, for hoppers and beetles, etc., but not as long or as extensively, I think, as have the warm water tiers.
Skip Morris has had a book out for quite a few years on tying with foam.
Regards,
Gandolf
Donat -I also use it and have for years. If you don’t mind spending a few extra pennies get some that has stick-um on the back. That way it is easy to stick different colors together for poppers or whatever.
Tim
WalMart has it cheaper, but not the selection of colors. But then, how many ants can you get out of a sheet and will you ever use that many? :lol:
Those foam ants are a great beginner’s fly. Real easy and quick to tie.
My local Walmart and other stores have these big, shrink-wrapped packs of the foam in a rainbow of colors for dirt cheap (on the order of three bucks for around twenty 8x10-ish sheets). Alas, whenever I’m in there I either don’t have the cash on me or forget to grab them. 
Edit: Oops, meant to add that you should check out the kids/crafting aisle of any local store for these “value packs”.
Got the same deal as Jeff , enough to tie a thousand flies.
I graduated highschool not long ago and had to use some of these foam for my calculus project… i still have a whole bunch left (im a pack rat:p)
Company: Darice
Name: Foamies
i think it cost me like $5 for a big package(9in x 12in each sheet) of assorted colors back then.
Donat,
Check out:
http://colo2.flyanglersonline.com/bb/showthread.php?t=31874
On ‘laminating’ foam sheets for poppers.
I recent found and purchased 6mm sheets (just not in as many colors). when gluing layers together, that really cuts down on glue joints.
It really depends on the pattern you’re tying.
I use the craft foam for a few patterns, but I find that the evazote foam that Rainey’s makes works much better for most of my patterns. It has a stiffer “hand” and flairs up much better than craft foam does.
Kevin
Yep, use the stuff all the time.
Jeff.
I’ll be posting some step by steps on my blog site in a week or so. I have a soft hackle to do next week and then I’ll be postig the sheet foam. I’ll do some more traditional poppers later in the winter.
Jeff (link to blog in my sig line).
Best bang for the buck I have found … WalMart>Craft section>Big pack 2mm.
6 colors, 2 of each: white, yellow, red, green, blue & black. Sheets are 12 x 18".
Cost was $4.39.
I won’t need more for a while now.
Wally world also has some foam with a sparkly side to it.
Works real well for crease flies and other similar flies.
Kirk
I bought 3 packs of 50 sheets each, neon, rainbow and primary colors. Sheets are about 8x10 and 2mm thick. I now have more foam than I could use in 10 lifetimes and the total cost was under 10 bucks. Regular price is $5 a pack, I came across them at 40% off.
Hobby Lobby is my friend!
I buy foam from these craft stores all the time. Plus, there are 40%-50% off sale coupons in our local newspaper (and I think online) all the time. They also sell larger sheets of foam at some places. The only problem is that they don’t sell all the colors that I use for some of my fly patterns.
I have a cutting board, a 24" long brass ruler, and a Fiskar circular fabric cutter (could also be classified as a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands!), and can cut perfect strips of foam in any width in the blink of an eye.
Now, if only my flies caught fish that fast!
John
Donat,
If you can get yourself a can of spray contact cement you can even laminate sheets to make a great banding effect with thise sheets. I usually cut then in quarters and then cut a quarter in half to laminate. If the combination works, you can always make more. If it doesn’t it only took $0.30 to find out.
Craft stores are among the cheapest fly tying shops you will find, but don’t tell them that, they will raise thier prices
Tight lines,
George
PS, please spray the adhesive out of doors, the wife will appreciate it!
Michael’s has foam sheets with adhesive on one side already. Already wife friendly. 
Seems to me I’ve heard the adhesive on store bought sheets doesn’t stand up to water well…true?..false?