A quick spin through the gardening section turned up kneeling cushions in beautiful olive foam. As soon as I get this sliced into the right thickness, gonna tie up some hoppers for the July trip out west. Should be great for next year’s skwalas, too.
Regards,
Scott
How 'bout some pictures? Both of the kneelers and your slicing job?
I do not own these but I like the profile silhouette it cuts out of the foam. I found the photo of the fly today while browsing the internet and thought I would save it as something to work toward.
Soon as my wife brings the camera back.
Do you know if it closed cell or open cell?
Here’s the raw product:
a 4" slab cut in half width-wise (about 3/8" thick)
vertical slice (about 2mm give-or-take); just about the right width for a #8 Dai Riki 280 (think I’ll call the color Skwolive)
Duckster, it’s closed cell but a bit softer than craft foam. If I get some time tonight, I’m going to tie up some of Wally’s GFAs or Charlie Boy Hoppers.
Regards,
Scott
Great! Looking forward to seeing what comes of this!
aw… damn… im a landscaper, did ya have to cut up a Fiskars? lol (just joking, that’s a common brand anyways! on top of that, my knees are like sandpaper, no time for “pads”!! lol)
Using open cell foam presents a particular problem is shaping because it does not cut as easily as closed cell. The foam has a tendency to move, bend, fold or collapse with the blade used for cutting. A very sharp blade is imperative and multiple passes at the cut line may be required to avoid bending and folding. Your kneeler is one easily found option, another is pipe insulation (which usually comes in grey or black) and is available at any hardware store.
My suggestion is that you initially cut larger than the finished product and trim down to size. If you start too small you cannot add back.
Also, many closed cell flies are created with CA (super) glue. This will work on open cell, but not nearly as easily. Try to pick patterns that don’t require glueing.
Hi ScottP,
We don’t have one of the Home Depots very close, but I can find the knee pads on Ebay.
Does the pad have a model number or some other identifier?
Thanks and regards,
Gandolf
Gadolf,
The model # is 9421; I checked their site and it’s there. If you have any problems getting one, please let me know.
Regards,
Scott
It’s available in several colors from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AFiskars%20Kneeling%20Cushion&page=1
There is an “ultralight” model…I wonder if this is the stuff [b]pittendrigh[/b] talks about…2 #
Coach this is supposedly closed cell but you discuss open cell. Were you just expanding the discussion?
Finally put some of that foam to the iron:
It’d pass for a skwala, but it’s a long way from spring now and there’s a river in YNP that had some olive hoppers a couple years ago (and I didn’t); it will be interesting to see if they’re still there. Stuff is “softer” than craft foam, very easy to cut and work with. If it gets chewed up, that’s a good thing; that’s why they sell hooks in packs of 100.
Regards,
Scott
I have bought a lot of the same type material in Dollar Stores in their toy sections, puzzles etc.,
Worked okay for Wally’s GFA:
Going to try some Charlie Boy Hoppers after I grout the bathroom.
Regards,
Scott
Great ties and great photos!
In cutting the width in half…any special tricks or tools to make nice clean flat cuts…or do you just use a knife or razor blade to slice?
Duckster,
Found that an X-acto knife and steel straightedge worked the best. Like I said, this foam was softer than craft foam and cut easily.
Regards,
Scott
Michael’s and Joan usually have them. I have a nice frog green one…I laminated 2mm yellow foamie to the bottom
