Pelican case foam layouts and botched jobs

[Mr. Z]

So I spent the money on the 1750. Long story short a pocket knife isn't the best way to make precision cuts. It works fine its just ugly. Anyone else care to show their handywork?

 

[Rob01]

Yeah one of those long razor knives that you can break off sections works much better. Yours looks fine though as it appears to be tight enough around rifle which is what you want so no movement. It's about protection and not how it looks.

 

[...]

electric turkey carver......makes cutting foam childs play

 

[Mr. Z]

electric turkey carver......makes cutting foam childs play

Damn, electric filet knife in the garage. Next time.

 

[NukeMMC]

Mine is none too pretty but it is functional.

 

[PD DUMPER]

Seconds on the electric knife.

 

[Starbuck]

Electric knives make functional but ghetto-looking cuts. If you want professional CNC cuts, this is the gold standard: https://www.mycasebuilder.com

 

[phxfa]

I like Starbucks,,,,but if you have to cut at home, freeze the foam first if you have a freezer big enough before you get the knife out

 

[Strykervet]

You use a hot wire to cut foam. It works best and you can cut any shape or curve with ease. I know art stores sell them, not sure how much, but a makeshift one can be made from an old toaster if you know what you are doing (it's just passing current through nichrome wire, which creates tons of resistance and thus a glowing hot wire). This is how they do it at the factory, usually.

It'd be nice if we could come up with a "club" or whatever where we all pay a small due and those dues are used to purchase tools that we can borrow. A safety deposit paid down when joining the club would prevent theft. Then we'd all have access to oddball tools nobody really wants to buy to use once. Not just a foam cutter, but sight adj. tools, various barrel wrenches and special tools, etc.

 

[MarkLeupold]

You use a hot wire to cut foam. It works best and you can cut any shape or curve with ease. I know art stores sell them, not sure how much, but a makeshift one can be made from an old toaster if you know what you are doing (it's just passing current through nichrome wire, which creates tons of resistance and thus a glowing hot wire). This is how they do it at the factory, usually.

It'd be nice if we could come up with a "club" or whatever where we all pay a small due and those dues are used to purchase tools that we can borrow. A safety deposit paid down when joining the club would prevent theft. Then we'd all have access to oddball tools nobody really wants to buy to use once. Not just a foam cutter, but sight adj. tools, various barrel wrenches and special tools, etc.

Thought about ideas like this, not just with gunsmithing and small tools, but like shops spaces you could rent for a couple hours to do whatever, like work on your car. Or have a woodshop setup where you could have access to the specialty tools without dropping all the cash on them. For people who like to do whatever with their own hands, I think it would catch on!

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[GreenBlood10]

I have used a turkey carver on my last two pelican cases. Turned out pretty well. A guy I shoot with has a pelican case that looks like it was cut out using a crayon. I'm a function over form kind of guy. As long as the rifle is secure then it works for me.

 

[Screach]

Serrated steak knife worked very well for me.

 

[Mr. Z]

Function over form obviously but I was really hoping to see some of the fantastic uses of space and irreparable screw ups, just for amusement.

 

[mercracing]

I did mine with a friends hot wire.

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[DP425]

Thought about ideas like this, not just with gunsmithing and small tools, but like shops spaces you could rent for a couple hours to do whatever, like work on your car. Or have a woodshop setup where you could have access to the specialty tools without dropping all the cash on them. For people who like to do whatever with their own hands, I think it would catch on!

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For what it's worth, in terms of DIY auto shops, the idea doesn't seem to ever have any success.

 

[Rob01]

I did mine with a friends hot wire.

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Spin it around so it's scope up and it will be all set.

 

[MarkLeupold]

For what it's worth, in terms of DIY auto shops, the idea doesn't seem to ever have any success.

I guess too many people just want to pay someone else and not have to worry about all the fuss. They just want it done.

 

[mercracing]

Spin it around so it's scope up and it will be all set.

Thanks for the heads up. Someone mentioned that in the earlier pelican cutout thread(it might have been you) and I switched it then. I just haven't taken a new picture.

 

[KillShot]

Yeah one of those long razor knives that you can break off sections works much better.

This right here. Trace your layout with chalk or a dry erase marker and then slowly and carefully cut inside the lines. The end result will look like something that was professionally done.