# Funkin carving tools



## Fester (Sep 17, 2006)

I have been doing Pumpkin Master desings for about 10 years now on real pumpkins and have always wanted to take the dive into foam pumpkins. I picked up a few of both the Micheals and Funkins to see which I like better. I like the variety of the Funkins ( love the Freak) but they looks harder to work with and sounds like they chip easier. I had done some looking at Zombie Pumpkins, had some good tips. 

My main question is will the Versatool type tools work on the Funkins? It sounds like the hot knife works very well on the thinner Michaels pumpkins, but no report on if it works on the Funkins. :jol:


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## Fester (Sep 17, 2006)

I was in JoAnns today and went ahead and picked up a hot knife. It was 19.99, but a %40 off coupon helped. I went ahead and did a Micheals pumpkin and it cuts like butter. Even curves are pretty easy if I turn the pumpkin and not the knife. I made a couple of test cuts on the Funkin as well as some FCPO bones and Big Lots foam skulls and again, it cruise through. I am curious if the knife has enough power to handle the cuts on the Funkin without too much heat up time in between cuts.


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## Severin (Aug 5, 2007)

I wished I saw this thread sooner. I never thought to use a hot knife. I used my pumpkin master tools on both Michaels and Funkins. I definitely preferred the Funkins. The foam is more rigid while Michaels are spongier. This made the tools dull and left a ragged edge. It was also much harder to cut.

The first pic is Funkin, the second a Michaels pumpkin. They both came out fine.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb269/_Severin_/pump1.jpg

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb269/_Severin_/pump2.jpg

Also, on the Michael's pumpkins, there is a thick foam lump going horizontal around the middle of the pumpkin. I guess this is where it was joined. The Funkins don't seem to have this. I just wish they were cheaper.


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## aznraverkid (Oct 10, 2007)

You can CUT into these things? omg! I didn't know that until now! I was at Michaels a few days ago and I saw these pumpkins and thought, okay, they're just light weight pumpkins, very boring... I hadn't thought you could actually cut into them!!! I'm going to have to go there tomorrow to grab some!


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## Fester (Sep 17, 2006)

Between the two I much prefer the Funkins. I did 1 Micheals and 2 Funkins yesterday. After a little practice I was able to carve the last pumpkin in less than 15 minutes, about 30 including attaching the stencil and pattern transfer. I tried to use a saw, but after only getting as far as cutting the bottom hole out of the Michaels pumpkin I went and got the hot knife. 

I read on Zombie Pumpkins that some folks are using an electric drill with a wire brush to remove the horizontal band in the Michaels, but I think I am just going to put some tracing paper behind the design to cover the inside.

One thing I found was that the paint on the Funkins (looks to be latex) will peel back from the edge of the cut if the knife gets too hot. That and tight radius turns are a challenge.


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