# Flexible Foam?



## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Hey Peeps...I was wondering, Grandinroad has a new item this year and I thought...I can make that...but where do you find flexible foam? I thought a whole grouping of these guys would be a cool look.








Up close of his hand


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

That link doesn't seem to be working, P5. It told me the page was no longer available.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Okay Roxy, I just inserted the pictures....kind of cute, huh?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

^

That could easily be done with a plastic pumpkin, wire framework for the limbs, and papier mache or latex corpsing.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I like that prop Pumpkin5! 
Its cool without a face but a mean or demonic face would be cool, too.
Flexible foam for the extremities? I've seen flexible grey, round closed-cell foam insulating material at lowes/home depot thats maybe 1/2" thick but I haven't used it for a prop. If it's the right diameter maybe you can jam a coat hanger or wire through the middle of it. It wouldn't have the vine-like texture though.


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## Georgeb68 (Mar 26, 2013)

I know at pet stores they sell flexible vines.....I work at a pet store part time and I will check.....they use it for reptiles and its about 1/4-1/2 thick and already ready for use!.......what about tubing for fish tanks? You would have to work on it a little but it's flexible and comes in all different sizes!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Thanks guys....on the description on Grandinroad they say that the hands are bendable...and you couldn't do that with paper mache, it would crack. But honestly my first thoughts were, that looks like something Sawtooth Jack would make. I wondered if you could use latex and "skin it" so to speak? It is $49 for the two hands, the feet and the stem....a little pricey I think, but it would be cool to figure out how to make a set or two or five and then use some funkin pumpkins and have a small army of Pumpkin soldiers....


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

That is pricey!
Buy a Mr. Potato Head and use the parts!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Hey P5, I was just puttering around the garage, and looking to find some prop supplies, and I remembered something you could use for the hands. You could easily use a wire, some cheese cloth, and liquid latex, and make those hands and feet yourself. It's really easy, and you can definitely sculpt it to whatever thickness you wanted, and it would remain bendable. Contact me if you have any questions, and l'll gladly help any way I can.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Oh, I forgot to add, you would have to flesh it out a little with some newspaper and masking tape. Then wrap the cheese cloth around the armature, and "paint" on the liquid latex. The cheese cloth gives great texture as well, as long as you don't go crazy with it.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

I'll do you one cheaper:
wire wrapped in house-paint-soaked paper towels. It'll stay surprisingly flexible. Twist 2+ pieces of wire together for the main body of the limbs so you can have two prongs to poke into the pumpkin. Rebar tie wire is good stuff for this kind of thing. I'd say 3 twisted together for the limbs, and then you can go down to one for the digits.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Mr_Chicken said:


> I'll do you one cheaper:
> wire wrapped in house-paint-soaked paper towels. It'll stay surprisingly flexible. Twist 2+ pieces of wire together for the main body of the limbs so you can have two prongs to poke into the pumpkin. Rebar tie wire is good stuff for this kind of thing. I'd say 3 twisted together for the limbs, and then you can go down to one for the digits.


Nice MC!! I would never have thought of that, I think I'll run to the neighborhood paint store and see if they have any returns! Thanks for the great idea!!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Thanks HowlingMadJack and Mr. C... Mr. Chicken, could I use like cheap hankies or old scrap sheets cut in small pieces? Would that work?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Really?!
I thought my Mr. Potato Head parts idea was pretty good.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I've seen these for sale before and love them. I always thought they'd be pretty easy to make. Even "mistakes" look good when you're twisting up gnarly vines. Shouldn't be a problem for you P5, queen of the nurnies!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Wire, cotton and latex come to mind for the limbs. You could also carve foam, insert wires and just add cuts where you want the bendable sections to be. Cool looking prop, can't wait to see what you come up with.

There is a tutorial in the how-to section detailing hands with possible joints.

You know, wire covered in hot glue might be an experiment worth trying!?


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

Lunatic said:


> Really?!
> I thought my Mr. Potato Head parts idea was pretty good.


:jol: I think that would be cute...but maybe too small...I may have to buy one set just to see how they look in person...maybe Grandinroad will have a coupon soon.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> I've seen these for sale before and love them. I always thought they'd be pretty easy to make. Even "mistakes" look good when you're twisting up gnarly vines. Shouldn't be a problem for you P5, queen of the nurnies!


:jol: Awwww....you called me Queen of the Nurnies.....


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

Sawtooth Jack said:


> Wire, cotton and latex come to mind for the limbs. You could also carve foam, insert wires and just add cuts where you want the bendable sections to be. Cool looking prop, can't wait to see what you come up with.
> 
> There is a tutorial in the how-to section detailing hands with possible joints.
> 
> You know, wire covered in hot glue might be an experiment worth trying!?


:jol: Thanks Sawtooth, I will give it a go. I did mention the little creature reminds me of something you would create!


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## azscoob (Oct 6, 2010)

Couldn't you carve your limbs from pool noodles or some similar flexy foam cored with drop ceiling wire (or your bendy wire of choice) then give it a quick unfurled cotton ball/cheapie spiderweb stuff/cheesecloth coating... brushed with latex to seal yet maintain the bendy nature you are looking for?


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

azscoob said:


> Couldn't you carve your limbs from pool noodles or some similar flexy foam cored with drop ceiling wire (or your bendy wire of choice) then give it a quick unfurled cotton ball/cheapie spiderweb stuff/cheesecloth coating... brushed with latex to seal yet maintain the bendy nature you are looking for?


:jol: Good ideas Az....I am definitely going to try the latex/cheesecloth or some variation of that. I am going to try for a couple this weekend...I will post what I come up with. I really like the cheapo spiderweb/latex look, the way EverydayisHalloween corpsed his pumpkin. Very cool texture there. Thanks for the ideas.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Another thought would be to sandwich wire inbetween sheets of that thin craft foam. You could pad the shapes with newspaper or whatever and just hot-glue the pieces together for a pliable appendage. You could pretty much accomplish what it in your photos in no time at this way.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Okay now, missy, now that you've gotten all these good suggestions, make sure you follow through and have some photos ready for us by Monday. You don't want to disappoint your fans:jol:


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

RoxyBlue said:


> Okay now, missy, now that you've gotten all these good suggestions, make sure you follow through and have some photos ready for us by Monday. You don't want to disappoint your fans:jol:


:jol: Oh Roxy, you know that I was really "fishing" for one of these talented gentlemen to say....Oh shoot P5, I'll make one for you. (dang it...what ever happened to chivalry?) Okay, okay...I'll try to make one for myself....


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

You could use these bendable/poseable foam Toobers. The larger ones for the arms and legs, and the smaller ones for the fingers and toes. You should be able to latex right over the foam with cheese cloth etc. for texture. The foam is similar to pool noodles. I bought some of these at the swap meet, but never got around to doing anything with them. They hold their shape, and bend in any position. Just a thought 

https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/little_kids/toobers_zots_zany_kit.cfm

http://www.toytownfun.com/buy/9699/toobers-zots-bend-pretend-girl-foamstrction-set


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

bobzilla said:


> You could use these bendable/poseable foam Toobers. The larger ones for the arms and legs, and the smaller ones for the fingers and toes. You should be able to latex right over the foam with cheese cloth etc. for texture. The foam is similar to pool noodles. I bought some of these at the swap meet, but never got around to doing anything with them. They hold their shape, and bend in any position. Just a thought
> :jol:Thanks Bob! I am so one one .......it looks promising....You are a prince!:D


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol: I think that would be cute...but maybe too small...I may have to buy one set just to see how they look in person...maybe Grandinroad will have a coupon soon.


Just joking my dear. That poor funkin would look ridiculous with such small extremities!


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

Smoothon sells flexible foam.

http://www.reynoldsam.com/Rigid-and-Flexible/c10_1121/index.html

I have worked with flexible foams before and it is not pretty. Go with other options if you can.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

GOT said:


> Smoothon sells flexible foam.
> 
> http://www.reynoldsam.com/Rigid-and-Flexible/c10_1121/index.html
> 
> I have worked with flexible foams before and it is not pretty. Go with other options if you can.


:undecidekin:....help....me........


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## discozombie (Jun 21, 2012)

I like the look of the prop, after this year I plan to go a little more whimsical with my haunt so Im going to follow this one for sure.


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

One thing I learned about flexible foam is that is is very difficult to get out of a mold (because both flex). Use a lot of release wax. If you want it for just a small area, what about using foam clay?


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

Have you seen that CVS is carrying these?










(Thanks for the heads-up Jdubbya!)


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Stari[email protected] said:


> Have you seen that CVS is carrying these?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No problem. The pair was 10 bucks minus the 25% coupon and they are really neat!
CVS only had the arms and not the legs or stem pieces but I'll order those from Halloween Asylum. I read through the thread and saw all the good suggestions for making them yourself but IMO, ten bones for a pair is money well spent for something already made up and detailed. I'm going to pick up a few more sets. These will look awesome in our with forest scene.:jol:


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:My CVS doesn't have these....does anyone have an item number??? I am going to call around to various CVS's and find them....


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I plan to check the stores in my area tomorrow. Jdubb probably has all the details since he beat us to them.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol:My CVS doesn't have these....does anyone have an item number??? I am going to call around to various CVS's and find them....


Of the 4 CVS stores I went to, only one had these out. I'll get the item number tomorrow for you if you can't find them. Thinking all of the CVS will carry them. I picked up a second pair today and may go back tomorrow for another using the coupon.


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