Foam cutting for mic-boxes ?

Hi,

With certain mics coming in cardboard boxes
and older mics living in original boxes with the foam falling apart it'd
be nice to be able to make some new foam inserts.

Is it easy ? How to do it ?

I'm thinking for instance of these simple but suited boxes & replacing
the 'SM58-style insert'.





Thanks,

  Peter

You can use an electric knife for straight cuts but to do shape cuts is impossible without a proper band saw and tools. Even the electric knife is appauling to cut with. Best to take it to a Foam specialist and ask them to cut a foam to shape for you. That is the only way to cut foam properly from what I know.

Hi & thanks, I'll check one of those places. I'm curious, it'd be cool if they can do simple cuts for a decent price, just rectangular would be fine by me. I've the feeling this would be either all very low cost or way too expensive, I'll report back.

Thanks,

  Peter

If you are fine with simple shape such as rectangular, that's easy to DIY. Cut the shape you want with a brand new cutter blade or an electric knife in a layer as thick as your desired depht. Than add another layer at the bottom and glue it.

But what do you want the foam for? When new, it keeps a lot of moisture around your precious microphone, and when getting older it falls apart and makes a mess...
There must be some less destructive ways to store the mics!

Axel

mad.ax said:

If you are fine with simple shape such as rectangular, that's easy to DIY. Cut the shape you want with a brand new cutter blade or an electric knife in a layer as thick as your desired depht. Than add another layer at the bottom and glue it.

Click to expand...

That should do the trick, no idea yet how neat I can make it. Easy experiment.

But what do you want the foam for? When new, it keeps a lot of moisture around your precious microphone, and when getting older it falls apart and makes a mess...
There must be some less destructive ways to store the mics!

Axel

Click to expand...

True ! The trigger was the blue mess that's living'n'crumbling in the box of my 441 and I realize replacing is just starting a new path to falling apart, but at least it will do for say 10 years.

But yep, a better alternative ? Some mics come in a harder 'suspension', like the box for the ECM8000. That material looks harder to sculpt though, at least when you want it too look decent.

Velvet lined boxes, for sure   , but as DIY...


I guess this all is a pretty common 'problem', mics happen to come in unpractical shipping-boxes,
so what do you all do ?


Bye,

    Peter

Try gluing a piece of velvet or satin over the foam.  Should keep the foam from getting into your mics.  Plus it will give the box a pro look.

;D

Don't they use a hot wire cutter for this?

Maybe a DIY with steel or nichrome resistance wire.

Or use a soldering gun and fashion a copper wire cutting loop.

I've no idea what temperature would be needed though.



Use more than adequate ventilation!

My "Blue" bottle mic came in what looks like an "old school" wooden pencil case box
with a "slide on top"
Inside is simple two cross sections of wood with central 1/2 moon cut out and small pieces
of glued on material on the top edge.
Another small 1/2 moon of plastic holds the mike down.
Simple to DIY, if you can find the pencil box ( sure I've seen them) and not a scrap of foam
in sight !!!

MM.

I've cut a few boxes myself. 
Start with stiff packing foam.  (The stuff I get is dark grey) 
Then get a really sharp new box cutter / exacto / snap away blade knife, that you can extend the blade through the piece of foam
Use a rapid up-down stroke similar to what a bread knife would do.  It is better to do this manually because you can cut more precise angles and quickly trace out patterns. 
Once you get the feel for it -- very quick and easy. 
Then cover it all up with some cheap but stretchy fabric. 

Looks great.  I also suggest the layering of solid and cut pieces.

BradAvenson said:

I've cut a few boxes myself. 
Start with stiff packing foam.  (The stuff I get is dark grey) 

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.
This sounds like the stuff the ECM-8000 box is using (apart from the fabric),
on its own it'll also sure last longer than foam.

Bye,

  Peter

Tempex is very easy to cut into shape with a simple "Karwei" soldering iron. Glue velvetlike fabric over it, and then you have a very decent looking foam !

Mind the fumes though.

I have not yet arrived at this part of my mic project but intend to make a nice hardwood case with some cool looking hardware.

I think the inside will be velvet or silk lined.

To be honest I don't feel too comfortable gluing the velvet to the foam. Just because I think that over a period of several years the glue would most likely affect both the foam and the lining material.

I am considering using either some compressed rockwool or rigid fiberglass fastened and formed inside burlap, then covered with velvet or silk which will be sewn into place instead of glued. Potentially making a small pocket behind the capsule area for a silica gel pouch to be installed along with instructions on how to "renew" the silica periodically.

Cheers,
j