Cutting EVA Foam - Beginner Costumes and Cosplay
If you watch my YouTube tutorial videos or buy my Etsy patterns, you have seen that I work most often with EVA foam. I like EVA foam because it is low-cost and versatile. If this is your first foray into EVA foam cosplay, you may be wondering: how do I cut EVA foam?
Before You Get Started
EVA foam is sold in rolls or sheets, and comes in a variety of thicknesses. Make sure that you buy a thickness that is appropriate for your pattern. Before you cut anything, make sure that you have accurately drawn and labeled, or maybe even over-labeled, each piece of your pattern (after it is cut, it is hard to know what goes where). Here are some items you might need:
Your foam (obviously)
Scissors
An 18" metal ruler for straight edges
A razor blade or utility knife
A bandsaw or scroll saw
A sander, such as a belt sander or a rotary tool with a fine-grit sanding barrel
A dust-mask (for when sanding)
Your foam (obviously)
Scissors
An 18" metal ruler for straight edges
A razor blade or utility knife
A bandsaw or scroll saw
A sander, such as a belt sander or a rotary tool with a fine-grit sanding barrel
A dust-mask (for when sanding)
Deciding Which Tool to Use
Scissors
If your EVA foam is 4mm thickness or less, it can be cut with scissors. Scissors are a good choice if you are cutting curves or doing detail-work because they are easy to maneuver. You will have consciously hold your scissors straight up-and-down in order to get a straight cut; if you don't, you will accidentally bevel the edges.
Razor Blade or Utility Knife
Another option is a razor blade or utility knife. A tool like this will work well with any EVA foam 2mm+, and create cleaner, sharper edges. Again, hold your knife exactly perpendicular to the foam, unless you intentionally want to bevel the side. One major issue with using a utility knife is that it will quickly get dull. If the blade is too dull, the foam will pull or snag the foam and create jagged, messy cuts. If this begins to happen for you, you can replace or sharpen the blade, or you can use a break-away blade like this one.
Band Saw or Scroll Saw
If you have access to a band saw or a scroll saw, these can also be used to cut EVA foam. They are pricier, but yield precise results. If you are working a project that has two or more layers of foam glued together, a bandsaw will be the best method. You will also want a saw for symmetrical pieces, so you can cut two layers at once. This method will work great for projects like body armor, because you know that symmetrical pieces will be identical.
Be sure to use fine toothed blades, larger blades, like those for cutting wood, will not give you a clean cut. A scroll saw can be advantageous because the blade is really thin and will lend itself to more detailed cutting, like scalloped edges. My tool of choice is a bandsaw with a tilting table. I cut all my professional cosplays this way. The tilting table allows me to do bevels easily, and I know that every cut will be clean. No matter which saw you use, remember that the size of your pieces will be limited to the size of the table for the saw.
If your EVA foam is 4mm thickness or less, it can be cut with scissors. Scissors are a good choice if you are cutting curves or doing detail-work because they are easy to maneuver. You will have consciously hold your scissors straight up-and-down in order to get a straight cut; if you don't, you will accidentally bevel the edges.
Razor Blade or Utility Knife
Another option is a razor blade or utility knife. A tool like this will work well with any EVA foam 2mm+, and create cleaner, sharper edges. Again, hold your knife exactly perpendicular to the foam, unless you intentionally want to bevel the side. One major issue with using a utility knife is that it will quickly get dull. If the blade is too dull, the foam will pull or snag the foam and create jagged, messy cuts. If this begins to happen for you, you can replace or sharpen the blade, or you can use a break-away blade like this one.
Band Saw or Scroll Saw
If you have access to a band saw or a scroll saw, these can also be used to cut EVA foam. They are pricier, but yield precise results. If you are working a project that has two or more layers of foam glued together, a bandsaw will be the best method. You will also want a saw for symmetrical pieces, so you can cut two layers at once. This method will work great for projects like body armor, because you know that symmetrical pieces will be identical.
Be sure to use fine toothed blades, larger blades, like those for cutting wood, will not give you a clean cut. A scroll saw can be advantageous because the blade is really thin and will lend itself to more detailed cutting, like scalloped edges. My tool of choice is a bandsaw with a tilting table. I cut all my professional cosplays this way. The tilting table allows me to do bevels easily, and I know that every cut will be clean. No matter which saw you use, remember that the size of your pieces will be limited to the size of the table for the saw.
After Cutting EVA Foam
No matter whether you have cut with a pair of scissors, a utility knife, or a table saw, you may need to sand the edges for that "perfect cut." Remember, ALWAYS protect yourself by wearing a dust-mask as you sand your foam. My recommendation for sanding most projects is a fine-grit sanding barrel on a rotary tool. A rotary tool can take out the cut marks from scissors or blades.
For big projects or really thick foam, I use a belt sander. Sometimes, you get to a point where the small sanding barrel on a rotary tool is not going to be enough--it's going to leave wavy lines on the sides of the project. At this point, a belt sander will get the job done.
For big projects or really thick foam, I use a belt sander. Sometimes, you get to a point where the small sanding barrel on a rotary tool is not going to be enough--it's going to leave wavy lines on the sides of the project. At this point, a belt sander will get the job done.
Finishing Up
For more help with projects using EVA, make sure to check out my EVA Foam Tips n' Tricks page. If you're ready to start a project with an affordable, hand-designed EVA cosplay template, make sure to check out my products.