Replacement Foam Dividers

[CD55]

I've got an old hard case where the foam divider is falling apart little piece by little piece. Every time I pull some equipment out of the case small pieces of the surrounding foam just break off. I have to literally blow off these little pieces off the equipment before I use it and that's getting old real quick. Plus there are pieces left inside the case. I'm afraid one of these days those little pieces will get somewhere they shouldn't be.

Anybody know of a dealer that sells these foam dividers? There is a small piece of wood in the middle for sturdiness and the surrounding foam. The divider then can slide into slots along the side of the case or other dividers. I saw B&H has some but they're all out. I can't find the name of the case maker so I have no idea who it is. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Sirius Glass]

If someone knows the types of foams that are save for cameras and film, that would be great. It cannot be one that generates static electricity by friction.

Steve

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Check your Yellow Pages for 'foam' or ask a local upholstery for a dealer for gray polyurethane or polypropylene foam (I prefer the former for the reasons Sirius Glass mentioned). You can buy these foams in sheets and cut them to size with a utility knife. The result is a custom-fit far better than the dividers.

 

[CD55]

I did think about the custom foam but wasn't sure where to get it. There is a foam dealer nearby so I'll give them a call later. It also probably will be the cheaper route.

 

[mgb74]

Think of those little pieces of foam you blow off as sand. Run, don't walk, to get the foam Ralph describes. A working rule of thumb is that gray foam is better than green (generally upholstery) and don't use white at all. This is not 100% accurate, but reasonably so.

A good foam dealer will have foam for shipping electronics. That's what I prefer for it's shock resistance, anti static properties, and resistance to breaking down.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

... A working rule of thumb is that gray foam is better than green (generally upholstery) and don't use white at all. This is not 100% accurate, but reasonably so.

A good foam dealer will have foam for shipping electronics. That's what I prefer for it's shock resistance, anti static properties, and resistance to breaking down.

You are right about the color. One way of coloring plastics is to add small amounts of carbon to the resin. This will turn it all shades of gray and protect it from UV radiation, which will decompose the polymer if given a chance.