Using styrofoam to hold gouges

[Harris from Kalama]

Is there any problem in using a block of styrofoam to stick gouges in and using the foam as a tool holder?

Harris

[Mitchell]

It would be for me.............





the sound of anything rubbing on styrofoam is like fingernails on a chalkboard.

To answer your question - no, I don't think it would affect your tools in any negative manner.

[mbus1]

Sounds reasonable to me too! I think the blue construction type stuff is stiffer and may hold better.

Merryl

[Mark N. Akers]

Harris:
I have a box I tend to teach from,as its so hard to carry around my normal tool box,here's what I use its very good for tools.Minicell Foam its what they repair Kayak's with.

[bbeery]

I buy those cheap foam cylinders (3" x 4' +/-) they sell in the Dollar stores for kids swimming pool flotation devices. Just cut to your specifications.

[morganwoodcarver]

This is what i use to carry my gouges around in, I took a heavy cardboard tube and drilled holes in it for all my palm tools, then i taped up one end and filled it full of Great Stuff expanding foam and it made a solid chunk inside the tube, the tools fit nicely in the foam and they are protected.

[DManning]

The only "down-side" I wonder about is keeping out moisture. I made some blade covers using the compound that dentists use for making molds. It worked o.k. when the humidity was down, but, being a plastic, it retained water when the humidity was high. If styrafoam holds water like that you'd better plan on oiling edges more often.

[rbloch66]

I glued a few pieces of styrofoam together with wood glue, and didn't let the glue dry completely. I stuck my palm tools in. In a matter of less than a day my tools showed some pretty heavy duty signs of rusting.

Needless to say I spent the next couple of hours using fine grit wet/dry paper to bring the shine back up, and also had to give them a honing.

A hard lesson never to be forgotten.

[TreeWizard]

I like to use wine corks. For various reasons.

[santacarver]

I have been using a big block of styrofoam for years to hold all my carving knives and I've never had a problem. I would recommend it.