Not sure if this would work or not. LOL.
For straight pins, I use the magnetic holders.  If it gets knocked off, they stay on the holder.

Try buying magnetic photo sheet (the kind you can print on)to put under your  pin container that way if they spill the magnetic sheet will catch them. Maybe not all but it will help with the mess. you can get them at hobby lobby or Walmart.

Does anyone have any special tricks on cutting foam? I haven't been able to find 1/2" foam in my area. Although 1" is readilly available. So I cut out my pattern and patiently split the foam to 1/2" thickness. Isn't there some kind of special tool for this. Besides a razor Blade?

I think razor blades are pretty standard.  Cheap and easy to get at any hardware store.  I suppose a medical scalpel would work too, but they aren't as easy to come by and are probably a little pricey at a medical supply shop.

For foam, I find that every craft and hobby store doesn't have 1/2 inch foam.  However, if you have a foam supplier nearby, they will have anything you need.  I have two near my place and I can get anything I need cheaper than at the hobby shop. 

I've never been able to find an easy household way to cut foam in half like you are wanting to do. An electric carving knife and make it a bit easier but it is still tricky.  In the big foam shops they use a huge band saw on a huge flat table. They can adjust the height of the blade and then run the foam past it.

On occasions I use my electric knife the ones used to carve turkeys.

I use a nicely sharp pocket knife. One I was given for a tenth birthday or something. The secret is keeping it REALLY sharp. Craft knives get surprisingly blunt surprisingly quickly, so an oilstone keeps the blade nice and sharp (watch that you do not cut yourself)

Has anyone tried the Hotwire foam cutter? I wonder if it would be worth the investment

I've never use a hotwire on polyfoam before but there is a discussion where the actual creator of it joined in on the thread and I belive they said that it could be used on polyfoam. I tried to find it to confirm again but couldn't find it.  If so then yes it would be very handy for this since it would give you a longer cutting edge. Also just like the bandsaw set up I mentioned that the factory uses you could set your hot wire up across a table at a certain height and cut a sheet in half.  I have actually done that with a sheet of styrofoam and and hotwire.

There is a good looking tutorial on youtube of what  looks like a Brazilian using a hot wire, Not sure where I saw it though .It was partucularly slick circular plugs cutting , and very precise on cutting things like hands. And I think there is a thread on here somewhere with design specifications for making one. My only  doubt about it all is the toxicity of the fumes. I know polystyrene fumes are quite bad, and I confirm that they make me feel quite sick after a cutting session, even ventilated, so I am hesitant to cut foam with a hot wire.

You are right that the fumes are going to be really toxic. That is one drawback of hot wires. I thought of that after I posted and was going to come back and mention it. Glad you beat me too it.  

So did you all hear that?  Fumes BAD!

Thanks Shawn & Pagestep007 I saw them on line and thought it might be a tool worth looking into. But maybe not. I'll stick to the old way.

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/home.php

Here is the sight that sells them. Also has several types of glue & supplies.

That sounds so tedious. Have you asked your fabric or craft store if it would be possible to special order the thickness you want? Maybe they would carry it if they knew there was a market for it.

That sounds so tedious. Have you asked your fabric or craft store if it would be possible to special order the thickness you want? Maybe they would carry it if they knew there was a market for it.

Sadly my local graft store is Walmart, I am just going to have to order on line I found several suppliers on line and the price isn't too bad.

I can't order too much at a time, so I order it from Hancockfabrics.com when they have it on sale combined with free shipping.  Just bought some the other day! I bought 4 sheets of 1/2" x 24" x 72 " for about $38 including tax.