If you could list the places to by foam in your area, this may help others that live in or around your area to buy foam for future projects.
I buy from... Southeastern foam company, High Point, N.C. 1-800-458-0502 ( ask for Pat)
Billy
Antron fleece available from Georgia Stage, Inc. - 1-800-211-8217 (ask for Kathy)

Bestway Foam Inc, Their website is down .. under construction I think, but here is the phone number: 800-688-9159
email: bestfoam@msn.com
product: F1845 (polyurethain) <-sp?
3/4 inch (what David Pannebecker uses) - $10.74 per sheet
1/2 inch - $7.16 per sheet

sheet size on those two products: 27x83

-Michele

PS: Thats on my list of information to add on my build page:
http://www.puppet-planet.com/buildyourown.html

I have been looking for the thin foam that they make sole inserts for shoes. I was surfing and I discovered I believe is called plastizote foam.
Does anyone know where I can buy this type foam? Does this look like what I'm looking for?
http://images.google.com/images?q=plasterzote
Billy

Billy,

I can't remember if it was here or on another list, but the conclusion was that "plasterzote" was just another name used in Britain and/or Europe for EVA or a similar foam. There are other, related types of foam called "plastizote" and "plastazote." OK... try checking the "puppet virgin" thread by Alexa.

You might want to try searching on "polyethylene foam," "closed cell polyethylene foam," "closed cell foam," or "orthotic foam," or something like that to find out what the product is called in the US. Here's a search with all of the terms in it...

http://www.google.com/search?q=closed+cell+polyethylene+foam+orthotics


It looks like there are lots of different trade names for this kind of foam, including the plast-zotes in Britain. Some varieties are softer, and some firmer - so just knowing the name of the foam might not be enough. There's a type called Minicel foam that you might want to check out too, which could be related. It's another type that I've read about for building stuff...

http://www.foambymail.com/Minicel.html

http://www.usafoam.com/closedcellfoam/minicel.html


You've probably already seen this page on foam from the Puppetry Home page, too...

http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/building/FoamPuppets.html

 

Ron G.

I purchase my foam from the following company if I need large pieces or specialty foam.  For basic poly foam in small amounts I buy at Hobby Lobby or other hobby stores.

Comfort Felt and Foam Inc.
3021 Cherry ST.
Kansas City Mo 64108-3124
816-531-0822

They cut and distribute the foam to all sorts of companies that manufacture items using foam so have just about everything there is including the EVA foam I prefer and the reticulated foam.  Pretty sure that if someone needed a larger amount they could ship.  They work quite a bit with all the theaters in town and are pretty used to use walking in and saying "I am doing such and such ... any idea what foam I might use?".  

Do you buy the reticulated in a roll ? The company I order from told me that they custom cut it from big sheets and the price varies. A 16" x!8" was going to be around $6
Billy

Billy,
Comfort Felt and Foam will give it to me how ever I want.   I have often had them cut something into 4 X 4 squares so it fits better in the car or if it is a thin enough piece I just have them roll it up. I am afraid I am not good at keeping track of the prices. If I need it I buy it.    I don't use the reticulated foam but that sounds like a good price.  Like I said I prefer the EVA or regular polyfoam. 

Thanks Ron  I just recieved my samples of foam from the Foam Factory you sugessted http://www.foambymail.com/index.html

The neoprene is the foam I was looking for that they use in shoe insoles.
The dryfast is just like the reticulated foam used for puppets.
The polyethylene is a semi hard course foam used in flowtation devices and is much like the foam  that is used in building mouthplates.

Thanks for the link, tha solved a lot of my questions. It is something about a sample that makes things all come together.

Billy

Samples... d'oh! That didn't even occur to me. It doesn't really cost them anything to send you a scrap, and little chunks of foam would be cheap to ship.

That really would make a big difference, to be able to hold a piece of the foam in your hand and see if it has the right properties. I was afraid that you might have listed the URL for that place here yourself previously, but I wasn't sure. Since I don't have a lot, (or any), experience building foam puppets I've been googling like crazy lately for more information, and also trying to bookmark all of the sites linked here in my browser's favorites.

I'm glad that you found the link useful, Billy.

 

Ron G.

Fellow Philadelphians:
Joanns has worked well for me but they did discontinue the low density foam (which is cheaper) so they only carry the high density.
Also the only store to carry foam of any kind on Fabric Row is:
ADLER'S FABRICS
742 S. 4th St
Phila, PA   19147
215-925-8984

Sadly they are VERY expensive but they sell foam in various shapes which is kinda nice and if you go to:
http://southstreet.com/fabricrow/ you can print out coupons plus check out locations of the other fabrics stores on the row.

Just as and aside I've been very dispointed to see a few of the foam stores that I've tried to get to in Philly go out of business such as Foam Land  :'(

Hope this helps <3
Roni