How to customize foam inserts

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Accuform Foam
All Seahorse cases can be purchased with a foam set. The lid has egg crate foam the bottom has a shock absorbing Accuform Foam. The Accuform Foam is a block of vertically pre-scored high-density foam that can be easily "plucked" to provide a snug fit, for individual equipment and accessories. This will protect your stored equipment from the abuse of even your roughest adventure.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CUSTOMIZING THE FOAM INSERTÂ
For best results, please read the following text in its entirety before altering the foam. Although not necessary or required, here are some tools and items you may want to have available when setting up your case:
White chalk or Magic Marker®
Sharp long scissors
Hobby knife (Exacto® knife, scalpel)

LAYOUT

  1. Determine the dimensions of the object you wish to set into the foam. The dimensions that should be considered are size, shape and weight.
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  2. Place the object on top of the foam to get an idea of how you are going to lay it out. Often times you may want to set several items in your case, so this is a good first step to determine where everything will be located. Try different configurations for best fit and protection.
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  3. Place larger and heavier objects towards the hinges and the smaller lightweight objects closer to the latches. Notice how much the object is depressing the foam under its own weight and keep this in mind to allow enough foam thickness between objects and case walls. The heavier or more sensitive the object is, the more foam you will want surrounding it for protection.
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  4. Keep your case well balanced by placing heavy objects towards the center and surround it with lighter items. Remember that your case will be turned in all directions when traveling and especially while being handled by others.

MARKING TRACING METHOD
You can now mark your foam by tracing your objects with white chalk or thick black Magic Marker® Remember that the foam will "give" considerably, so smaller tipped markers are better.

CUTTING METHOD FOR OBJECTS WITH HARD CORNERS
Another approach is to gently press your object into the foam at its chosen location to reveal the pre-scored lines (then run either a blade or even your finger along side your object, tracing it to separate the score breaks a short distance down). The foam will separate easily during this step. This method works best with square or rectangular shaped objects.

CHALK METHOD FOR ROUNDED OR UNEVEN SHAPES
We recommend using the chalk method for round, curved or unevenly shaped objects. Chalk marks can later be removed with a damp cloth or the foam may be flipped over when removing foam all the way through.

PLUCKING AND CUTTING
Remove all your objects from the foam surface and determine how you want to make the vertical holes for your objects.

SQUARE/HARD EDGED OBJECTS
The easiest method when working with square or rectangular objects is to simply break the score line all the way through the foam and remove the block you have just created. You can now use scissors to cut this block for placing into your foam hole as an insert to add further protection on the bottom side of your object. Determine the thickness of your objects in relation to the foam and case depth before cutting this small block. This method will yield a very clean-cut hole. You can also just find the depth at which to remove the foam and simply pluck the foam out with your fingers. Although effective, this method does not leave a very flat or even surface.

THICK OBJECTS
If your object is very thick you may not need to worry about plucking or cutting.

SOFT CORNERS OR UNEVENLY SHAPED OBJECTS
Adapt the above method for shaping the foam to round, curved or unevenly shaped objects. The foam is pre-scored, so better results can be achieved by using a hobby knife with a long thin blade. A surgical scalpel facilitates this process by cleanly slicing the foam, creating nice square edges for your cutouts. In other words, the sharper your cutting instrument, the cleaner your results.

THIN OBJECTS
Thin objects can easily be fitted into the foam by separating the score marks to the length of an object and forming a slot. The object can then be pushed into this slot without removing any of the foam.

We hope you found this helpful in getting your case set up to protect your valuable equipment. If you find other alternatives when working with the foam or applications for our cases, we would appreciate your comments. Contact us at: sales@seahorse.net