Cutting a monitor bezel out of foam core board

[Donkbaca]

Is hard.

That is all

[javeryh]

It is hard.  You are using the wrong material.  You should use black matteboard (with a black center).  It's way cheaper and way easier to cut than foam board - they make excellent bezels.

[Donkbaca]

Thanks for the tip.  I am reasonably pleased with how it looks.  Its not perfect, but I am tinting my glass, so I will see what its like. Thanks for the tip!

[javeryh]

Tinted glass should hide it pretty good.  I used to work with foam core all the time - I hate that stuff.  You need your razor to be super sharp and even then it is hard to get a perfect cut.

[DataWest]

It is hard.  You are using the wrong material.  You should use black matteboard (with a black center).  It's way cheaper and way easier to cut than foam board - they make excellent bezels.

Hey where do you buy that stuff?

[javeryh]

It is hard.  You are using the wrong material.  You should use black matteboard (with a black center).  It's way cheaper and way easier to cut than foam board - they make excellent bezels.

Hey where do you buy that stuff?

A.C. Moore or Michael's should carry it - anywhere you can get something framed.  Just make sure you get solid black.  Some matte board has a black exterior but a white interior.  I found a local art store that sold the stuff in 1/4 sheets for like $2 or $3 - too bad they went out of business...

[DataWest]

It is hard.  You are using the wrong material.  You should use black matteboard (with a black center).  It's way cheaper and way easier to cut than foam board - they make excellent bezels.

Hey where do you buy that stuff?

A.C. Moore or Michael's should carry it - anywhere you can get something framed.  Just make sure you get solid black.  Some matte board has a black exterior but a white interior.  I found a local art store that sold the stuff in 1/4 sheets for like $2 or $3 - too bad they went out of business...

Thanks for the info 

[Donkbaca]

Yup, I got a huge sheet of it for like 10 bucks.  Matte board is cheaper.

[DNA Dan]

Hey what's the issue with the foam core when you cut it?

[Donkbaca]

its a PITA.  You need a really, really sharp blade, otherwise it doesn't cut cleanly.  I am talking about like swapping razors every 6 or 7 cuts sharp.

[DNA Dan]

Can you "smooth" it over with a hot blade? Then once this hardens take some 1200 grit to it to polish it? I guess I am unfamiliar with how dense this foam is. Have a photo?

[Donkbaca]

probably not, its just styrofoam sandwiched between 2 sheets of construction paper, or something like that.

[javeryh]

Heat of any sort would be a very bad idea when it comes to foam board. You would just destroy it.

[DataWest]

How thick is matteboard?

[Donkbaca]

real thin, its like a few cm. 

[Tumerboy]

he means mm

[DataWest]

Thanks 

[Donkbaca]

 

[DNA Dan]

I think it comes in a few difference thicknesses no? I have seen some art where they layer matte boards as well. Might be interesting to do a satin over flat black play with sheen. You'd have a subtle pinstripe around the monitor.