Is there such thing as a foam 'chipper'

[Grebo]

I hate throwing anything away, but there comes a time when I have just tooo much scrap foam bits lying about, now if I could 'chip' them up & keep them in a big sack somewhere, I might actually find a use for them, may be.  ::)
Oh course I am talking  cheapo style, not some whizzy industrial gadget.  ;D

[Darren Henry]

Have you checked with your suppliers to see if they take it in and forward it for chipping once they have enough to make it worthwhile?

I had one supplier here tht was talking about doing it but the distance and shipping were too much.

[Grebo]

No, I hadn't thought of that.  :-X
Probably the same problem with that, but I can ask.

[scottymc]

We had a foam crumbing machine at trade school, probably a bit expensive for a small shop. I give the foam scraps to my dog, she loves ripping them to bits.

[sofadoc]

Back in the 80's, there was a lot of furniture with shredded foam in the pillows and back cushions. Nowadays, not so much. I used to drool at the catalog picture of one of those Dunlop foam shredders. But now, I don't think I would use it much if I had one.
I use my U-cut saw to slice scraps, then I use them to pad top arms on office chairs, or bands on sofa/chair fronts.

[bobbin]

I have gotten pretty good at cutting and glueing foam for cushions in such a way as to minimize the amount of waste.  But even so, I am bothered by the amount of foam that winds up in landfills.  It's already an expensive "ingredient" in our trade and it really seems a shame that there is no way to recycle the "waste" into something that could be reused. 

It's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks about this sort of thing!

[gene]

I may have mentioned this before:

I have a customer who works with autistic children. They have 'pits' in the classroom that is kind of like a big tub filled with pieces of foam. The kids quiet down and feel safe when they are sitting in the foam pieces.

I gave her a bunch of my foam scraps. That was the neatest thing I've been able to do with scraps of anything.

She asked me how much I wanted for all the foam scraps. I said, "About a hundred dollars." She thought my answer was "cute". She knew the movie to which I was making a reference.

It was my pleasure to give them to her for free.

Gene

[Peppy]

I may have mentioned this before:

I have a customer who works with autistic children. They have 'pits' in the classroom that is kind of like a big tub filled with pieces of foam. The kids quiet down and feel safe when they are sitting in the foam pieces.

I gave her a bunch of my foam scraps. That was the neatest thing I've been able to do with scraps of anything.

She asked me how much I wanted for all the foam scraps. I said, "About a hundred dollars." She thought my answer was "cute". She knew the movie to which I was making a reference.

It was my pleasure to give them to her for free.

Gene

Do they need anymore?

Our foam supplier will take clean (no glue, dirt) scraps out of the goodness of their hearts. If we deliver it. Then they'll happily sell us the chip foam.

I try to leave straight/square offcuts to make it easier to glue back into sheets (franken foam I call it) But often I get claustrophobic and NEED SPACE!!!! And if I don't have time to frankenstein it together it gets the heave-ho. I would love to see it go somewhere that isn't the dump.

[206RB]

Way to go, Gene.

[ncydmn]

"About a hundred dollars." She thought my answer was "cute". She knew the movie to which I was making a reference.

"400 Oak Street, These are definitely not my underwear!"   lol  ;D

I liked it too.  I use the 100 dollar reference all the time.  Some people just don't get it.  Thanks for the laugh Gene. 

I get to looking at all the scrapes and think of "Hoarders Buried Alive" and then the junk has to go!  Obsessive compulsive and anal retentive.  I just can't stand the mess.

[fragged8]

great minds think alike

fools think no different.

heheh i've wondered about about chopping up foam before for stuffing
pillows etc.
Interesting thread.

Rich

[Darren Henry]

I've always wanted to try one of those chipper/ shredders  for tree limbs,leaves,etc...The only one I could have gotten access to was in a "camp" out on the lake and I didn't want to by making a huge mess on their island though.

[sofadoc]

I've always wanted to try one of those chipper/ shredders  for tree limbs,leaves,

Tried it. The cheapo chipper clogs up easily. And if you're going to buy a high dollar chipper, you might as well get the Dunlop shredder.
I get much better use out of my scraps by slicing them for small padded areas. And the square chunks I use to glue on "T" cushions. I really have very little leftovers.
The MAIN problem in dealing with scraps is: Ya gotta have a dedicated area to store them. I have a 100 sq.ft. nook in my shop where I throw them.
It's walled on 3 sides, and a 2 ft. wall on the open end. It's pretty much hidden from view.

[penguin]

I cut up what gets to be too small & make dog beds for my friends-I charge them for the materials & throw in the labor- we are both happy. I use a lot of the 1/4" sew foam & cut the scraps into tiny pieces that I stuff the pillows of my granny launchers (slingback rockers) with. A shredder sure would come in handy for both projects ................right now hubby will sit & chop while watching tv  ;D

[bobbin]

"Granny launcher", lol.