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I've got 2 SpeedVault SV500 safes in our bedroom. They are great safes, but I'm having one problem with them that I haven't yet solved. The foam inserts need to be cut to fit the guns properly. I've tried cutting them with various knives, but I'm not getting good results - the foam collapses as I'm trying to cut, or I just get ragged/irregular cuts.

I'd really like to have a nice, sharp cut like you see in the inserts of Pelican cases for camera gear, guns, etc., something I plan to do for my suppressors eventually too. Looking online, it appears a number of folks like electric knives (like the ones some folks use to carve turkeys) to cut this foam. I'm not sure if that's actually the best way. So I'm reaching out to the smart folks on NWFA to see if they have a better suggestion.

I tried to get a photo of what the foam insert looks like - here is one photo from the internet that allows you to kind of see it:

maxresdefault.jpg

Also, the foam in this insert is kind of flimsy, not dense like some hard cases, making cutting this stuff a little more difficult.

I'd love to hear your ideas.
 
Hot wire, perhaps? I'd also look at different foam, like a nice closed cell type used for backpacking matresses.

EDIT: the hot knife above is the way to go
 
I am using a standard poly packing foam for my hard cases and it cuts well using one of the disposable 'breakoff' blades (full length - unbroken!) for the retractable utility knives. The cuts are not completely form-fitting but do not have to be. This is still work in progress.
IMG_0997[1].JPG
 
I cut foam even the stuff they put in pillows with my metal cutting bandsaw 14t per inch a wood cutting bandsaw works as well. Finer teeth are better.
 
NWFA never disappoints! Some great suggestions already. I forgot about the hot knife/wire cutters - it's just not a tool I've needed in the past. And it looks like they're not expensive, so it would be a great investment.

And yes, @3MTA3 it might be a good idea to consider replacing that foam with something denser - that hadn't crossed my mind, but makes a lot of sense. I want a nice snug, clean-cut fit so the gun easily draws from the safe - and since it has a light on it too (TLR-1), I want to make sure nothing hangs up on the draw, and that softer foam can flex a bit during the draw.
 
The hot wire build IS the only way to go, super detail is possable, and you can build it scaleable to your needs. I can post up a set up and users guide later, I built one for cutting styrofoam and it is every bit as good as you are, and it can be scaled to handle any size job. Its also easy to service and modify.
I' not sure the name of the place, but over behind Gerber Knives, just up the hill is a foam and plastics place, they have a bunch of nice options for foam rubber and styro. A "foam bow" will also cut plastic quite well, so that' a useful tidbit to know. I think my bigger A/C power Foam Bow cost me about $60 but it cuts every thing I need, and it's pretty fast. The small bench bow cost about $25 in parts.
 
Very cool. Now I want a cutter and didn't even know I wanted one yesterday!

Beings your a 'Lectrician, you should be able to come up some VERY trick ideas for set up and power!
I use Ply wood for the frame on mine, makes it much stiffer and is still light enough too handle one handed ( for the small one) and the large one has a locking slider to adjust the size to what i'm cutting, big enough to cut sections of a full size air plane wing!
 

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