Thread: Best way to get epithets onto foam for tombstones

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My next and last tombstone for this year will have the most intricate fonts for the epithet. Well I want it to. But I have not done difficult font yet. What is the best way to get the writing onto the foam to get cut out with the Dremel? I just free handed the last ones but I really want this one to have nice writing. It doesnt seem like an exacto knife cuts through the foam smoothly. I was thinking about using a very small dremel tip and going right through the paper into the foam ( the paper the writing is printed on). If I can find a very fine bit of course. well any help is appreciated.

It depends, what kind of foam are you using? If its the white stuff, you should try a utility knife for the large letters, or maybe use a hot glue gun to melt the letters in. The pink foam is easier to use a dremmel. I use a battery powered soldering iron to carve intricate letters on pink foam. It gets just hot enough to make the letters, but not soo hot that it melts the surrounding foam.

If you want nice smooth cuts, then you need a hot knife. If I were to do this, I would cut the letters out of vinyl, tape them to the foam. then spray it with something that would dissolve the foam from around the vinyl. That would give it more of an aged weathered look.

I use an x-acto knife. I fasten the printed paper to the stone with a repositionable glue stick and then cut out each letter, inserting the knife at a 45 degree angle so it pops right out and no additional "digging" is needed. Just make sure you're always using a sharp blade. If it starts to drag at all, change the blade. It's easy and pretty fast.

When I made mine I did it just like I do pumpkins. I taped the pattern (the text) to the stone, used a sharp, pointy tool to transfer the pattern, removed the paper - keeping it to reference - and then went to work with the dremel.

I use Spray Mount repositionable adhesive to tack my printed letters to the painted foam, then use either an exacto #11 or dremel with router attachment and engraving bit. I have a how-to on my site showing my technique.

I've tried all the methods mentioned. But what I haven't tried yet, is taking the text and the font style to a vinyl window deal shop. Get them to lay it out really accurately and sized proportionally to the size of your intended tombstone. Then they get their cutting machine to make you very detailed, very accurate letters. Then stick em on and spray paint away the surrounding foam to get the relief etched away.

Imagination is your only limitation.

I use an x-acto knife to cut all my stones...it works GREAT...nice and smooth cuts...I use the pink foam not sure what your using...make sure you have a nice new blade...the sharper the better.