Thread: Carving foam pumpkins (Micheal's)

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Hello all,

While in the midst of planning my Halloween display of "Singing Pumpkins" for this year, I was initially going to stick with store bought pumpkins, however I had a change in tune with a problem I discovered.

My display is going to consist of 7 pumpkins set up in a pyramid fashion with the largest pumpkin on top. This pumpkin will do only lead vocals of my songs. Two pumpkins will be below this one, and they will mostly handle the backing vocals. Below these pumpkins will be four small pumpkins and they will mostly be doing light chase patterns (various on/off patterns to the music).

Now the first pumpkins I bought were the two medium sized ones and I bought them at Lowes. They are foam and use a 7 watt white light to illuminate the interior. The interior is white. These pumpkins were around $8 each.

I bought the remaining pumpkins at Target. These are all plastic and have a 7 watt amber bulb inside of them the interior is an orange/black mix. The Target pumpkins were very cheap with the large one being only $10 and the small ones going for $5. They looked great and I thought I had a good deal. However, when I got home the deal soured. As it turns out the Target pumpkins were no where near as bright as the Lowes ones.

I have already made the desision to return the Target Pumpkins, but keep the Lowes ones. I have decided to buy two more of the Lowes pumpkins and use these as my four small pumpkins.

Now right across the street from Lowes is a Micheal's crafts and I had noticed that they are carrying the carvable foam pumpkins. So I got the idea that perhaps I should carve the 3 larger pumpkins myself.

This is where I am looking for advice.

Earlier in the year I bought a foam cutting/carving tool from Lowes. It is a heat based tool because I didn't want to deal with the mess associated with other cutting blade methods. I am curious if anyone has carved foam pumpkins using a hot blade/wire method.

As an alternative, I DO have a Dremel, but I would like to avoid using it because of the mess. (I don't want a long cleanup).

Being that it is still warm out, I do intend to work outside.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thank You,

Geo

Well, if they are still made the same way that the ones I bought ages ago, (and I strongly suspect that they are) then I don't see the need for the heat-based cutting tool method, unless you're more comfortable with using it. As I recall I was able to use a combination of a serrated steak knife and one of those Pumpkin Masters saw-toothed cutting blades. There really isn't that much mess associated with it as say with some styrofoam products, like say the white foam board....

For carving foam pumpkins, a Versa Tool (@Michaels) is the bees knees!

I've been carving detailed patterns in real pumpkins for a few years, and bought a bunch of Funkins and Gemmys at clearance sales last year. For the foam pumpkins at Michaels (Gemmys), the Versa tool is awesome. It's the same price as a foam cutter - 29.95 - but you can use the 50% off coupons in the Sunday paper to whittle that down. It's a woodburner with an Xacto tip and a bunch of others. The Xacto tip is what you use to carve the pumpkin.

A regular Xacto isn't a bad choice, but it can take a while. I did the WWF tiger template in an hour with the Versa tool. A regular pumpkin saw leaves very rough edges on the carve.

Check out the forums @ zombiepumpkins.com for more information.

For cutting completely throught the pumpkin, I use an Xacto knife for a smoth cut. FOr cutting only throughthe outer skin, I use a Dremmel tool.

Michaels pumpkins do not cut as easily as the Funkin brand. I had a tough time getting fine detail.

I do a pumpkin choir every year. I use already lit pumpkins. I find them to be more stable and bright. They work great witht he LOR.

Check out my profile pics for my set up.

Originally Posted by Pumpkinprincess

Michaels pumpkins do not cut as easily as the Funkin brand. I had a tough time getting fine detail.

I do a pumpkin choir every year. I use already lit pumpkins. I find them to be more stable and bright. They work great witht he LOR.

Check out my profile pics for my set up.

I would like to try carving out a few of these myself.....where do you get the "funkin" brand pumpkins???

Originally Posted by Greyhawke

For carving foam pumpkins, a Versa Tool (@Michaels) is the bees knees!

I've been carving detailed patterns in real pumpkins for a few years, and bought a bunch of Funkins and Gemmys at clearance sales last year. For the foam pumpkins at Michaels (Gemmys), the Versa tool is awesome. It's the same price as a foam cutter - 29.95 - but you can use the 50% off coupons in the Sunday paper to whittle that down. It's a woodburner with an Xacto tip and a bunch of others. The Xacto tip is what you use to carve the pumpkin.

So the Versa Tool is a wood burning tool? I did pick up one of those recently at Lowes for $19.99, but it is a 'pistol' or gun type cutter/burner. I am assuming the Micheal's Versa Tool is of the pencil type. I would prefer that style, but at $29.99?? (I do not receive the Sunday paper). At any rate, I am NOT looking for great detail as I am only interested in making Jack-O-Lantern faces and not those really intricate 'show' style pumpkins I have seen lately. I really just wanted to carve my own pumpkins for a Halloween Singing Pumpkin display. Since several of my pumpkins will be of the same size, I wanted to add some originality to the mix by carving some of my own pumpkin faces.

I don't think I would need that much detailing. The smallest pumpkin I intend to use are the 5" pumpkins that Micheal's sells.

I did buy the pumpkin carving set they were selling for $3. The set has 3 serrated cutting tools. From what I been reading it seems like smooth cutting tools are the way to go (other than using heat tools). As of now I do intend on working outside, so I can go either way. Naturally I don't want to make too much of a mess. But since I have both types of tools I can go both ways.

[quote
A regular Xacto isn't a bad choice, but it can take a while. I did the WWF tiger template in an hour with the Versa tool. A regular pumpkin saw leaves very rough edges on the carve.[/QUOTE]

The tools I bought at Micheal's is a serrated knife set, but I made sure I got the set that has very fine teeth and not the larger knife set that is used for carving real pumpkins.

Check out the forums @ zombiepumpkins.com for more information.

Ok, thanx for the tip

Originally Posted by Pumpkinprincess

Michaels pumpkins do not cut as easily as the Funkin brand. I had a tough time getting fine detail.

I do a pumpkin choir every year. I use already lit pumpkins. I find them to be more stable and bright. They work great witht he LOR.

Check out my profile pics for my set up.

I had bought several types of pumpkins and I found out that the foam pumpkins with the WHITE interior were the brightest...Those turned out to be the first pair of pumpkins I bought at Lowes. For some reason, lately Lowes has been 'rushing' holidays and they are already setting up for Christmas, while their Halloween display isn't even fully set up!!!! Needless to say, the 1st week in September I found those pumpkins and now they no longer have them on the shelves!

However, during this time I noticed that Micheal's had put out their carvable pumpkins and I had noticed they do have the white interior, so I decided to go this route.

I ended up buying a large pumpkin ($11.99) and two small pumpkins ($4.79). Just on the outside looks alone they look WAY better than the cheaper electric pumpkins I bought from Target.

Originally Posted by mic214

I would like to try carving out a few of these myself.....where do you get the "funkin" brand pumpkins???

You can get them directly from their site, but they are eeexpensive.

http://www.funkins.com/

However, you probably do get what you pay for and if you are doing any of those really intricate pumpkin designs, then I would go this route myself.

So I would like to thank everyone for chiming in, I just need one more bit of advice:

Where can I find some really good Jack-O-Lantern carving stencils on-line. (The kind I can print out and affix to the pumpkin as a carving guide). Once again, I am looking for simple traditional Jack-O-Lantern faces and not any fancy 'show grade' pumpkin patterns. Again I am doing a singing pumpkin display, so I need 'faces'.

Thank You,

Geo

I've been carving foam pumpkins now for display for 3+ years but carving over 5. I purchased and started trying to use funkins and the 'gemmy' brand pumpkins that Michaels sells. One comparison of the funkins with the Michaels brand made me return them immediately (though I know others who really like them). The funkins do have a really nice 'glow' about them. But....the thickness and density of the foam is horrible and not consistent. I gave up on them immediately.

I HIGHLY recommend the pumpkins from Michaels if you are trying to carve something with detail on them. The tools you choose to use is completely up to you and your comfort level. I only use a dremel. When I'm doing a cutout pattern I use the smallest bit that is sold in the dremel bit set (it is in a grey plastic 'case' and comes with 5 or 6 I think) that is a 1/32nd size bit. If there is some way I can help you (if its not too late into the season for you) please feel free to pm me and I'll help anyway I can. The hot knife is ok....it totally limits you to just 'cut out' styled patterns. Even then, get one ready to go and me and my dremel....and I could finish the exact same pattern in at least half the time. Yes, some is experience...but most is because the heat gun cant keep hot enough to constantly cut. The endless stopping or slowing to allow the heat to catch up it just too much. Dremel wise, I can just keep going till I'm done. As far as a 'mess'....you said your doing it outside....the only thing the foam/dremel combo does is create dust. If your outside anyway, who cares?

As far as patterns go....I'd HIGHLY recommend http://www.stoneykins.com. I'd put his patterns up against any available on the net....they are that good. He has hundreds of cut-out styled patterns as well as 'shading' ones that give incredible detail (prolly over 1300 total patterns easily). There is also a forum where you can go and get tons of help and suggestions as well. When I initially started carving I was a member of a few other sites one of which was mentioned previously in this thread. When I found Stoneys though, I never went to the other sites ever again. But that is totally a person opinion. There are many good patterns available at a few different sites.

If your looking for some examples, go through this video I did of my past carves. The first two years were all real pumpkins doing cutout patterns from Zombie pumpkins and another site using the pumpkin master styled tools. Starting in 2008, I switched to foam pumpkins using a dremel. To me, there is no comparison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktYly0oioJI

If there is any help I can offer, please let me know.

Andretti

Hello Andretti

Originally Posted by Andretti

I've been carving foam pumpkins now for display for 3+ years but carving over 5. I purchased and started trying to use funkins and the 'gemmy' brand pumpkins that Michaels sells. One comparison of the funkins with the Michaels brand made me return them immediately (though I know others who really like them). The funkins do have a really nice 'glow' about them. But....the thickness and density of the foam is horrible and not consistent. I gave up on them immediately.

Wow! You are one of the rare few that PREFER the Micheal's pumpkins. For me I went the Micheal's route because they looked good enough. I saw what the store did with them, and they looked fine to me. They were on par with the foam pumpkins I bought at Lowes.

I HIGHLY recommend the pumpkins from Michaels if you are trying to carve something with detail on them. The tools you choose to use is completely up to you and your comfort level. I only use a dremel. When I'm doing a cutout pattern I use the smallest bit that is sold in the dremel bit set (it is in a grey plastic 'case' and comes with 5 or 6 I think) that is a 1/32nd size bit. If there is some way I can help you (if its not too late into the season for you) please feel free to pm me and I'll help anyway I can.

I have the Dremel in the gray case as well. But yeah, it is now October and I still have 5 pumpkins to do for my display! I am just about complete with my song programming.

The hot knife is ok....it totally limits you to just 'cut out' styled patterns. Even then, get one ready to go and me and my dremel....and I could finish the exact same pattern in at least half the time. Yes, some is experience...but most is because the heat gun cant keep hot enough to constantly cut. The endless stopping or slowing to allow the heat to catch up it just too much. Dremel wise, I can just keep going till I'm done. As far as a 'mess'....you said your doing it outside....the only thing the foam/dremel combo does is create dust. If your outside anyway, who cares?

For now I intend to work outside. I did buy a heat 'gun' rather than a pencil type because of the problem you mentioned. I figured the gun will hold heat longer/better... but yeah, there would be a sacrifice in control on details.

Fortunately, I am not looking to do drastically detailed patterns.

As far as patterns go....I'd HIGHLY recommend http://www.stoneykins.com. I'd put his patterns up against any available on the net....they are that good. He has hundreds of cut-out styled patterns as well as 'shading' ones that give incredible detail (prolly over 1300 total patterns easily). There is also a forum where you can go and get tons of help and suggestions as well. When I initially started carving I was a member of a few other sites one of which was mentioned previously in this thread. When I found Stoneys though, I never went to the other sites ever again. But that is totally a person opinion. There are many good patterns available at a few different sites.

Wow! That IS an impressive site, but as I mentioned earlier, I am just going to do simple cut out Jack-O-Lantern faces for a singing pumpkin display. I am certainly not going to attempt anything of the level I saw on that site. However, in the 2010 section, they did have some Jack-O-Lantern patterns which were cool. But I am looking to keep it simple. I just want to have some of the pumpkins look more unique.

If your looking for some examples, go through this video I did of my past carves. The first two years were all real pumpkins doing cutout patterns from Zombie pumpkins and another site using the pumpkin master styled tools. Starting in 2008, I switched to foam pumpkins using a dremel. To me, there is no comparison.

The work you have done is fantastic!...I especially like the wolf!

But again, this is a level far beyond what I was looking for.

If there is any help I can offer, please let me know.

Andretti

Would you know of a site that has more Jack-O-Lantern faces?

Do you happen to have a video of yourself actually doing a carve? I would be curious to see you in action.

Thank you for the info and keep up the great work!

Geo

I'm not sure if you have it where you are but the only place here you can get FUNKINS is Joann's Fabrics.