[amandap80]

This may seem silly, but I started carving a funkin, and boy is this sucker thick! I see on the inside that a foam dribble runs down the front, which accounts for the problem. Any thoughts? I thought of using the pumpkin gutter, very slowly.....what else will fit?

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I've never thinned a foam-kin, but I do know that those Funkins can be quite thick (and not always even in thickness). I'm not sure the Pumpkin Gutter would be right for the job. Its blades seem more suited for soft pumpkin flesh.

Maybe some sort of sanding tool like a paint stripper wheel? I know some folks use it to thin down the inside of Michael's foam pumpkins to get rid of the black line created by the seam on those types of foamies. Check out this page of St0ney's foam carving tutorial for info (paint stripper wheel near the bottom).

Any foam carvers out there ever try this tool on the inside of a Funkin?

[2manyferrets]

Your best bet is to use the paint stripper wheel like on St0ney's tutorial. But honestly because all of the blobs in the Funkin's, I just go with Michales brand. Much better to use, except for that "dredded black line" that he also mentions. Which depending on some of the patterns you can see.......


And sometimes you can't see.....




Erika

[adam]

so michaels carries their own brand of foam pumpkins? are they closed so you have to cut a hole in the bottom or???

[2manyferrets]

Yes they do, both those carvings I did on the Michales brand pumpkins. The bottoms are closed. I use a bigger bit (3/32 inch ) to cut it out. I use smaller bits for the cut through on the actual carving (1/32 inch).




Erika

[gregh3196]

I really like the Michaels kins. For one thing they are a little cheaper than a funkin and they carve very easily. As 2manyferrets pointed out the black line in the middle is terrible but i have noticed using the color led's doesnt show it as much as the regular "candle" light.

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

The Funkins look more realistic and come in a variety of sizes. But they're expensive and harder to carve.

Michael's more affordable brand are thinner and thus easier to carve, but they have that seam line inside and don't look quite as realistic.

So I guess it depends on what you're looking to achieve with your pumpkin. I've used both, but personally I'm still waiting for a foam pumpkin that mimics the look and feel of a real pumpkin 100%. Wait, maybe I should invent it and patent it!

[amandap80]

The stripping wheel worked really well. We geared down the drill, going slowly.

I have only carved one Michaels' pumpkin, but they don't quite do it for me. The funkins do look more like an actual pumpkin.