[mom2gymgirls]

I just bought a foam Michael's pumpkin and the Versa Tool. I am trying to cut out a name but the letters with curves don't look as good. Any tips?

[belli]

Move acorss the lines very slowly and instead of moving the blade when you hit a curve try rotating the pumpkin. Kind of like when you are cutting out a pattern on paper, you tend to move the paper more than you do the scissors when you get to curved areas. Does that make sense? What I did on a pattern that I recently carved was touch it up after I cut out the basic letter shapes. Some of the letters needed some smooting out so I just ran the versa-tool w/exacto knife attachment slowly over the edge cutting off the uneven edges.

Here's a link to the one I just carved that had letters as part of the stencil:

http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1392

Granted, the letters on this pattern aren't meant to be perfect letters but you can see that the edges are pretty clean.

Hope this helps.

[CorpseBride]

What belli said.

When I use my versa I just move very slowly. And when I need an nice sharp curve I bring the blade out a bit and use the thinner part of the blade to make that nice curve. Then I go back with my x-acto knife and make sure it has gone all the way through. That is how I did the small intricate curves on Mr. Freddy Kreuger.

[belli]

What belli said.

When I use my versa I just move very slowly. And when I need an nice sharp curve I bring the blade out a bit and use the thinner part of the blade to make that nice curve. Then I go back with my x-acto knife and make sure it has gone all the way through. That is how I did the small intricate curves on Mr. Freddy Kreuger.

Yes, check out CorpsBride's Freddy...it's awesome:
http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1399

[CorpseBride]

Aww belli....you are such a good pimp jk...luv ya cheesecake queen

[Lkrough2]

I had some issue with this too, when I tried to carve a Medusa. Lots of snaky curves there! LOL

One of the issues I was having with my versa tool is that the attachments screw in, and by trying to curve with the knife, I was unscrewing it! So, I started just cutting straight lines in the general direction of the curve, then went back in after the pieces were removed and smoothed out the sharper edges. It was sort of doing double work, but I felt like it was safter and the edges turned out nicely.

[Sirius_Loser]

This may be kind of a Ghetto method, but after i carve i go back with a long screw and shave the lines into a smoother curvier shape. if that makes any sense, but i used it on the Davy jones tentacles last year and it seemed to help give a more rounded appearance.

[Sithdragn]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the boards and new to foam pumpkin carving. Thanks for all the great tips I've found so far.

I'm wondering, though, what is a Versa Tool and where can I get one? I tried googling it and got all kinds of results.

Thanks for all replies!

[belli]

...I'm wondering, though, what is a Versa Tool and where can I get one? I tried googling it and got all kinds of results.

Thanks for all replies!

If you have a Michael's in your area, you can purchase them there.



If you can't find the versa tool, look for the hot marks tool, made by the same company. It's the same tool with slightly different tip attachments.



Look for the coupon in the add, there's usually a 40% or 50% coupon.

[Sithdragn]

Fantastic! I have a Michael's right around the corner. I'll have to pick one up asap. Thanks!