I visited a local foam distributor, asked questions, bought about $4 worth of foam (about 2-1/2 sq. feet), got a nice free sample block of 1-1/2" EVA foam just the right color for caddis green. Also walked away with a free sample card with 33 one-inch square by 1/2" thick blocks of different kinds of foam glued to card stock.
Discovered there are numerous web sites where you can order sample cards of materials, and I am in the process of doing that. Free flytying foam and stuff to experiment with. My card has predominately white and black foam, one grey, a couple light blue and light green. Your local foam distributor may have a free sample card he will part with...seeing the varieties side by side is educational, and it will give you a limited supply to hollow punch, turn, whatever so you can identify the best types of foam for your particular flytying purpose.
Plastazote type foam is available from other manufacturers as other names. On my card, the following names are used:
Polylam (the coarse, bubbly pool noodle type foam)
Polyplank (a higher grade, smaller bubble, smoother foam, nice stuff -- I brought home about 1-1/2 sq ft. of 1" thick 2# white polyplank)
Evazote type film can also be found under other names:
Ensolite
X.P.E. (stands for crosslinked polyethylene) VERY nice stuff, small bubbles, resilient, easy to work, expensive - 4# X.P.E. comes close to the ideal foam material for flytying, in my opinion)
EVA foam is similar to flip-flop material. It comes in several grades, a large variety of thicknesses and a good selection of colors. It is VERY expensive and usually a special order item. Count yourself very lucky if you can find flip-flop foam in the colors you want at the local dollar store! EVA foam is the best choice for lathe work, shaping with an emery board, or small diameter cylinders for mayflies, etc.
If you are really into foam flies, you really owe yourself a trip to the local foam distributor. You may find cutoffs, samples, and freebies that will be very useful. My choice would be to buy white, then color them with art markers or dye them to the colors needed.
more later,
Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
