Can someone help identify this foam?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
User avatar
vivalastblues
steve albini likes it
Posts: 350
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:30 am
Location: Australia

Can someone help identify this foam?

Post by vivalastblues » Sun Sep 07, 2014 8:06 pm

I think it's some sort of mattress foam, but not really sure. Someone gave it to me and I took it on the chance that it's useful. If not I'll probably throw it out. Any ideas? PS sorry for the grainy pictures

Image

Image

Image

norton
buyin' a studio
Posts: 839
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:42 pm
Location: minneapolis

Post by norton » Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:51 pm

Mattress foam. Not really worth having.

Foam in general, is not a very good solution for acoustic treatment. You should find and endless rabbit hole of info online regarding foam vs rigid fiberglass insulation and mid range frequency absorption.

If you don't have a good handle on small room acoustics, then you should look into it gearslutz is a decent place to start. Some big name acoustic designers spend time over there.

Generally in a small room low end frequencies are going to be your biggest problem....foam is very ineffective in dealing with low freq energy.

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Post by vvv » Mon Sep 08, 2014 5:00 pm

Looks rather flammable, also.

As for it being from a mattress, I think the first clue might be, wait, ...


... this just in, ...


... the pillow?

Or it could be for cymbal-packing ...

:twisted:
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
JWL
deaf.
Posts: 1870
Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Maine
Contact:

Post by JWL » Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:33 pm

Agreed with everything said so far. Except maybe going to Gearslutz. :wink: (I kid, I kid).

This article will get you started:
http://realtraps.com/art_basics.htm

User avatar
vivalastblues
steve albini likes it
Posts: 350
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:30 am
Location: Australia

Post by vivalastblues » Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:49 am

Thanks a lot for all the info guys!

User avatar
Snarl 12/8
cryogenically thawing
Posts: 3510
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 5:01 pm
Location: Right Cheer
Contact:

Post by Snarl 12/8 » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:34 am

I think someone on this Forum once said, "save the foam for your latte, kid." Or words to that effect. That said, I'd like to try that shit in my kick drum. Dunno why.

A word of caution about mysterious foams. They can break down, over time, into a gooey mess that is almost impossible to clean. Especially if what they are goo'd to is delicate, intricate, valuable audio equipment. I'm dealing right now with the residue of some foam that an old bandmate brought home from his brief stint as a worker in a mattress factory in the mid-80's.
Carl Keil

Almost forgot: Please steal my drum tracks. and more.

User avatar
Flight Feathers
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 643
Joined: Fri May 02, 2003 11:53 am
Location: Maplewood NJ
Contact:

Post by Flight Feathers » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:30 pm

Snarl 12/8 wrote: That said, I'd like to try that shit in my kick drum. Dunno why.
This is a good idea, at least worth trying. I'd start by lining the inner shell with the foam. Make a long strip the same length as the circumference of the drum. And the width just a bit wider than the depth of the drum, so when you put it in the drum, it touches both heads. It should do a good amount of taming on a woofy kick. If too much taming, just trim back the length until it is just right.

If not, throw it all away.
5D Studios <-- my OLD studio
Flight Feathers <-- my band

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 69 guests