Foam Weapons/Tridents

[Seaspray Mermaid]

Hello! I'm hoping to do a local craft fair this year and I would love to interest little boys as well as girls. My thought was swords and tridents. I did a little research and I know about foam weaponry used in LARPing and Cosplaying..but not a lot about specific materials. I understand things are pretty custom to each person and character. I guess my questions are: What type of foam to use? Do I need a core to wrap foam around? What is plastidip and how do I find it? What are your experiences in using foam weaponry and accessories?
Thank you so much!

[Merman Storm]

Foam: pipe insulation. If you want, you can shave the sides with a electric carving knife to make the shape oval, more sword-like. For the trident, just leave it round.
Core: Yes, you need a core. Otherwise its a foam whip. Many people use bamboo. Make sure you get shafts with a thick wall. Diameter: Around 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Actually, you get these first, then get the pipe insulation to fit.
I like to use fiberglass shafts that are made for kites. On my better swords, I used carbon fiber kite poles or carbon fiber ski poles.
The foam should extend 2 to 3 inches beyond the end of the shaft, so you have a thrusting tip.
Cover: I have always used cloth. Something lightweight and durable.
Holding it all together: Use cloth athletic tape. Also use the tape on the foam that extends beyond the end of the shaft. That way, when the end is bent, the foam will not tear.

Im not sure how to make the tines on the trident. You could use the shaft for the center, and make the tines out of solid foam. Get a sheet of camping-pad foam, and cut out the shape you want. To get it thick enough, glue layers together using 3M-77 spray adhesive. Also, as camping-pad foam tends to have a cuve, gluing two layers together back-to-back can cancel out the curve.

[spyderskiss]

Hello! I'm hoping to do a local craft fair this year and I would love to interest little boys as well as girls. My thought was swords and tridents. I did a little research and I know about foam weaponry used in LARPing and Cosplaying..but not a lot about specific materials. I understand things are pretty custom to each person and character. I guess my questions are: What type of foam to use? Do I need a core to wrap foam around? What is plastidip and how do I find it? What are your experiences in using foam weaponry and accessories?
Thank you so much!
I think this is a great idea.
There are alot of great tips on building weapons on You Tube now.
Plastidip is pretty easy to find if you look in most stores like Lowes, Walmart or Home Depot with the spray paint it is there or with the foam insulation. It is a stretchier and stronger base coat used to seal foam and close all those pore holes in it. Usually it comes in black and tan, grey and white can be harder to find. It is not expensive so use it like a primer paint before coloring.
Good luck and keep us posted...I may want one.