# Replacement Foam for Condenser



## 70to210mmf4 (Sep 16, 2019)

My prints have been coming out with really bad flocking. When I took my enlarger's condenser apart I found that there's a heavy cup shaped lens that sits on a small bed of foam. That foam has deteriorated really badly and I need to replace it. Can anyone tell me what sort of foam I should use? I was thinking the same sort of foam used for a camera's light seals might be good, but I don't want to pay $50 for a whole lot of foam I don't need. Can anyone recommend something cheap that I can pick up at a hardware store or something?


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## compur (Sep 16, 2019)

There is a product called Foamies by a company called Darice. It's foam that comes in various shapes, colors and sizes including black sheets of various thickness, I use the black sheets for re-sealing cameras (I cut them into strips or whatever shape I need) and have done many cameras with it.

I don't know what thickness you need but you can find it online or in craft stores. It is much cheaper than the foam that is sold specifically for camera seals but it is the same as far as I can see and it works very well. I bought a bunch of black sheets for peanuts once that I found in a dollar store,


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## 70to210mmf4 (Sep 17, 2019)

compur said:


> There is a product called Foamies by a company called Darice. It's foam that comes in various shapes, colors and sizes including black sheets of various thickness, I use the black sheets for re-sealing cameras (I cut them into strips or whatever shape I need) and have done many cameras with it.
> 
> I don't know what thickness you need but you can find it online or in craft stores. It is much cheaper than the foam that is sold specifically for camera seals but it is the same as far as I can see and it works very well. I bought a bunch of black sheets for peanuts once that I found in a dollar store,



I think it's maybe about half a centimeter thick. For some reason I was imagining you buy foam in a cube and cut the shape out, but that makes much more sense. I will crack open the condenser and measure the thickness. Thanks; I hadn't thought of trying a craft store. That's a really good idea. It's very very light and delicate foam. I will try and remember what it looks and feels like and try to find something similar at a craft store. I have no clue what it's made from, or if that even matters.


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## compur (Sep 17, 2019)

70to210mmf4 said:


> I think it's maybe about half a centimeter thick.



They show a 6mm thick black sheet on their website:
Darice - Search - Foamies - Wholesale | Darice


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## 70to210mmf4 (Sep 17, 2019)

compur said:


> 70to210mmf4 said:
> 
> 
> > I think it's maybe about half a centimeter thick.
> ...



Do you know how much it costs? I can't see without making an account. Also, I'm not in the US so shipping costs may not make it worth me buying it from that store.


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## vintagesnaps (Sep 17, 2019)

I've bought other Darice products from Amazon in the US, I don't know if Amazon UK would carry them. Maybe try craft stores (in store or online), or craft depts. in discount stores (if they have craft depts.).


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## compur (Sep 17, 2019)

The Darice site won't let me register.  There is a craft store chain here in the US called JOANN that advertises it for $9 for a 9" x 12" x 6mm sheet.

This size may have an adhesive back (peel & stick), I'm not sure. Some of their sheets do.


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## 70to210mmf4 (Sep 19, 2019)

I replaced the foam brackets with some weather stripping I got from a hardware store. The lens barely touches the foam, so I don't really see what the point of it is. Anyway, the light looks the same on the paper, and it's not leaving black spots any more after I cleaned the inside of the condenser head with a rocket blower.


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