Attack of the eggcrate foam

wumpus · Post by **wumpus** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:28 pm

This probably isn't news to many of you, but I recently discovered eggcrate foam, eg:

http://www.foambymail.com/Eggcrate.html

I found a number of vendors selling this stuff on ebay @ $1 per square foot block.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... crate+foam

It is the same type of stuff used for low-cost recording studio acoustic damping, eg,

Eggcrate foam, in my experience, beats the crap out of pax.mate and the like, because

1) it's thicker
2) the rough uneven surface absorbs sound better
3) it's cheaper

I've been using double-sided foam tape to attach it to various surfaces with great success.

For example. I applied the eggcrate foam on the entire underside of the desk where my 24/7 server lives, and I was very pleasantly surprised at the results.. it creates a sort of "black hole of sound" effect. Sounds go in, but they don't make it back out.

I also read where Ralf et al have applied 4x4 eggcrate blocks to sheets of cardboard and propped them behind their computers, to help absorb the reflected exhaust fan noise. I agree. This works. It won't magically make a noisy computer quiet, but the sound damping effect is definitely audible!

wumpus · Post by **wumpus** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:39 pm

Here's the thread I referenced above, discussing the foam and how to attach it (adhesives in this case)

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=5814

I can add "foam tape" to the workable methods, I wasn't comfortable with the semi-permanent spray adhesives..

wumpus · Post by **wumpus** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 8:02 am

Very happy with my eggcrate foam results so far. I guess I'd need a hot wire foam cutter to be perfectly happy, so I could trim the height, width, or length exactly, but other than that-- the sound dampening effect is amazing for the price.

Also the double-sided foam tape is holding the foam great so far (about 1 week), even when using only small squares of tape in each corner to attach them.

Here's the specific dutch auction I bought my foam in:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=15199

Only $1 per 12" x 12" x 1 1/2" square. Buy as many or as few as you need.

I have no affiliation with this vendor other than buying foam from them. However, be aware that shipping is ~$12 for up to 40 panels, I'm not sure what it will be for more or less.

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:52 am

I don't like ordering from Ebay type sites. Anyone have an idea where you might find this stuff or something like it in a common store? Seems like most stuff recommended on this site has a similar part available at places like hardware stores or Home Depot. I'd like to get a smalll amount and put it in the back of my desk cubby and see how it helps. I'm worried it would impact the temperature so I don't want to commit a lot to it.

gbass01 · Post by **gbass01** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:06 am

How about mattress foam (with sinusoidal surface texture), like the kind solid in bed-sized sheets at WalMart, etc?

wumpus · Post by **wumpus** » Wed Mar 24, 2004 6:50 am

Mattress foam would work, I guess.. it has to be open-cell foam, and I think the larger/rougher the texture is (the peaks and valleys where the "eggs" would go.. if there were eggs)-- the more likely it is to capture and absorb the sound.

I've also been experimenting with putting the eggcrate foam INSIDE my PCs, where I can get it to fit. It's pretty easy to trim with scissors in any way necessary. I can usually fit one 12" x 12" x 1 1/2" sheet on the case cover directly across from the CPU/motherboard.. with a bit of trimming.

There is absolutely no question that this eggcrate foam material absorbs WAY more sound than the pax.mate I had in there before (I just placed this on top of the pax.mate).