dryersheet ,
First Off Excellent Carvers !!
I copied and pasted your post also on my forum. Hope that was okay. And Changed the Poster to You.
I want to keep all the Shaded Fun-kin Feedback together..
Here's Some Info - for ALL involved. (I just woke up like a few minutes ago, So hope that what I type makes Sense) No Coffee yet - LOL
1) A Few Months back, I got Ryan involved with Funkins , For I value His Opinion/Feedback.
And Wanted him on the Team. Plus it's a Must to have Someone that makes the Very BEST Cut-Out Stencils giving Input/Feedback !
The Thickness is a Major Concern, and it creates Issue for
BOTH the shaded and Cut-Though Carvers.
Some Info on thickness: When I first got involved with Funkins - Last Sept. My Main Goal besides the Glow Issue (which I will cover below)
was the Foam thickness. I wanted the Foam a lot thinner. Like the Micheal's Fun-kin 1/4" Many of the other Funkins Customers that they Rely on for their Input wanted the Foam to be a 1/2" thick, For those that Do Use a Dremel or Hot-Knife, Know this is TOO Thick, to do Detailed Carvings. So I compromised, and Came up with 3/8".
With 3/8"s - The foam would be easier with a Hot-Knife (than a 1/2") - And WILL Work for a Dremel using a 1/32" Drill bit for Cut-Outs (Whole patterns, or Cut Shapes in shaded Carvings.) The 1/32" Bit is the Favorite Bit, for Dremel Carvers, to get Crisp Details.
Funkins is having Difficulty - Getting a Consistent 3/8''s Through Out the Entire Pumpkin.
Something I AM still trying to get them to Fix. (Again I would like the Foam even thinner than this 3/8"s, And this is Why ALL YOUR Feedback in important.
Overall the Fun-kin Foam for MED sized Kins is the Thinnest to date, From prior years, So we are moving in the right direction. Just not there Yet.
2) GLOW for Shaded Carving, Last year The Glow was a Much Bigger Issue, and your right, they added a Light Block to the Foam.
The Reason they did that was So the Entire Pumpkin Did not Glow Just the carving Area, But this had a very Negative effect for the shaded carver, the Foam in the shaded area's did not glow at ALL. I personally Carved Dozens of samples, to find the Right Glow for shaded carvings... We decided on the Foam.
At Some Point between the Pick of the Right Glow, and go into production, Someone Decided to add Color to the Foam.
This added Color - Has Caused Yet another Issue for the Shaded Glow, It now Glows Just not as Bright as it Should. This is in all Retail Pumpkins, that are made in China.
The Funkins Sold Online on Funkins Site, and are the Same on my Site, are made in Mexico, these Pumpkins Do not have this Color Added to the Foam, and they Glow Well.
Okay Now for an Update:
The CEO of Funkins is in China right now to Address the Glow issue for Next Year.
He will be bringing Back More Samples for Testing.
I am Working out a Deal with them, that "should" go into Play in the next few days.
They Will offer (2) Models at a Great Discount, for the Shaded carvers... The Price will be around 22 to 23 Bucks (including Shipping).
So the Cost will be like buying the Pumpkin in retail with a Store Coupon. I'm waiting on them to create the Web-page, and go Live with this Deal.
And I will make Sure everyone Knows where to go - for this Deal.
These are the two Models
Funkins will take the Lose, they want to make sure, Shaded carvers, Have a Good pumpkin to carve on this YEAR..
They're an Awesome Company to do this !
This Deal Will also be extended to all the fine Folks/MINIONS at Zombie Pumpkins !
I'll Post more Details When they are Available.
St0ney