I know this has come up before, but I just had a pleasant experience dusting off a skill saw that's been sitting in my basement for probably 10 years now. I sliced my foam core sheets down to 6.25" strips and used spray mount to adhere them together in a stack. I went with a stack 4 tiles thick, but I think 5 or 6 would have worked just as well. I used the spray mount to adhere 6" tile templates to the top of the stack, then I ran em through the skill saw.

I was worried that the blade might bend a little while cutting, the core might rip or the corners might snap off. The material is so soft that it cuts very well, and the stack made the tiles very solid while pushing them through the saw. The bottom tiles did get a little fluffy around the cut, but it's not really ripping the foam core or anything. I don't know how much faster it is (especially since there's a little more prep work), but I just cut out 30 6" tiles and my hand isn't exhausted! I imagine it's at least 5x faster than hand cutting.

Now, fingers crossed for when I actually mount some textures onto the tiles that they work as good as they look! If they work out well, then it looks like tomorrow I'll go into factory mode and make massive piles of tiles.

Try sandwiching then between a couple sheets of 1/4" hardboard. That may help prevent the rip-out on the bottom tile.

Band saw works well too.

I use a band-saw to cut my foam-core tiles, around 5 at a time with a plywood template over the top. Certainly make that cutting easy.

Since I happen to have both band scroll saw, are you also cutting the notches? and if so how? I am just not seeing how to do it.

I would imagine a CNC router would do the job quite nicely too.

I said "skill saw" but yeah - I meant scroll saw. I'm cutting the notches out with it, too. I cut the right side of the notch in straight, then the left straight in, then rotate it in place and cut the back end of the notch. The block of waste just slides right out.

+1 on Band Saw

The one I used had very fine cutting teeth and made very nice cuts. I had a roll of tape nearby to keep them together and square.

I would think the up and down motion of the scroll saw would shred a bit, as was stated, but a band saw is moving in one direction, and does have very fine teeth which lends to smoother cuts. I've used mine for everything from styrofoam to foamboard, and it does a great job.

I use my scroll saw to just cut the notches.
I have a foam board cutter for straight lines.
I have made a plywood template to avoid over cutting. (could use MDF board as well.)
cut the notches straight along both sides, then move back up a bit and angle to cut across, then fully turn to cut final corner.
Try with one piece and when you get the feel. cut 3 thick then 5 thick. sure beats hand cutting.

Hope this helps.
(how to cut the template, print out the cut file on an A4 label and place on plywood, then cut out, simple.)

Does anyone have any experience with laser cutters? Oddly enough I have better access to a computer-controlled laser cutter than more conventional power tools. Well, I guess I could get access to some of them, but they're not computer-controlled and a good bit more dangerous to operate.

I've seen a couple YouTube videos on the process of cutting foamcore. The foam center melts back a bit. It was suggested in the video I linked there to cut in three passes, trying to cut the paper slowly, but the foam center really fast so the heat doesn't build up as much.

I'm not sure I want to hear how it turns out, as I'll surely be jealous if it works well

If you've got access to a laser cutter, would it not make sense to cut ply?

A bit less liable to warping...

go one step further and do hardboard. If you have a CNC machine or a laser cutter, there is no reason to make tiles out of foamcore, other than they are lighter

The mass of the hardboard adds up quickly. They are sturdy, but I've also found them to be a bit brittle.

-Eric

I agree that why I'm still using foamcore. 3mm MDF can get heavy as well.