Cut out a 1-inch square in the center of one piece of foam. This is where you slot the baffle onto the microphone stand.
Cut peaks and troughs into the top and bottom of both pieces of foam. Use a kitchen knife or pocket knife to slice V-shaped portions of foam out of the surface. The ridged surface absorbs sound better than a flat surface. The ridges need not be even or symmetrical. In fact, the more irregular they are the better, provided the thickness of the foam doesn’t go below 1-inch in any of the troughs.
Cut a 1/2-inch slit in the 4-inch side of the foam, approximately 1-inch from the edge. Push a pipe cleaner into the slit so half of it is embedded in the foam.
Cut a second slit of the same size 1-inch from the other edge of the 4-inch side. Push a second pipe cleaner into the slit an equal amount.
Make two identical slits on the second piece of foam, in identical positions.
Lay the first piece of foam on its back and bend pipe cleaners so they are vertical, perpendicular to the foam.
Slide the second piece of foam onto the pipe cleaners, so the two pieces of foam are perpendicular to each other, like an open brief case.
Remove the microphone from the microphone stand. Unscrew the microphone stand collar so only the stem of the mic stand remains.
Tie a piece of string around the stem of the mic stand 3 inches below where the collar fits. Knot the end. The knot will stop the foam pieces from sliding down the stem of microphone stand.
Slide the first piece of foam down over the microphone stand. As you do this, support the second piece of foam so it doesn’t slip off of the pipe cleaners.