Hot wire cutter

[Didier Beaudoin]

Hi,

I'm looking to build a hot wire cutter to cut foam for the bodywork mold. I've found some references on internet, but I'd like to know if you guys have any advice about this subject. I want the wire to be about 2 or 3 feet long.

[kozak]

you just need a battery and a very thin wire thats all they are because the wire is so thin the battery is trying to push so much current through the resistance causes the wire to heat up, you could probably make one for like $5.

[Jarrod]

we made one off a piece of MDF as a handle(big C shape), a thin guitar string or something along those lines, and an adjustable power supply.

[Big D]

you can also make it so that it just plugs into the wall, although if you do that straight up, it vaporizes the wire instantly.
SO, what you do is get one of those variable supply boxes used for experiments in electricity class, etc. and find a setting that will heat the wire appropriately.
Ours uses 3 pieces of hockey stick, (made into an H, with a turnbuckle or sorts at one end, and the hot wire at the other) and an old extension cord. you can find everything you need in the trash, likely.

[TA]

You'll be needing a roll of "nichrome" wire. A well stocked hobby shop will carry it for the model airplane guys who cut foam cores for wings. A big-ass rheostat (swipe it from one of the Physics guys -- they always have them kicking around -- the Chemistry guys also use them to power flask heaters) would come in handy too.

http://www.aeroconsystems.com/electronics/nichrome.htm

Found this place on Google -- Also, if your scavenging skills fail you on the rheostat, a heavy duty dimmer switch from Home Depot would probably suffice.

Cheers, Ted

[Homemade WRX]

Originally posted by Jarrod:
we made one off a piece of MDF as a handle(big C shape), a thin guitar string or something along those lines, and an adjustable power supply.

we have pretty much the same set up...but turnbuckles for tightening the wire and we use a battery charger for the power supply...

[rajpr]

Safety wire will also work instead of the nichromium wire

[Dan G]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5959129484

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

here's my $0.02,
not sure about the tensile strength of the wire, but I would think that if you ripped the right toaster apart, that would work for cutting foam.......

[TA]

Originally posted by drivetrainUW-Platt:
here's my $0.02,
not sure about the tensile strength of the wire, but I would think that if you ripped the right toaster apart, that would work for cutting foam.......

Yes, but your mom will be extremely miffed