8/9/2019 6 Hour Hot Wire Cutter 6 Hours to Make

1/5

http://www.instructables.com/id/6-Hour-Hot-Wire-Cutter-6-hours-to-make/

Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Foam Cutter (6 hours to make)by bricabracwizard on November 24, 2013

Table of Contents

Foam Cutter (6 hours to make) ...................................................................................................

Intro: Foam Cutter (6 hours to make) ............................................................................................

Step 1: Making the box ......................................................................................................

Step 2: Wiring it up .........................................................................................................

Step 3: Final steps .........................................................................................................

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8/9/2019 6 Hour Hot Wire Cutter 6 Hours to Make

2/5

http://www.instructables.com/id/6-Hour-Hot-Wire-Cutter-6-hours-to-make/

Author: bricabracwizard SteampunkWayOfLifeI love creating almost anything. I am a professional magician and guitarist/singer - so much to do so little time! Follow me on Twitter: @bricabracwizard

Intro: Foam Cutter (6 hours to make)A video to show how this works: I apologise in advance that I couldn't speed this video up,,,,it would have been better if it was condensed to 10 seconds anyway it'sreally just to show that the cutter works,

I was busily minding my own business when my partner asked me if I could make a hot wire cutter because she wanted to shape some polystyrene for some christmasdecorations. I think her idea was that you stick a wire in the mains and voilá you have a hot wire cutter. So after much research here and on the net I cobbled this one

together.This is a very simple contraption.

Requirements:Plywood (3 ply)1/4" copper pipe x 6cm longAluminium (for the wire tensioner)Screws and glue.Paint - if you want to make it look good, though not essential.Wire (nichrome....I tried the high e & b guitar strings..they don't last as long).Electrical wire for the connectionsPower PlugWooden batten (this is the column)Spring (I used an old camping bed spring)Coat Hanger (very technical now)Transformer (preferably the one you use for 50W halogen lights - 12volt output)Dimmer (you can control the temperature of the wire)

Power SwitchFuse Holder and Fuse (I used an 3 amp fuse)4 Rubber feet

Tools:This can be made using only hand tools....but I used:Power drillDremelCircular SawWire CutterSoldering Iron and Solder

http://steampunkwayoflife.blogspot.com.au/http://member/bricabracwizard/http://member/bricabracwizard/

8/9/2019 6 Hour Hot Wire Cutter 6 Hours to Make

3/5

http://www.instructables.com/id/6-Hour-Hot-Wire-Cutter-6-hours-to-make/

Step 1: Making the boxMy box was already made it was being thrown out by a neighbour. Cut the wood to size and screw and glue your box...leave the bottom off to install the electronics. Makesure to cut out the square to insert your column and drill out the hole to fit a copper pipe.

8/9/2019 6 Hour Hot Wire Cutter 6 Hours to Make

4/5

http://www.instructables.com/id/6-Hour-Hot-Wire-Cutter-6-hours-to-make/

Step 2: Wiring it upConnect the power through the fuse, then active wire to the switch, output from the dimmer goes to the transformer high voltage side. The ground/neutral wire goesstraight to the transformer. The 12volt output from the transformer connects to each end of the nichrome wire. Turn the dimmer all the way anti-clockwise and turn on andgradually increase the current until you are cutting through the polystyrene/foam. It really is that simple....don't touch the wire and i f you are not confident to wire this upget someone who is...safety first!

Step 3: Final stepsNow link everything together. Cut a hole in the front of the box for your dimmer/switch. Make holes in the back for your power cable and fuse holder. Put a knot in thepower cable so that it can't be accidentally pulled out. Tie the nichrome wire around the screw in the base and pull the tensioner down to screw the wire to your connectoron the arm. Finally put 4 rubber feet on the base.

8/9/2019 6 Hour Hot Wire Cutter 6 Hours to Make

5/5

http://www.instructables.com/id/6-Hour-Hot-Wire-Cutter-6-hours-to-make/

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Comments

10 comments Add Comment

gemtree says: Dec 4, 2014. 3:31 PM REPIt says 240v transformer in the drawing. Is that accurate? Or is it a 110v? Thanks.

bricabracwizard says: Dec 5, 2014. 12:17 AM REPIt is 240V....but you can buy 110V transformers with the same output.

naopak_lik says: Apr 27, 2014. 8:59 AM REPI tried to make it but not much luck I think it is because I used electronic transformer for halogen lights. Any ideas? I am sure I connected all right.

When I make it work I'll post picture. I used for base drill stand.

bricabracwizard says: Apr 28, 2014. 2:47 PM REPI used an halogen transformer rated for 50watts and it worked. Make sure your wire is not too thick. You could also wire two transformers in parallel toget more current. Good luck!

naopak_lik says: May 18, 2014. 10:57 AM REPI changed electronic halogen lighting transformer for regular one and it works. Thank you for nice tutorial. I used drill stand as base that holds hotwire.

bricabracwizard says: May 18, 2014. 5:28 PM REPGreat! You should click the 'I Made It' button and put in a picture of your foam cutter. Thanks for your nice comments.

naopak_lik says: May 18, 2014. 10:55 AM REP

kcorn11 says: Feb 4, 2014. 4:44 PM REPCan you please explain the set up for the connection on the base with the copper and screw?

GreenGuild says: Dec 6, 2013. 12:00 PM REPVery nostalgic for me. I built almost the exact same cutter back 1976. We used it to shape Styrofoam for architectural and technical drawing classes.

bricabracwizard says: Dec 16, 2013. 3:32 PM REPThose were the days!

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