Hot wire cutter

[ukracer]

I am looking to make a wide hot wire cutter similar to the one in the video

I am not sure what power supply I will need.

Anyone point me to some build videos or pages etc?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

This any good/help?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=building+a+hot+wire+cutter

 

[ukracer]

This any good/help?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=building+a+hot+wire+cutter

Found those mate . They all seem very small so I was not sure the power supplies would handle 48 inches of wire.

 

[Pete.]

Last one I made I bought the wire from a model aircraft shop and build a 2"x1" timber frame with a spanish windlass tensioner. I powered it with a stripped-out CB radio PSU. Only problem I had was the wire was much hotter in the middle than at the ends, I think it was because I was powering it with AC.


Nowadays I'd probably plump for a car battery (or 2 in series) and use a PWM controller. Electronic controllers are v cheap nowadays.

 

[gaz1]

if your using that for what i think you are dont bother with cutting the insulation with a heat saw just use an old wood saw blade its not to perfection but gives a nice clean cut just lower your angle of cutting the foam to do it

 

[ukracer]

if your using that for what i think you are dont bother with cutting the insulation with a heat saw just use an old wood saw blade its not to perfection but gives a nice clean cut just lower your angle of cutting the foam to do it

I have used my saw table to cut the 14 inch wide pieces but I have a load of 4 inch and I only want them 2 inch. They are 47 inches square..

 

[graffian]

I used to use one to cut Styrofoam. It's a bit of nicrome wire, with a really bodgy wooden bow. Each end of the nichrome is connected to the battery as expected.
I have a length of copper wire[a foot or so] with one end stripped and the other has a
croc clip on it. the bare end is twisted around the nichrome at the end, the croc clip is clipped on the nicrome and you just slide the clip along to raise or lower the resistance of
the nichrome. I was cutting a variety of different lengths and needed to vary the temp a lot.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I used to use one for cutting RC aircraft wings and it's a slow process, not worth it, I would have thought, for cutting roofing sheets.
Plus when you use a long wire there is a tendency for the wire to bow in the middle and give you a curved cut when you are after a straight one!
Get yourself a 22" Spear and Jackson First Fix Predator handsaw, 7tpi, it will cut the sheet faster than anything bar a chainsaw.

http://www.toolstation.com/m/part.html?p=34048

 

[fixerupper]

Yeah I've done a fare bit of polystyrene carving and cutting using electric chainsaws,hand saws , table saw ,knives, surforms, sand paper and hot wire , the hot wire I used a high E string off me Guitar and car battery worked fine for a bit then got very brittle and broke I 'spose . if you used a bit of piano wire and two car batteries you could make a 47inch cut as long as the frame was strong enough and you went slowly .... .you must use it in a well ventilated area cos the fumes it gives off are a killer ....jeff