Make a hot wire foam cutter in 30 minutes.

See video and pics below.
I was tired of reading and researching and pricing out hot wire cutters, so I thought about the bits and pieces of info I gathered
and decided to take the plunge and do it my way with stuff I already had.
No train transformers, dimmer switches etc… That is for a better setup in the future if I really need it
If I had 4 small alligator clips I could have done it in 15 minutes!!! Thanks to all who put info out there.

List of parts:

1x 450 Instant Starting Amps - Start It® Jump-Starter
http:/www.blackanddecker.com/Product...roductID=15582I had bought mine at SAM'S 6 years ago for $39.95. Had it on the boat, the car, the truck and it saved my butt many times.
Everyone should have one! Tell the wife.
I plugged tires and inflated them on the side of the road without removing the wheels, jump started my boat many times while I was way out there…
Also helped quite a few people with drained batteries. Now that is enough to justify getting one!

1x extension cord
1x fiberglass rod
1x guitar string
2x small alligator clips
Soldering iron
30 minutes to spare!

Note: If I had 4 small alligator clips I would have used them so as not to solder wires permanently to the battery jumper clips.
I will have to go and get 2 more so I can do a quick connect/disconnect in order to still use the jump start for its main reason of being!!!

See the video and pics. Self explanatory.
I think I will call this the "K.I.S.S." hot wire cutter.

Next is to build my vacuum forming box: I already have some leftover peg board, a wet dry vac, wood pieces and a portable rotisserie oven of good size to heat up the plastic.

The other is setting up my vacuum bagging machine to bag wings.
I will also use a simple hand pump used to check the vacuum on cars, 20-30 bucks.
(ALSO PORTABLE and does not require a power source.)

This is what I want for my hangar: http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/pr...oductId=129079
Would a really cool weather vane!!!

Visit:http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1243116 for more info on the $1 covering.

Enjoy and please contribute your feedback to this thread.
Thanks,
Lafayette.

HOT WIRE FOAM CUTTER 101.wmv (2 min 16 sec)

"I plugged tires and inflated them on the side of the road without removing the wheels,"


how did you do that?

i see you have a compressor. but how did you plug the tire? how did you get the nail out?


on a second note...i see its a bow type wire cutter. have you cut any airfoiled wings yet ? my bow cutters always cut deeper in the middle

Originally Posted by sajeev

i see you have a compressor. but how did you plug the tire? how did you get the nail out?


on a second note...i see its a bow type wire cutter. have you cut any airfoiled wings yet ? my bow cutters always cut deeper in the middle

Yes, just stop anf turn the wheel so the nail or screw is exposed, remove it ant use the special rounded ice pick looking tool that comes with the plugs. I always have plugs handy in each of my vehicles. Then just connect and start the compressor, done.

As for wings, I am waiting for some thicker foam. I am kinda lost here and 3/4 is the thickest blue or white stuff I can find. I will special order or travel around a bit.
In any case, I already had planned on laminating two 3/4 inch pieces, with the reinforcements in between the layers, and then cutting the cores.
I need some formica for my templates. I will source some out today.
I want a full profile 3D foamie wing.
Also a ribbed wing for my kid's Slow Stick(all in foam, carbon rod, and dollar store transparent cover.
I will improve my set up and make a small cutting table for depron sheets thanks to:John255 http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1221543

Also I will make a vertical bow for flat cuts and angle cuts. I need to order some wire leader.

QUOTE"my bow cutters always cut deeper in the middle"
Is your wire tight enough? Do you pull too hard on your bow when cutting?

When I have more cutting done I will post the results I get with different materials, foam block size etc...

This is a quick basic tool and someday i will have my dream form cutting and bagging setup in the garage, not in the Hangar!!! I will the be able to do more work in winter!!!

Lafayette.

Sweet just the thing I need in the garage

Originally Posted by sajeev

i see you have a compressor. but how did you plug the tire? how did you get the nail out?


on a second note...i see its a bow type wire cutter. have you cut any airfoiled wings yet ? my bow cutters always cut deeper in the middle

Is the surface,on which you do the cutting, nice and flat???
Try on a really flat surface like a glass table. See if your cut improves.
Lafayette

New pics of thin cuts of FFF using my setup, guitar string for wire.
I obtained nice cuts 1/16" and 1/64". That is paper thin. The 1/16th would be perfect for sheeting, or for wings for micro planes.

With the 1/64" I can finally make some "Walkalong gliders" for my kids and schoolmates! One for me too, I can always use the exercise!!!

No votes? Almost 10,000 views?
Quite a few are interested and benefited from this.
Little recognition would be great.
What do you think?

I love it. Great work. And I have plenty of guitar strings since i play. I see you used a bronze string in the pix. Would a stainless steel string work just as well?

Nice!!! Way to use what ya have and get things done. I like it. Good job!!! Now where is my old strings? hahaha

Originally Posted by electrich

I love it. Great work. And I have plenty of guitar strings since i play. I see you used a bronze string in the pix. Would a stainless steel string work just as well?

Stainless steel fishing leader works great. Look for 0.02 - 0.03" +/- wire size or about 50# test single strand bare.

Originally Posted by hoppy

Stainless steel fishing leader works great. Look for 0.02 - 0.03" +/- wire size or about 50# test single strand bare.

Yep, I got and use different sizes of Mason leaders which are a nikcle blend and last a long time.

The video was to show what can be done with odds and ends on the cheap!
I also built a router and a gravity table fot just a few bucks.

I,d rather buy foam or balsa or batteries!

This is really cool stuff Lafayette. Any chance of a vid shwoing how you cut the 1/16 & 1/64 thick pieces?
I have a need for 3mm & thinner foam but can't spring for new foam atm but have a lot of blue FFF and also the 2" blue.

Would love to see how you cut that stuff.

Thx for posting this.
jimmy

Originally Posted by Jimmy JFlyer

This is really cool stuff Lafayette. Any chance of a vid shwoing how you cut the 1/16 & 1/64 thick pieces?
I have a need for 3mm & thinner foam but can't spring for new foam atm but have a lot of blue FFF and also the 2" blue.

Would love to see how you cut that stuff.

Thx for posting this.
jimmy

What I did was to use different size STRAIGHT dowels, carbon rods, placed on each side of a nice flat board and used them as guides for thickness for one of my hot wire bows. Real simple and it worked very well.If you incline the board it can act as a gravity cutter, take it slow for a uniform cut. Hope that helps.
Also look at the SEEBEE build on my blog, or go to the thread I have a wire router and a gravity table build in the vids made for close to nothing.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...1284518&page=2

Nice. Thx for the info. I'm at work now so I will have to check it out this weekend. Thx again.
jimmy