Hot Wire Foam cutter

youmagine

This DIY cutting system repurposes an old cutting board my wife was about to toss. It boasts approximately 9cm of cutting clearance, 16cm of reach, and a rubber band that keeps the wire taut while it's heated up. The main horizontal arm is securely attached to the vertical support via a pivot point. A rubber band at one end maintains tension on the wire as it heats up. The wire loops around the screws, as shown in the accompanying photo. Hidden from view are the power leads that get clipped onto the 6-32 screws at each end of the wire. Using my 40 gauge nichrome wire and a reliable power supply, I successfully pushed 8 to 9VDC through the wire while maintaining about 300mA. This allowed me to cut closed-cell Polyethylene foam with ease. Keep in mind that power requirements will vary depending on what you're cutting and the type of wire used. For anyone interested in modifying this design, Sketchup files are included, so feel free to customize as needed. The arm itself is a relatively long piece measuring 243mm from one end of the mouse-ears I added to the model. You might need to break it up for easier printing. This entire system prints without support, with only a small bridge required on the vertical stand piece.