A hot wire foam cutter is a tool used to cut expanded materials like polystyrene. It can be manual or electronic, and the wire is heated to vaporize the material for a clean cut. There are various types, including handheld, table cutters, pattern-driven cutters, and computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutters. They are used for architectural molding, film and stage props, model aircraft wings, surfboard manufacturing, and sculpture molds. Prices range from under $100 USD for hobbyists to $10,000 USD for commercial CNC models.
A foam cutter is a device, manual or electronic, used to cut expanded materials such as polystyrene. This tool is also commonly referred to as a hot wire foam cutter. A hot wire foam cutter can be made from a thin, taut wire, typically made from stainless steel, or use a thicker diameter wire that has been preformed into a specific shape. In both cases, the wire is electrically heated to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). When the hot wire is passed through the polystyrene, the heat effectively vaporizes the material just before actual contact is made, producing a clean, straight cut. Hot wire cutters make sharp, smooth edges in foam materials that cannot be duplicated with a knife or saw.
There are several types of hot wire foam cutters that vary widely in their sophistication. A simple handheld foam cutter can consist of a taut wire attached to a handle. The wire is manually guided through the larger piece of foam to cut out any desired free shape. For larger objects or for more precise cutting of the foam, a table cutter can be used. A foam cutting table can consist of vertical or horizontal wire with vise-like guides to hold the foam in place as it is moved.
Typically used by hobbyists, router bits are useful for creating small, intricate shapes. Horizontal cutters, on the other hand, are more suitable for creating customized packaging and items that require longer and more uniform cuts. A pattern-driven cutter, while still requiring a manual operator, is best suited for making multiple copies of the same shape with uniformity, although the accuracy of uniformity is still quite dependent on user skill.
A computer numerically controlled (CNC) foam cutter is by far the most accurate. Computer-controlled guides move the hot, taut wire and can form prismatic or tapered shapes. Several CNC hot wire cutters come with lathe accessories that allow for the cutting of precise spiral shapes. Applications include the creation of molds for the production of ornamental and architectural objects such as large planters, as well as capitals and balusters for railings.
In addition to architectural molding, hot wire cutters are also used in the creation of film and stage props, construction of model aircraft wings, surfboard manufacturing, and molds for sculptures. Hobbyists can purchase rudimentary hot-wire foam cutters of varying sophistication for under $100 US Dollars (USD), while commercial digital CNC models can go up to $10,000 USD.
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