Styrofoam cutter

tanker · Post by **tanker** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:26 pm

Does anyone know where to get a cheap, battery powered stryrofoam cutter? I see the War Store sells one but they don't post a picture so I'm not willing to shell out $30 on spec. I tried Michael's craft supplies and came up bupkiss. Barring that does anyone know where to get a small spool of nichrome wire?

Thanks.

Tanker

Cav Dog · Post by **Cav Dog** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:42 am

Tanker,

Most model RR shops that carry Woodland Scenics will have the replacement spools of nichrome wire. I have an AC powered foam cutter from Woodland Scenics that works great. Also try the hot wire foam factory.

I am surprised that Micheals was out of the battery powered ones, you might also try a JoAnns fabrics...

I know, a fabric store???, but I've seen them there.

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/products/ ... t=3&page=1

Bruce Morris · Post by **Bruce Morris** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:16 am

I get the wire for my HotWireFoamFactory tools from:

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Just do a search on 'NiChrome wire'
Be advised this will be a life time supply!

Bruce

tanker · Post by **tanker** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:42 am

Cav Dog - Boy you sure have been helpful today in answering my many questions. Many thanks.

Bruce, thanks to you also. I did find one place online that had 24 ga. nichrome for $9 for a 30 foot spool but he charges $5 shipping which is more than half the product cost.

Thanks for the many leads. I'll check them all out.

Tanker

HMSDiomede · Post by **HMSDiomede** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:55 pm

Hobby Lobby also usually stocks a fairly inexpensive battery powered foam cutter. That's where I got mine, anyway....

David

Thunder · Post by **Thunder** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:38 pm

If you Google it, there are plans out there so you can build your own AC wire cutter for cheap. Also, reports I have read indicate the battery powered ones are not that good.

Scott Washburn · Post by **Scott Washburn** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:16 am

I took one of the cheap battery-powered cutters and hooked it up to an old variable-speed model railroad transformer. Not only can I adjust the heat, I never use up any batteries. And any sort of thin wire will work. I got a spool of wire used for stringing beads for 99-cents and that works fine.

I was also able to take some lumber and build a sort of hot-wire scroll saw for precision cutting.