Just thought I would share...there is already tons of info on this on the web but still...

I was in need of a better way to cut foam along wood edges so I finally decided to make a small hand-held hot wire cutter. Here are a few pics. Works awesome and only cost a few bucks to make.

I made the frame out of wood...you can use just about anything non-conducting. A lot of guys use pvc pipe and fittings. The wire: seen a lot of different opinions on this, but I decided to try with stuff I had around the house. This one uses a guitar string quite simply! It's .009". A couple eye bolts, some 18ga electrical wire (I doubled the leads, only because it was 4 conductor cable so why not) and a 12 volt, 15A power supply I had laying around. You can get these on Ebay for cheap. The Power supply has a voltage adjustment screw...good thing cause at 12v the wire would burn up! I dropped it down and tuned the voltage to get a nice easy cut in 2" foam. Turns out 5v is about spot on for my application. Did a few quick test cuts as you can see in the pics. Cuts through it like butter and leaves a nice smooth finish!

Do you have too worry about foam residue sticking on the wire causing problems ?
Pretty neat gadget you have built there Marc

Not at all Scott, burns right off within a matter of seconds! It's a very thin wire...gets really hot real fast, and the nice thing about it is it also cools down just as fast...within 2-3 seconds of powering it down you can touch it no problem.

That's exactly how I did mine, but I use a regular car battery charger and it works great too!! Just flip the switch to jump start and you're good to go!!!!!

This looks to be straight ingenious!
I wonder if my engineering son could reproduce a useful gizmo like that? (I could never find out myself)
Anyway: Could I use this as a "rope cutter", melting through ropes and sealing the cutted ends (fx a 12 or 15 mm rope for a real boat)?
The reason for asking about this is that an electric "rope cutter" costs about 200 USD in Denmark (!)

Cheers!

Woodie.

If you're talking about nylon rope like I use on mine...yes it will. I put a couple wraps of electical tape, and cut right in the center of the tape, leaving about a 1/4" on each side, works perfect. Just crank up the amps a little and it will slice right through it!!! Then before you take the tape off, just lightly singe it with a bic lighter!!

Oh... And DON'T put a lot of tension on it as ya do it!!!!!!!! IT WILL FRAY!!!!!!!

Hi Isuzu.

Right! If this could cut and "seal" nylon ropes, it should be perfect for me.
I can produce the handle, an just hope that my son will be able to make the electric parts.
But if it works as it should, why should the melting of the cutted parts with a lighter be nessecary?

Marc: Do you have any comments about this kind of use of your fine gadget?

Cheers!

Woodie.

I use a lighter afterwards just to make sure that everything is sealed... probably not a neccessity, just something I do...Why try to build a power source????? Just use a standard battery charger that you use on your family auto!!! If I'm cutting something thin or small, I set it on trickle charge and turn it on...wire instantly gets HOT!!!!!! If I have to cut something thick, I set it on "jump start" which kicks it up to 50amps and I could cut the world in half!!!!!! Just have to be careful on this setting, if the part is too small or you drag the cutter too slow, you get a melt-away effect, and the corners don't come out crisp and square!!!!

Right Isuzu!

"Danger" must be your middlename!

Merry Christmas!

Woodie.