Cutting pink, blue, or white foam using hot wires

[ranny9]

Kathy mentioned recently how she used a hot foam cutter to create a pathway for some wire through foam. I have decided I am in the market for a hot wire foam cutter. What brands do you use, how do you like them, or do you make your own? Versatility? Are they smelly, is there a residue to clean up? Price?

[deemery]

I've tried the Woodland Scenics and the Tippi (guy sells them at train shows including Timonium.)  The Tippi works _MUCH_ better for me than the Woodland Scenics.  However, I also bought a Hot Knife at Harbor Freight a couple years ago, but haven't tried it yet. 


dave

[oldbloodhound]

The Harbor Freight knife is junk.  I used it once and it burnt out within and hour.  Blade is too wide also.  You need the wire type.  Look for a used one or try e-bay to save some money.  I don't know why they charge so much for them.

[NEMMRRC]

Haven't there been articles showing how to make your own?

Jaime

[Dave K.]

The fumes are NOT healthy. Plan accordingly.

[ranny9]

Haven't there been articles showing how to make your own?

Jaime

I'm quite handy, and would love to make my own, but I'm running out of time 

[ranny9]

The fumes are NOT healthy. Plan accordingly.

Thanks for the reminder, Dave!

[Mike Engler]

I use a bread knife and it works great for me on pink foam with no fumes.

[ranny9]

I use a bread knife and it works great for me on pink foam with no fumes.

Another helpful post from Mike  Ok, I'll stop now 

[cuse]

I had an expensive foam knife that proved to be overly noxious and uncontrollable.


I swear by the Woodland Scenics wire cutter. My only complaint would be the wire occasionally snapping and having to be replaced. However, it's ability to cut smooth curves across multiple stacked layers of foam is unmatched for speed and neatness.


It's definitely one of my best modeling tools.


John

[ranny9]

I had an expensive foam knife that proved to be overly noxious and uncontrollable.


I swear by the Woodland Scenics wire cutter. My only complaint would be the wire occasionally snapping and having to be replaced. However, it's ability to cut smooth curves across multiple stacked layers of foam is unmatched for speed and neatness.


It's definitely one of my best modeling tools.


John

Thanks for your input!

[NEMMRRC]

I've tried both a hot wire and a serrated kitchen knife.

The knife is better for large cuts. The hot wire is better for a smooth finish along the cut line.

Either way, be careful not to cut or burn yourself.

Jaime

[Zephyrus52246]

I've used the wire, hot wide blade and a serrated knife.  The wide blade works best on large pieces of 2 inch thick foam.  I think the wire would be better for carving in curves.  Both of these make stinky fumes.  The serrated knife makes no fumes and works well on one inch thick or thinner foam.  Another item I've used is an extendable box cutter from U-line that Doug Foscale showed in one of his videos.  It works well on the one inch thick or thinner foam as well and can do curves as well.  I wear leather gloves on both hands when using this.  I'd put up a picture, but I'm at work.   

Jeff

[Oldguy]

Way back when, I made my own foam cutter using a Weller soldering gun, fashioning a set "cutting" wires from wire coat hangers.  It worked (for awhile) but extremely messy and smelly.  Since then, I stay with knives found at thrift stores.  One can even fashion specialty cutters (different widths) by filing/grinding and sharpening old silverware knives using an electric knife sharpener and/or whet stones to get the needed edge.  I even tried to sharpen an old spoon to get the profile for ditches, but failed miserably to get a sharp enough edge to make it work.

[NEMMRRC]

Way back when, I made my own foam cutter using a Weller soldering gun, fashioning a set "cutting" wires from wire coat hangers.  It worked (for awhile) but extremely messy and smelly.  Since then, I stay with knives found at thrift stores.  One can even fashion specialty cutters (different widths) by filing/grinding and sharpening old silverware knives using an electric knife sharpener and/or whet stones to get the needed edge.  I even tried to sharpen an old spoon to get the profile for ditches, but failed miserably to get a sharp enough edge to make it work.

I wonder would some of those wood carving tools already shaped like a bowl help instead of a sharpened spoon...

Jaime