Polyfoam is used in many construction works. It has good thermal insulation. However, this is quite fragile and crumbling material. Therefore, when cutting it, special equipment is used. Otherwise, the edges will be uneven, and the material itself will lose its heat-insulating qualities at the joints.

Special equipment is on sale. but polystyrene cutter  You can do it yourself. This will significantly save the family budget. How to create different versions of a tool for cutting foam, it will be interesting to know for each master.

Tool type

Creating polystyrene manual cutter, you should study the existing varieties of this tool. There are mechanical and electrical varieties. If the foam product has small dimensions, and the accuracy of cutting is not so important, you can give preference to the first version of the tool.

However, in order to ensure a tight fit of the foam plates to each other, it is necessary to ensure high precision cutting. The edges should be smooth. In this case, it is possible to create a high-quality insulation layer. Its heat loss will be minimal. With uneven cutting, large gaps form between the joints. Through them, the heat from the room will go out.

Professional designers and builders use only electrical equipment for cutting foam. At home, it is quite possible to create a similar tool.

Simple electric cutter

Considering how to make a foam cutter, you should study the design of the simplest equipment of this class, which is powered by electricity. In this case, you need to prepare a thin guitar string and several batteries (for example, from a flashlight).

The principle of operation of this equipment is simple. The design of the batteries forms a single unit. A guitar string is connected to it. With the passage of electric current through the circuit, it will heat up. It is in this condition that the string can easily cut the foam sheet.

During the operation of such a tool, the material will melt. The string heats up to 120 ºС and even more. At the same time, it is quite possible to cut several large plates of foam. If you need to perform a large amount of work, this option will not work. The batteries will run out quickly. You will have to provide for the option of connecting the system to a domestic network.

Varieties of Electric Cutters

Electric polystyrene cutter  can be used for different purposes. The type of construction and overall performance of the equipment will depend on this. There are three main varieties of homemade cutters.

The first category is used for linear cutting. The second group includes cutters, which perform curly cutting of the material. They are used by designers. To carry out home repairs, this variety is used less often. There is also a tool with a metal work plate.

Such equipment must have a step-down transformer in its circuit. It should be designed for a minimum power of 100 watts. The secondary winding of the transformer must have a cross section of at least 1.5 mm. It must withstand a voltage of 15 V. In this case, you can achieve a high result of work.

Features of work

By studying how to make a manual foam cutter yourself, it is also necessary to consider the features of the operation of such equipment. As mentioned above, such an instrument has a string. It heats and melts the surface of the foam.

Such material does not react well enough to heat. Therefore, it is important to withstand the technology of the entire process. Cutting with a hot thread is fast. This allows you to achieve high quality cut.

Checking the string's heating level is easy. To do this, a test piece of foam is tested. If, when the thread is immersed, long pieces of material remain on it, it has not yet warmed up enough. If there is no foam on the string at all, then the temperature is too high. In this case, you will have to cool the tool a little. With proper heating, it turns out to perform fast, accurate cutting.

Linear Cutter

Linear do-it-yourself foam cutter  will allow you to create blocks from the material of the required dimensions. This greatly speeds up the wizard. If necessary, this tool can cut circles, triangles or squares in the foam.

Two racks are vertically mounted on the table surface. Two insulators are attached to them. A nichrome thread is stretched between them. This alloy heats quickly, providing sufficient temperature for cutting. A freely hanging load is passed through one of the racks. The wires from the transformer are connected to the filament.

Passing through the current will heat it. She will be pulled all the time thanks to the load hanging on one side. This is necessary since the string may sag during heating. If desired, the design can be modified by adding a spring instead of the load. However, the original version is easier to implement.

Linear cutting process

Considering how to make a foam cutter with your own hands, you must also understand how to work properly. Cutting can be performed vertically or horizontally. To do this, pull the thread in the appropriate position.

If the string is stretched horizontally, you can use it to make the same cuts. Polyfoam is evenly pulled across the table. The thread will evenly cut it into the required pieces.

When cutting the structure vertically, a metal or plywood frame is added. A holder is mounted on it. An insulator and a nichrome string are connected to it. On the other hand, the load is suspended. It will go through the hole drilled in the table. It should be large enough and covered with special insulating material. Next, you can perform vertical cutting.

Figure cutting

If you need to cut out sufficiently large sheets of polystyrene foam or create decorative elements, sculptures from this material, a special type of equipment is used. It can also be done independently. It's manual polystyrene cutter.  It is made on the basis of a manual jigsaw or hacksaw. In them, the cutting element is changed to a nichrome string.

If you want to create curly elements, you can make several tools of various shapes. A wire is connected to the jigsaw handle. It must be carefully isolated. Otherwise, working with this equipment will be unsafe. A nichrome string is attached to the contacts of the wire. This can be done with nuts and screws with washers.

Also, a pulsed soldering iron or a wood burner may be suitable for creating such equipment. This tool is considered convenient. From such equipment, their working element is removed and replaced with a piece. In this case, the threads can be given a different shape.

Metal plate cutter

Exist polystyrene cutter,  in the design of which it is used. To create this equipment, you can remake the soldering iron. Suitable equipment with a capacity of 60 watts. The heating element is removed from the device. Instead, a plate is installed here.

One side of the copper billet must be sharpened. This will allow you to create an incision of greater accuracy. The sharpening angle should not be made too large. Cutting will be done by heating. To choose its required level, you will have to experiment on a trial piece of polystyrene.

This method is also used by masters of various skill levels and profiles. If necessary, the copper plate can be replaced with a steel billet. This option will require more effort when sharpening. But with the help of such a tool it is possible to cut more dense polymeric materials.

Choosing which polystyrene cutter  more suitable for the master, you should consider the recommendations of professional builders. The larger the volume of work performed, the more complicated the design will be. A simple battery-powered cutter is well suited for cutting several blocks. However, to carry out a large amount of work, network types of equipment should be preferred.

When cutting, the foam heats up. At this moment, substances unsafe for human health are released into the environment. Therefore, work is performed in a well-ventilated room or on the street.

In order not to make a mistake with the configuration of the cutting, it is necessary to outline all the lines with a pencil before starting the action. This will avoid cutting errors. These simple recommendations will allow you to perform work quickly, correctly and safely.

Having considered what options for cutters for foam can be done with your own hands, each master will be able to choose the best option for himself.

Polyfoam (extruded polystyrene foam) is used as thermal insulation for external and internal decoration, used for packaging goods or manufacturing prefabricated structures. The material is available in the form of sheets that are cut in place and adjusted to fit the surface. For quick cutting of the foam, you will need a special device that allows you to make a straight or curly cut.

Manual processing of foam is possible at home and in small workshops with a simple device assembled from improvised materials. Extruded polystyrene foam has a fairly dense structure, therefore plates can be cut with a metal toolheated to a certain temperature. As a cutting surface, a wire supplying electric current is suitable, with the supply of which the main difficulty of assembly is connected.

A self-made machine makes it possible to obtain tiles or bars of suitable thickness from ordinary polystyrene foam for packaging with their further application in various designs. Such a device can also cut foam rubber or similar materials that are needed for the manufacture or repair of upholstered furniture. The compact dimensions of the do-it-yourself foam cutting attachment with nichrome allow you to install the machine in a small workshop or even on the balcony.

For cutting foam at home, you will need a design that can be assembled from simple materials available in any hardware store. First you need to determine the parameters of each element, taking into account the dimensions of the foam plates that will have to be processed . In most cases, the following details are sufficient:

1. The basis of dense plywood, particleboard or solid. You can order new parts or use elements of old furniture (doors, walls, shelves). A 400 x 600 mm base is sufficient for working with polystyrene.
2. String or wire in the form of a thermal knife for polystyrene foam.
3. Metal racks, screws, springs or conventional nails for fixing the wire. The torch mounting height depends on the expected thickness of the finished plates.
4. Mounts for parts on the base. Just a few screws that fix the structural elements.

To collect a thermoset, it will take up to one hour of working time. Each of the structural elements can be quickly replaced in the process of repair or expanding the capabilities of the device.

Action algorithm

To make a device for cutting polystyrene foam or similar materials, you need the most ordinary tools (hammer, screwdriver, pliers). You can work anywhere with enough space (balcony, room, hallway, garage, etc.). No involvement of assistants or outside experts is required.

Assembly is carried out in the following order:

Legs can be attached to the base, which will increase stability when cutting foam plastic with a string.

How to choose a cutting wire

A suitable cutter can be made of nichrome wire (X20H80), which is used in the design of most household appliances as a heating element. In terms of mechanical characteristics, nichrome is comparable to ordinary steel, and at the same time it has a high specific resistance and a heating limit of up to +1200 ºC. A wire with a diameter of up to 10 mm is available for the manufacture of cutting devices.

Exact and smooth polystyrene threading is possible when the cutting line is heated to a temperature that is two to three times higher than the melting threshold (+270 ºC). It should be borne in mind that such a process involves the consumption of energy and the absorption of heat by the material itself in proportion to its density. Therefore, for efficient and safe cutting, you need to choose a wire of suitable thickness in order to exclude the melting of the metal at maximum heat.

Calculation and preparation of the electrical part

For the safe operation of the device, it is necessary to correctly mount the conductive elements that are connected to the source of electricity through the terminal block. To cut the material, you can use alternating or direct current. The source power is calculated based on the fact that up to 2.5 W will be required for efficient cutting of 10 mm of wire (for 500 mm - 125 V).

The voltage is proportional to the resistance and is calculated by formulas or tables. But on average, with a wire diameter of 0.8 mm, a length of 500 mm and a resistance of 2.2 Ohms, a 12 V current source with a load current of 12 A will be needed. Changing the length up or down will require a similar increase or decrease in voltage with the same force current.

Sources of electricity and wiring diagram

Safe cutting is provided by connecting to a regular household 220 V network through a car transformer. To adjust the voltage in a single primary winding, a handle is provided with which the graphite wheel is moved and the voltage is removed from the corresponding section. This parameter can be changed in the range from 0 to 240 V. Connection to the power source is carried out through the terminal box.

When connecting a homemade foam cutting machine to the electrical network, you need to make sure that the phase does not fall on the common wire. All the necessary parameters and wiring diagram can be found on the transformer housing. Before connecting to the network, you need to check the operability of the device using a multimeter.

A simpler option for supplying current to the wire is to use conventional step-down transformers with taps from the secondary windings. In this case you do not have to select a voltage value, since this value is always constant and sufficient to heat the wire to the desired temperature. You can select the desired value during the initial setup of the transformer, providing a certain number of turns of the windings in the circuit.

You can heat the wire for cutting polystyrene using household appliances. The following nuances are taken into account:

It must be borne in mind that the live cutting tool will immediately be hot, therefore it must not be touched to check the temperature.

To make a thermal knife for polystyrene foam or foam rubber, it will not take a significant investment of effort and time. For this, a wire of almost any diameter is suitable, but with unknown parameters (diameter, resistance), you need to increase the power gradually, by connecting low-power sources first. Reliable contact isolation and phase position control, which cannot be connected to the wire, are of great importance.

We present to your attention a unique set: a foam cutter, a battery-powered soldering iron and a wood burner. A new development by Star Tec, which will surely appeal to lovers of crafts, pyrography and those who simply work on creating original things with their own hands.

In fact, this multitool combines three tools, while remaining compact, convenient to use and productive. And its main feature is the Plug and Start system, thanks to which you only need to change the tip of the main unit and you can work.

In the kit you will find:

And most importantly: the manufacturer does not limit the buyer only to this package. You can buy other nozzles of various shapes. All of them allow you to carry out truly jewelry work with high accuracy and very neat.

Please note: the multitool is powered by 4 AA batteries, which are not included. They need to be purchased separately. You can use AA batteries, if you plan to use the tool often and do not want to regularly buy new batteries.

Naturally, you can buy a foam cutter separately, buy a battery-powered soldering iron and a burner. But you will have to spend an order of magnitude more, the ease of use is extremely doubtful, and the quality is not always at a high level. Here you can purchase first-class products at an affordable cost from a world famous manufacturer.

Application area

Of course, this is primarily a tool for a hobby, but manufacturers have made sure that the tool has found wider application. This is currently a great buy for advertising makers.

The multitool can be used for the manufacture of:

Foam advertising materials - 3D letters and 3D objects; Vivid and catchy signs; Advertising stands.

It is also used for the original decoration of interior interiors of premises and facades, the creation of dummies and letters, shockproof packaging and the like. The scope of operation is limited only by your imagination and occupation. A great buy for your money for everyone who is used to creating something new with their own hands and cannot imagine their life without it.

The advantages of buying a soldering iron or a cutter for polystyrene do-it-yourself in our company

At the moment, our offer is unique in the market.

A new product, which simply does not have analogues and is unlikely to appear in the future. The original development of Star Tec, with which we work directly and without intermediaries. Accordingly, we guarantee our customers the following advantages:

Prices from the manufacturer without undue margins and overpayments; 1 year warranty for each buyer; Products are supplied exclusively from Germany.

We will not deny that you can make a cutter for polystyrene with your own hands, and you can buy a soldering iron at a ridiculous price on some Chinese site. The question is, how high quality, functional and reliable will such tools be? And are you ready to sacrifice the result for the sake of dubious savings?

Order a multi-functional burner, torch and soldering iron 3 in 1 with us, work with pleasure and convenience, create something new and original every day!

i confirm my legal capacity, I consent to the processing of my personal data.\u003e

Polyfoam is used in many construction works. It has good thermal insulation.

However, this is quite fragile and crumbling material. Therefore, when cutting it, special equipment is used. Otherwise, the edges will be uneven, and the material itself will lose its heat-insulating qualities at the joints.

Special equipment is on sale.

However, the cutter for foam can be made independently. This will significantly save the family budget. How to create different versions of a tool for cutting foam, it will be interesting to know for each master.

Tool type

When creating a manual cutter for polystyrene foam, you should study the existing varieties of this tool. There are mechanical and electrical varieties. If the foam product has small dimensions, and the accuracy of cutting is not so important, you can give preference to the first version of the tool.

However, in order to ensure a tight fit of the foam plates to each other, it is necessary to ensure high precision cutting. The edges should be smooth. In this case, it is possible to create a high-quality insulation layer.

Its heat loss will be minimal. With uneven cutting, large gaps form between the joints. Through them, the heat from the room will go out.

Professional designers and builders use only electrical equipment for cutting foam. At home, it is quite possible to create a similar tool.

Simple electric cutter

Considering how to make a cutter for polystyrene, you should study the design of the simplest equipment of this class, which is powered by electricity. In this case, you need to prepare a thin guitar string and several batteries (for example, from a flashlight).

The principle of operation of this equipment is simple. The design of the batteries forms a single unit.

A guitar string is connected to it. With the passage of electric current through the circuit, it will heat up. It is in this condition that the string can easily cut the foam sheet.

During the operation of such a tool, the material will melt. The string heats up to 120 ºС and even more. At the same time, it is quite possible to cut several large plates of foam.

If you need to perform a large amount of work, this option will not work. The batteries will run out quickly. You will have to provide for the option of connecting the system to a domestic network.

Varieties of Electric Cutters

An electric foam cutter can be used for a variety of purposes. The type of construction and overall performance of the equipment will depend on this. There are three main varieties of homemade cutters.

They are used by designers. To carry out home repairs, this variety is used less often. There is also a tool with a metal work plate.

Such equipment must have a step-down transformer in its circuit. It should be designed for a minimum power of 100 watts.

The secondary winding of the transformer must have a cross section of at least 1.5 mm. It must withstand a voltage of 15 V. In this case, you can achieve a high result of work.

Features of work

Studying how to make a manual foam cutter yourself, you also need to consider the features of the functioning of such equipment. As mentioned above, such an instrument has a string. It heats and melts the surface of the foam.

Such material does not react well enough to heat.

Therefore, it is important to withstand the technology of the entire process. Cutting with a hot thread is fast. This allows you to achieve high quality cut.

Checking the string's heating level is easy. To do this, a test piece of foam is tested. If, when the thread is immersed, long pieces of material remain on it, it has not yet warmed up enough.

If there is no foam on the string at all, then the temperature is too high. In this case, you will have to cool the tool a little. With proper heating, it turns out to perform fast, accurate cutting.

Linear Cutter

Do-it-yourself linear cutter for polystyrene foam will allow you to create blocks from the material of the required dimensions. This greatly speeds up the wizard. If necessary, this tool can cut circles, triangles or squares in the foam.

Two racks are vertically mounted on the table surface. Two insulators are attached to them.

A nichrome thread is stretched between them. This alloy heats up quickly, ensuring sufficient temperature for cutting. A freely hanging load is passed through one of the racks. The wires from the transformer are connected to the filament.

Passing along a nichrome thread, the current will heat it. She will be pulled all the time thanks to the load hanging on one side.

This is necessary since the string may sag during heating. If desired, the design can be modified by adding a spring instead of the load. However, the original version is easier to implement.

Linear cutting process

When considering how to make a foam cutter with your own hands, you also need to understand how to work properly. Cutting can be performed vertically or horizontally. To do this, pull the thread in the appropriate position.

If the string is stretched horizontally, you can use it to make the same cuts. Polyfoam is evenly pulled across the table. The thread will evenly cut it into the required pieces.

When cutting the structure vertically, a metal or plywood frame is added.

A holder is mounted on it. An insulator and a nichrome string are connected to it. On the other hand, the load is suspended.

It will go through the hole drilled in the table. It should be large enough and covered with special insulating material. Next, you can perform vertical cutting.

Figure cutting

If you need to cut out sufficiently large sheets of polystyrene foam or create decorative elements, sculptures from this material, a special type of equipment is used.

It can also be done independently. This is a manual cutter for polystyrene. It is made on the basis of a manual jigsaw or hacksaw. In them, the cutting element is changed to a nichrome string.

If you want to create curly elements, you can make several tools of various shapes. A wire is connected to the jigsaw handle. It must be carefully isolated.

Otherwise, working with this equipment will be unsafe. A nichrome string is attached to the contacts of the wire. This can be done with nuts and screws with washers.

Also, a pulsed soldering iron or a wood burner may be suitable for creating such equipment. This tool is considered convenient. Their working element is removed from such equipment and replaced with a piece of nichrome wire. In this case, the threads can be given a different shape.

Metal plate cutter

There is a polystyrene cutter that uses a copper plate in the construction. You can remake the soldering iron to create this equipment.

Suitable equipment with a capacity of 60 watts. The heating element is removed from the device. Instead, a plate is installed here.

One side of the copper billet must be sharpened. This will allow you to create an incision of greater accuracy.

The sharpening angle should not be made too large. Cutting will be done by heating. To choose its required level, you will have to experiment on a trial piece of polystyrene.

This method is also used by masters of various skill levels and profiles.

If necessary, the copper plate can be replaced with a steel billet. This option will require more effort when sharpening. But with the help of such a tool it is possible to cut more dense polymeric materials.

When choosing which cutter for foam is more suitable for the master, you should consider the recommendations of professional builders.

The larger the volume of work performed, the more complicated the design will be. A simple battery-powered cutter is well suited for cutting several blocks. However, to carry out a large amount of work, network types of equipment should be preferred.

When cutting, the foam heats up. At this moment, substances unsafe for human health are released into the environment. Therefore, work is performed in a well-ventilated room or on the street.

In order not to make a mistake with the configuration of the cutting, it is necessary to outline all the lines with a pencil before starting the action. This will avoid cutting errors. These simple recommendations will allow you to perform work quickly, correctly and safely.

Having considered what options for cutters for foam can be done with your own hands, each master will be able to choose the best option for himself.

Hello everyone. Many interesting things can be made of polystyrene foam: three-dimensional letters and figures, models of ships and aircraft, art objects. It was for such purposes that I made a similar cutter from a polypropylene pipe.

We will need:

Polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 20 mm; Two brackets for 20 mm; Fittings; Furniture corners; Nichrome wire; Power transformer; Wire; Nuts with bolts.

The holder itself was assembled from a polypropylene pipe and fittings with the ability to control the depth of cut.

For this, the U-shaped part is mounted on brackets and can move freely relative to the handle. A 1.5 mm copper wire is laid in the cavity of the tube, coming out of the handle with one cable.

The whole structure is lightweight and fits comfortably in your hand. If necessary, it folds up and does not take up much space.

The nichrome thread was taken from the Soviet, variable resistor SP5. It is mounted on corners soldered into the tube by heating.

A Soviet transformer with a power of 150 W was taken as a power source, which has one of the 2.5 Volt terminals. This voltage is safe for humans. True, of course, there is a danger of getting burned with a hot thread of nichrome.

The thread itself does not red-hot, but it easily melts polystyrene. If you have little experience, you can cut the foam strips in a thin even layer, like on a vegetable cutter. You can burn out the picture: pre-burn a hole with a heated needle, insert a nichrome thread and only then fix it in the holder. Here is a cutter that you invented and assembled with your own hands to create crafts polystyrene. That's all, thank you for your attention! ILYA20-05-2018, 00: 242 803AdaptationsFacebookVKontakteTwitterGoogle + OKHi to all lovers of homemade products. In this article I will tell you how to make a foam cutter with your own hands.

With its help, it is possible to cut polystyrene foam of various shapes, necessary for different purposes, for example, aircraft modeling. This homemade product is quite easy to manufacture, so everyone needs the materials necessary for assembly. Before reading the article, I suggest watching a video with a detailed process of assembling a cutter for polystyrene foam, as well as testing it. In order to make a cutter for polystyrene your with your hands, you will need: * A building corner * Two wooden bars * Self-tapping screws * A screwdriver * A nichrome thread * An unnecessary stool or sheet of plywood * A power supply from a PC * A metal corner * A copper tube * A piece of foam for testing Step one. With acala to do rack cutter that can be used for an unnecessary stool or desired to make a sheet of plywood boxes. Since the unnecessary stool was idle, it was decided to make a base out of it, we make a hole for it in the copper tube using a screwdriver and a drill on wood.

You can get a copper tube from the condenser of an old and unnecessary refrigerator, usually a tube of suitable diameter is used there, in this homemade product it is needed so that the nichrome thread does not burn the tree. Step two: Next, we fasten the wooden block to the end of the stool with the help of screws and a screwdriver, while maintaining the perpendicularity of the building angle so that in the end the cut on this cutter is as even as possible. Then, using the metal corner, we attach another block to the wooden block at an angle of 90 degrees, in the end it should turn out something like this. Step three. Having cut off the necessary length of the copper tube with a hacksaw for metal, we press it with a metal plate to the bar, screwing in two screws, while also observing the perpen To fix a nichrome thread, we screw a self-tapping screw into the upper block using a screwdriver. After that, take a nichrome thread and thread it into copper tubes from above and below, then wind it on the lower screw near the tube, then on the upper one, making a slight stretch. Now we connect the power supply from the computer, for it to work without a PC, you need to close the green and black wires between each other.

We wind the wires from the block to the screws and turn on the power. After the first inclusion, the nichrome thread is slightly stretched, so we pull it again and you can check the cutter in action. Step four. Check the finished cutter on the foam. We turn on the power supply and move the foam in the right direction, a nichrome thread cuts it through and as a result we get a segment of the necessary shape.

When working with this cutter, you need to follow safety measures and in no case do not touch the nichrome thread with your hands. With the help of this cutter, you can make aircraft models, boats and much more, where foam is used. That's all for me, thank you all for your attention and creative success . Become the author of the site, publish your own articles, descriptions of homemade goods with payment for text. Read more here.5Idea5Description7Fulfillment Final rating: 5.67out of 10 (votes: 1) FacebookVKontakteTwitterGoogle + OK5To write a comment you must be logged into the site through social. network (or register): Regular registrationInformationVisitors in the Guests group cannot leave comments on this publication.

Polyfoam is a durable, lightweight and very good thermal insulation material. Performing work with him is very simple. But there are some nuances in working with this material.

Since it is made in the form of large plates, it is often necessary to resort to trimming them. You can do this using an ordinary knife, but no matter how hard you try to do it carefully, they won’t succeed.

And all because of the mechanical impact will be a violation of the structure of the foam. That is why experts recommend using a cutter exclusively or, as it is also called, a foam cutter for such actions.

You can, of course, buy such a multifunctional tool, but if you do it yourself, you can adapt it to your needs and, of course, save money.

If you plan to work with a torch for industrial purposes, it is still better to buy an electric device that will be designed for large and frequent loads.

How to do it yourself

  The need for a cutter can arise at any time, if you quite often do any housework. Perhaps someone came across the fact that it is necessary to make the part, resorting to a special form for casting with epoxy resin.

And to do this, you will need a piece of polystyrene. For example, you can use polystyrene from the packaging of the TV. It is necessary to draw on it with a ruler, compass and ballpoint pen the places where in the future it will be necessary to make holes.

This is where the need for an electric cutter arises. After all, to perform this action without spoiling the foam sheet will be difficult without such a tool. Consider one of the options how to make a device of this type at home.

A homemade device for cutting can be of various designs. It is from her and the type of cutting that will depend on how the cutter copes with its goals.

Views

Before you start making a cutter, you should decide what purpose you need it for, because depending on the goals, they are divided into several groups:

• with metal work plate;
• for linear cutting;
• for figured cutting.

Stages of creation

Since linear cutting is the most common, let's look at this particular option in more detail:

1. Cutting part.  To do this, you need a nichrome wire, approximately a spiral with a diameter of 0.6 mm. It can be taken from old electric stoves or other heating appliances. The length of such a wire should be 14 cm (its resistance will be 2 ohms).
2. Transformer application.  In order for everything to be true, the first step is to calculate the voltage and current for heating the cutting part. This can be done using the formula - Ohm's law I \u003d U / R. Thus, you can determine the power of the power transformer.
3. Making a cutter.  The base can be made of any metal, but its length must be at least 11 cm. Next, an insulator - a plate of textolite - must be attached to the end. And now on the edges of the plate to fix the contact group, they can be removed from the power outlet. It is in these contacts that spirals with different shapes can be fixed.
4. How does the cutter work?  After the torch is plugged in, its spiral will heat up and become slightly reddish in color. This is what matters, since a heated cutter will make it possible to easily and quickly cut polystyrene, which will not peel off.

It's important to know:  having received such a device, in just three minutes it will be possible to cut the necessary shape from a sheet of foam.

Be sure to follow all safety rules so as not to injure yourself and others. After all, the power of the torch is enough to damage any part of the body during operation. And connecting to electricity further increases the risk of injury.

Phased production of thermal cutter

  You can make a thermosack using a burner or a soldering iron and an old jigsaw. Consider the manufacture of such a device step by step:

1. 1. Sleeve.  Initially, you need to do the main and most difficult thing - the sleeve. So, for this, the plate must be bent, turned. Further, a hole must be made in the sleeve, a thread will be inserted thereafter.
   2. Burner. You need to cut off the wire that leads to the hole, and take the appropriate connectors, then solder to the gap.

Note:  Such areas must be isolated.

1. 1. After everything is done, you can connect a thermosink.  Saw the old jigsaw in half. Attach the prepared plate-foot to the screws in advance on the upper part. But the bottom is fixed to the base using self-tapping screws.
   2. Insert the sleeve into the foot.  Now, with special attention, it is necessary to mark the point under the bore hole from the hole along a plumb line or a square. Next, drill a hole in the base. The diameter of the hole in the base should be about 5 mm.
   3. Thermal cutting.  So, when everything is ready, you need to straighten the nichrome wire. To do this, you should turn on the burner and use the wires from it to touch the edge. Everything must be done in such a way that there is a distance between the wiring equal to the height of the device. If the thread does not heat up, but the burner starts to hum, find a thinner wire. This is necessary because your chosen resistance is insufficient.

Take note:  Nichrome should be hot, but should not heat up to red. If the string turns red, it is necessary to reduce its heating by means of the regulator. In the event that nichrome red is even at a minimum, then the compensator should be left above the spring by 5-10-15 cm of nichrome wire. And only after that you can pick up the contact.

1. The operation of the device.  With a pre-installed guide, you need to cut the foam dies of a given thickness, you can also make the shape curly.

Application

  If you are doing repairs or cutting wood, or you need to cut a piece of plywood, then an electric cutter is very useful for you, which can also be used even for cutting thick fabric.

If you think that for all of the above actions it will be enough for you to apply a thermal knife, or hacksaws are enough, then you are mistaken.

After all, a hacksaw will not make the edges smooth and not torn, as is the case with the cutter.

Those who are planning to insulate an apartment or a newly-built house with their own hands should definitely get acquainted with the ways that foam cutting is carried out at home, because this is one of the most popular and affordable ways of insulation.

Polyfoam is a foam material and for the most part consists of air, so it is very light and easy to work with. However, you should not think that no problems arise, because apart from everything, polystyrene is a rather fragile material. Therefore, if you use an electric grinder, then you should not rely on flat edges, in addition, the entire room and platform will be strewn with crumbled polystyrene.

No matter how sharp the knife is, the material will still crumble. Of course, this is a minor defect and the sheets will be suitable for use, but cleaning will turn into a troublesome event. There is a way out of this situation, you can use the thermal knife. In this case, the edges of the material are melted and it does not crumble. But this is bad luck, such a device costs a lot, but in principle, you can heat an ordinary knife. However, in this case, one must be very careful so as not to get a burn, and the work will be significantly delayed.

For this purpose, you can use various cutting tools, for example, a grinder, only then you should use the thinnest disc. Very often, builders use a simple sharp knife. Sometimes it is advised to take a hacksaw with very small teeth, but the latter method is very dubious. In addition, special thermal knives designed for working with polystyrene are sold in stores.

The thermal knife heats up to 600 ° C in only 10 seconds. However, this tool is quite expensive, so it does not always make sense to buy it.

The way out in many cases will be a device for cutting foam sheets, made independently. Probably, it is somewhat cumbersome, but with the necessary components, it is absolutely free and always available. And if you have to do large-scale work, for example, in front of you, which you built for your large family, then the question of how to conveniently cut the foam, and a lot more quickly, will not come up throughout the event, no matter how long it takes.

In order to assemble the foam cutter, you will need a tabletop, a pair of springs, M4 screws and racks 28 mm long, as well as a nichrome thread, which will act as a cutting tool. First, we make two holes in the base, press the racks into them, and saw a small groove at the base of the screw head, thanks to which the thread will be securely fixed in the set position.

When everything is assembled, we fasten the string to the screws, but since it can sag during heating, you should connect it through the springs, then the thread will always be in a tight position. The power source is connected to such a device through ordinary twists. So you can make a homemade and very effective cutter for polystyrene foam, while spending a minimum of effort, time and money.

We try to cut the foam yourself

Now let's talk a little about various technologies, methods, and, of course, we will give detailed instructions on what and how to do.

How to cut polystyrene on your own - step by step scheme

Step 1: Preparatory work

It doesn’t matter what kind of tool you are going to use - a knife, nichrome thread or other cutting devices, you still need to start with marking. So we take a ruler, square, tape measure, pencil and put marks on the surface of the sheet, then connect them in a line. In general, we draw the contours of the future section.

There are more ways you can. For example, using a nichrome thread. In this case, a small current is supplied to it, which is able to heat the string to the desired temperature, and cutting is carefully performed along a given contour. Of course, the quality of the cut in this case will turn out much better, however, you will have to work a little to make the machine. Therefore, this method is not always justified, if you need to process only a few sheets, there is simply no point in wasting time on the design of the device. As you can see, it is impossible to give a definite answer on what is better to cut polystyrene foam, it all depends on the volumes and skills.