Making a cutter for foam plastic. Foam cutter: we create it ourselves. Trying to cut the foam yourself

Polystyrene foam is a good heat insulator, characterized by durability and low weight. It is used to create a variety of shapes, blanks and models, as an excellent insulation material. It's quite easy to work with. But often such material is produced in the form of blocks with large geometric parameters. Cutting them with a saw or knife is very inconvenient. Products crumble, which disrupts their structure.

The problem of cutting thermal insulation material is solved by a foam cutter, often called a cutter. It can be purchased at hardware store or do it yourself. In the second case House master gets at his disposal a tool that suits him in all respects.

Elementary carver – half an hour and you’re ready!

The simplest tool for cutting sheets of foam plastic (foamed polystyrene) can be made without the slightest difficulty using 4-5 flashlight batteries and an ordinary guitar string. The process for creating a carver will be as follows:

• the batteries are connected in series to form one unit;
• A guitar string is attached to the ends of the resulting module.

As a result of these actions, a tool with an electric closed arc is obtained. The current passing through it will heat up the string. In the area of ​​its contact with the material being cut, the process of melting and cutting of the polystyrene foam sheet into two parts will be observed.

For the described homemade thermal knife to work, the string must be heated to 130–150 °C. With this simple tool you can cut 1-3 blocks of foam. It is not advisable to use it for cutting a large number of sheets because the batteries will run out very quickly.

Types of electric thermal knives and their features

If a master uses polystyrene foam regularly and performs large volumes of work, it is advisable for him to make a tool with his own hands that operates from household appliances. electrical network.Such homemade thermal knives, which do not require separate chargers, are used for:

• linear cutting;
• figured cutting.

They use a nichrome thread or a metal plate as a working thermoelement. A mandatory unit of such devices is a transformer that reduces the voltage (Figure 1). Its windings must meet the following requirements:

• cable cross-section – from 1.5 mm;
• voltage - from 100 V (primary winding), 15 V (secondary).

Experts recommend connecting the step-down device to an autotransformer (LATR), which allows you to smoothly adjust the output voltage. If you don’t want to purchase such an expensive device, you can do otherwise:

• place a switch on the secondary winding taps;
• equip the step-down transformer with a rheostat.

Linear cutting device - how to make?

A homemade thermal knife for cutting flat sheets of expanded polystyrene foam is simple design. The principle of its creation will be understood by any craftsman.

The basis of the structure is a frame made of steel profile or wooden blocks. A working surface made of particle boards and thick plywood is mounted in its lower part. Some craftsmen use PCB sheets for its construction.

Function work surface can perform and regular table or a workbench. Then there is no need for a frame. And the process of constructing the structure itself is as follows:

• Two vertical supports are mounted on a table (another flat surface), which are secured with insulators.
• A transformer is connected to the latter through electrical contacts to reduce the voltage.
• Nichrome wire is stretched between the insulators. A special weight is suspended from it. It is needed to tension the thread.

This foam cutter operates simply. An electric current passes through the thread, heating it, which leads to stretching of the wire. The load does not allow the latter to sag.

The heated nichrome thread easily cuts the foam block horizontally, which is moved by hand. As a result, flat sheets of insulating material are obtained. Their thickness is determined by the distance separating the stretched wire from the working surface of the table.

When performing the described operation, it is important to ensure the supply of polystyrene foam at the most uniform speed possible.

In cases where the material needs to be cut vertically, the design of the cutter is slightly modified. The frame must be additionally equipped with a holder. Hang a nichrome thread and a weight from it, passing the latter through a hole pre-drilled in the table. It is advisable to install a hollow metal pipe in it, which will protect the master from burns when the wire is heated.

Rules for making tools for figure cutting

If you will be cutting foam sheets of large thickness or geometric dimensions at home that do not fit on the work surface due to their parameters, it is recommended to make a thermal knife from a hacksaw or hand jigsaw.The work is performed as follows:

• The cutting blade of the jigsaw (hacksaw) is removed.
• An electrical cable is connected to the handle of the tool.
• Nichrome wire is bent at a given angle.
• The figuratively bent thread is installed in the place where the canvas was previously located and secured with nuts and screws.

All metal elements on a self-made structure are insulated. If desired, you can immediately bend several nichrome sheets at different angles. Then figured cutting will be more comfortable.

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In the kit you will find:

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Please note: the multitool runs on 4 AA batteries, which are not included. They must be purchased separately. You can also use AA batteries if you plan to use the tool frequently and do not want to regularly buy new batteries.

Naturally, you can separately buy a cutter for foam plastic, 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 questionable, and the quality is not always up to par. high level. Here you can purchase first-class products at an affordable price from a world-famous manufacturer.

Application area

Of course, first of all, this is a tool for a hobby, but the manufacturers have made sure that the tool can also be used more widely. On this moment This is a great buy for advertising producers.

The multitool can be used to make:

Promotional materials made of foam plastic - volumetric letters and 3D objects; Bright and memorable signs; Advertising stands.

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Polystyrene foam is used in many construction work. It has good thermal insulation.

However, this is a rather 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 thermal insulation qualities at the joints.

Special equipment is on sale.

However, you can make a foam cutter yourself. This will significantly save the family budget. How to create different variants tool for cutting foam plastic, it will be interesting for every master to know.

Tool type

When creating a handheld foam cutter, you should learn existing varieties this tool. There are mechanical and electric varieties. If the foam product is small in size and cutting accuracy is not so important, you can give preference to the first option of the tool.

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

Its heat loss will be minimal. When cutting unevenly, large gaps form between the joints. Through them, heat from the room will escape to the outside.

Professional designers and builders use exclusively electrical equipment for cutting foam. It is quite possible to create such a tool at home.

Simple electric cutter

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

The operating principle of this equipment is simple. The battery structure forms a single unit.

A guitar string is connected to it. When passing electric current along the circuit, it will heat up. It is in this state that the string can easily cut a sheet of foam.

When using such a tool, the material will melt. The string heats up to 120 ºС and even more. In this case, it is quite possible to cut several large slabs of foam.

If you need to do a large amount of work, this option will not work. The batteries will run out quickly. We will have to provide an option for connecting the system to a household network.

Types of electric cutters

The electric foam cutter can be used for a variety of purposes. This will determine the type of design and overall performance characteristics of the equipment. There are three main types of homemade cutters.

Designers use them. This type is used less frequently for home repairs. There is also a tool with a metal working plate.

Such equipment must have a step-down transformer in its circuit. It must be rated 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 high performance results.

Features of work

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

This material reacts quite poorly to heat.

Therefore, it is important to maintain the technology of the entire process. Cutting using a hot thread is done quickly. This allows you to achieve high quality cuts.

It's easy to check the string's heating level. To do this, a test is carried out on a test piece of polystyrene foam. If, when immersing the thread, 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 instrument a little. With proper heating, you can perform fast, accurate cutting.

Line cutting cutter

A linear cutter for foam plastic with your own hands will allow you to create blocks of material of the required dimensions. This significantly speeds up the work of the master. If necessary, this tool can be used to cut circles, triangles or squares into the foam.

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

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

Passing through the nichrome thread, the current will heat it up. It will be taut all the time thanks to the weight hanging from one side.

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

Line cutting process

When considering how to make a foam cutter with your own hands, you also need to understand how to operate it correctly. Cutting can be done vertically or horizontally. To do this, the thread is pulled in the appropriate position.

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

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

A holder is installed on it. An insulator and a nichrome string are connected to it. On its other side a load is suspended.

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

Shaped cutting

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

You can also make it yourself. This is a manual cutter for foam plastic. It is made on the basis of a manual jigsaw or hacksaw. In them, the cutting element is replaced with a nichrome string.

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

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

Also, a pulse soldering iron or 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 different shapes.

Cutter with metal plate

There is a foam cutter that uses a copper plate in its design. To create this equipment, you can convert a soldering iron.

Equipment with a power of 60 W is suitable. The heating element is removed from the device. Instead, a plate is installed here.

One side of the copper blank needs to be sharpened. This will allow you to create a more accurate cut.

The sharpening angle should not be made too large. The cutting will be done using heat. To find the required level, you will have to experiment on a test piece of foam.

This method is also used by craftsmen 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 you can cut denser polymer materials.

When choosing which foam cutter is most suitable for the craftsman’s work, you should take into account the recommendations of professional builders.

The greater the volume of work performed, the more complex the design will be. A simple battery-powered cutter is quite suitable for cutting several blocks. However, to perform a large amount of work, preference should be given to network types of equipment.

When cutting, the foam heats up. At this moment, they stand out from it into environment substances unsafe for human health. Therefore, the work is performed in a well-ventilated room or outside.

In order not to make a mistake with the cutting configuration, you should mark all the lines with a pencil before starting the action. This will avoid mistakes when cutting. These simple recommendations will allow you to do the job quickly, correctly and safely.

Having considered what options for foam cutters you can make with your own hands, every master will be able to choose the best option for myself.

Hi all. You can make many interesting things from polystyrene foam: three-dimensional letters and figures, models of ships and airplanes, art objects. It was for such purposes that I made a similar cutter from polypropylene pipe.

We will need:

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

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

To do 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 in one cable.

The entire structure is lightweight and fits comfortably in the 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 attached to 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 outputs at 2.5 Volts. This voltage is safe for humans. True, of course, there is a danger of getting burned by a hot nichrome thread.

The thread itself does not become red hot, but easily melts the foam. If you have a little experience, you can cut strips of polystyrene foam into a thin, even layer, like on a vegetable cutter. You can burn out a design: first burn a hole in the middle of the workpiece with a heated knitting needle, insert a nichrome thread and only then secure it in the holder. This is the cutter I came up with and assembled with my own hands to create crafts from polystyrene foam. That's all, thank you for your attention! ILYA05/20/2018, 00:242 803 GadgetsFacebookVKontakteTwitterGoogle+OKHello 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, you can cut out foam plastic of various shapes, necessary for different purposes, for example, aircraft modeling. This homemade product is quite easy to make, so everyone will have the materials necessary for assembly. Before reading the article, I suggest watching a video with detailed process assembling a cutter for foam plastic, as well as testing it. In order to make a cutter for foam plastic with your own hands, you will need: * Construction corner * Two wooden blocks * Self-tapping screws * Screwdriver * Nichrome thread * Unneeded stool or sheet of plywood * PC power supply * Metal corner* Copper tube* Piece of polystyrene foam for testingStep one. First you need to make a stand for the cutter, for this you can use an unnecessary stool or, if desired, make a box from a sheet of plywood. Since the unnecessary stool was standing idle, it was decided to make a base out of it; we make a hole in it for a copper pipe using a screwdriver and a wood drill.

You can get a copper tube from the condenser of an old and unnecessary refrigerator; usually a tube of a suitable diameter is used there; in this homemade product it is needed so that the nichrome thread does not burn through the wood. Step two. Next, we screw the wooden block to the end of the stool using self-tapping screws and a screwdriver, while maintaining perpendicularity with a construction angle, so that in the end the cut on this cutter is as even as possible. Then, using a metal angle, 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 required length of the copper tube using a hacksaw, press it with a metal plate to the block, screwing in two self-tapping screws, while also maintaining perpendicularity. To fix the nichrome thread, screw the self-tapping screw into the upper block at using a screwdriver. After this, take a nichrome thread and thread it through copper tubes from above and below, then we wind it onto the lower screw near the tube, then onto 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 connect the green and black wires together.

We wind the wires from the unit onto the screws and turn on the power. After the first turn on, the nichrome thread stretches slightly, so we tighten 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 desired direction, the nichrome thread cuts through it and the result is a piece of the required shape.

When working with this cutter, you must observe safety precautions and under no circumstances touch the nichrome thread with your hands. Using this cutter you can make airplane models, boats and much more that use foam plastic. 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 products with payment for the text. More details here.5Idea5Description7ExecutionFinal rating: 5.67 out of 10 (votes: 1)FacebookVKontakteTwitterGoogle+OK5To write a comment you must log in to the site via social media. networks (or register): Regular registrationInformationVisitors in the Guests group cannot leave comments on this publication.

Foam sheets require cutting and adjustment to size and shape. Every master wants to do this quickly and without unnecessary debris, obtaining a smooth edge that eliminates gaps and cold bridges. By and large, foam cutting is carried out in two ways - automatic and manual. Of course, at home, for example, to insulate a roof, you won’t need the entire arsenal, but getting to know each other will never hurt. And maybe it will inspire new approach for repairs.

Tools for cutting foam sheets differ from each other both in functionality and in the complexity of working with them.

Types and classification of hand tools

Most Popular hand tools:

• a sharp knife for foam plastic (painting knife, stationery knife or shoe knife);
• thermal knife in the form of an attachment for a soldering iron, operating on 220V;
• jigsaw or string;
• a hacksaw for metal (sometimes even used for wood, but with fine teeth).

The most common painting knife

Most builders don’t even think about how to cut polystyrene foam at home - this is the most common painting knife, which is also called a construction knife or stationery knife. The main requirement for such a tool is a solid, sharp blade, which can always be replaced, and in some cases, simply shortened - the main thing is that its length is sufficient for the thickness of the panel. A similar tool with a shortened blade (used for drywall) does not work well here.

Review of the best devices for home use

Professional innovative thermal knife

Such products, as in the top photo, were declared by the Patent Department quite recently - only in April 2010, but, despite their “youth,” they very quickly gained popularity in the market. The main obvious advantage of such a cutting tool is that after cutting PSB of any density, there is practically no debris left in the form of granules.

This device is ready for use immediately after removal from the original packaging, and it takes literally 1-2 seconds to heat up. The handle here is made of lingofol (something like wood, but with higher mechanical strength), and the cutter is made of of stainless steel and ceramics. This combination provides a fairly long service life if the breakdown is not done intentionally.

In the top image, there is another option for cutting foam plastic so as not to crumble - this is a homemade unit made from a charger and a string from a piece of nichrome. You can, of course, use unregulated current sources, for example, a battery or a charger for a cordless drill (screwdriver), but here, of course, the design will lose quality.

In addition to the power source and nichrome, you will need some kind of frame - you can even use a small one coffee table. Lovers figure cutting will appreciate such a device.

You can use a hacksaw for metal

It is not always possible to cut polystyrene foam at home with a paint knife or other devices described above due to their absence; for this you can use a hacksaw or a separate blade. Only in this case should you be prepared for the appearance of debris in the form of granules, since PSB consists of them. The teeth, even small ones, will destroy the structure, but if the cutting is done for insulation, then this does not matter from a technological point of view.

Professional laser cutting of PSB

CNC Laser Cutting Machine

Of course, you can use not only a string or a knife to cut foam, but also more modern devices with numerical program control. If you do this on an industrial scale, then CNC machines, which are controlled by a computer, are precisely suitable for such purposes. The advantage of such equipment is that an entire workshop of such units can be controlled by just one person from the operator’s cabin.

It is almost impossible to make such a car by hand.

There are different machines, more precisely, software they are given in different ways and in different volumes. That is, older models (they are still being produced, but not in the same quantity) have integrated software, and you cannot change it in the usual way, and in later developments you can independently add certain programs for making three-dimensional figures with the most bizarre and complex shapes.

Various unique shapes made using this method can be used:

• in the metallurgical industry for casting certain alloys;
• for tuning in the automotive industry;
• in industrial construction for the manufacture of formwork, sleeves for insulating pipelines, as well as for pouring any architectural forms;
• theater stage decoration;
• advertising logos, inscriptions and so on.

Sleeves for insulation of external and underground pipelines

This tool for cutting foam is the most accurate of all of the above, since computer programs, unlike the human eye, do not produce errors. Therefore you get minimal amount waste thanks to the ideal calculation of the area and volume of the figure in relation to the workpiece. There are special programs that, with a little help from the operator, can develop any configurations and transfer them to the machine.

How to make a foam cutter with your own hands

So, you want to find something to use to cut polystyrene foam, but everything in stores is expensive, and a painting knife is not suitable, since it crumbles the polystyrene foam. Make the cutting device yourself, following the instructions.

Preparation of tools and materials

To make your own cutter, you will need:

• ampere-volt-ohmmeter (tester);
• curly screwdriver;
• round nose pliers;
• knife or side cutters;
• soldering iron with solder;
• electrical tape or heat shrink;
• polypropylene tube 15-20cm long and 20-25mm in diameter (it is used for water supply);
• a piece of insulated wire made of copper, steel or solid aluminum 20-25cm long and 3mm in diameter;
• bolt with nut and washers with a diameter of 3-4mm and a length of 15-20mm;
• 25mm self-tapping screw (preferably with a press washer);
• charger 5V;
• USB cord for connecting charging to the cutter;
• nichrome length 17cm;
• a piece of insulated flexible copper wire 50-60cm.

Theoretical preparation and calculations

Now you need to determine the resistance - the net length will be only 15 cm of nichrome, but you always need to take it 1.5-2 cm more so that you have something to twist. When measuring 15cm, you will get 16.8 Ohms, and the charger is 5V, which means I=V/R=5/16.8=0.29A=290mA, that is, the current that will flow through the cutting wire. Charging at 5V has a rated current of about 550mA, that is, almost twice as much - there is more than enough reserve.

Preparation of polypropylene tube and wire

The PPR tube will serve as a handle - this is convenient, since polypropylene conducts heat very poorly, therefore, it will not heat up when the cutter is turned on.

At the end of this tube, with an indentation of 4-5 mm, make a hole for a self-tapping screw, and 60-100 mm from it another hole in order to populate the connection wiring. Bend a thick insulated wire in the shape of the letter P so that the jumper is 15 cm, and at the ends of the verticals make loops (rings) with pliers to fix the nichrome.

Assembling a homemade device

Now you can start assembling the device:

1. First of all, use a self-tapping screw with a washer to screw the U-shaped holder to the handle, having previously screwed the nichrome and copper wire onto the screw.
2. Then insert the bolt into the opposite loop, only so that the washers are on both sides - under the head and under the nut, but do not tighten the nut completely - leave some play for connection.
3. WITH inside screw nichrome between the nut and the washer, and a copper flexible wire from the outside, under the head, and tighten this homemade terminal.
4. After these steps, the main part of the cutter is ready, but there is still a connection to the power source and laying out the wiring - do not tighten the nichrome too much, but keep in mind that it will lengthen a little when heated.
5. Wind the far wire onto the contour of the holder, lowering it in this way to the handle, and then insert both (both the far and the bottom) into the second hole in the polypropylene and pull it through the opposite end of the tube. Now all you have to do is connect the device.

1. Tin the wires and solder the USB to the ends coming out of the tube - the polarity here does not matter at all, just make sure the soldering is strong, since you will hide it in the tube.
2. Wrap the connections with electrical tape (if there is heat shrink, this is even better) and push this section inside the PPR.
3. To fix the wire on the handle, you can simply melt the polypropylene with a soldering iron, plugging this end - after 3-5 minutes everything will cool down.

Foam cutter testing

That's it - now connect the USB to the charger, which, in turn, plug into a 220V outlet - heating occurs in 1-2 seconds. Try cutting off a piece of polystyrene foam - you won’t get the usual crumbs that remain when cutting with a knife or hacksaw.

Second option for making a cutter

For the second model, identical tools will be needed, only the materials for making the frame will change - the handle will be made of wood, and the holder will be made of copper without insulation.

1. Cut the handle with a jigsaw so that it is comfortable for you, that is, “fits your hand,” and at one of its ends, drill a hole to the diameter of the wire and make a hollow for laying.
2. Then wrap the copper tip with thread (along the length of the groove), insert it into the hole and groove and fill it with some superglue.
3. Now you can bend the holder in the way that is convenient for you, that is, in height, which will determine the possibility of cutting depth and length, but with the calculation of the power of the charger (carry out the calculation using the formula given for the first option).
4. Making a loop on the opposite side of the holder can be tricky, especially if you use steel, so just make the cut with a file. Screw a spring with rings at the ends to the handle using a self-tapping screw (one for fixing and the other for nichrome).

1. Solder the USB - one end to the spring, and the other directly to the holder, after cleaning its surface. Screw the nichrome first to the far end, and then to the spring - this is better for tensioning.
2. Connect the USB to the charger and try how to cut foam with such a device.

Now you know how to cut foam plastic and can easily do it with a knife or cutter to prepare slabs for roof insulation. But work for complex instruments, if you don’t have the skills, it’s better to entrust it to professionals.

Polystyrene foam is quite practical and lightweight thermal insulation material. It is often used to create various crafts. However, in the process of working with it you have to deal with one trouble - the material is difficult to cut. Polystyrene foam is produced in the form of large slabs, and in order to divide the panel into fragments, you will need to cut it.

Using a saw or knife for this purpose will not work. This is due to the fact that with any mechanical impact the structure of the material is destroyed. To avoid this, you will need to design a foam cutter yourself.

The simplest device for cutting foam plastic

The simplest foam cutter is easy to make with your own hands. For this purpose you will need to use the thinnest guitar string. In addition, you should prepare 5 large batteries for a regular electric flashlight. They must be connected in series. A string is connected to the ends of the device, thereby closing electric arc. Current will flow through the string, heating it.

When using such a device, the foam sheet will split into two parts immediately after touching the string. In this case, the material will melt along the cut edges. With this processing, the cut is as smooth as possible. The string for cutting foam must be heated to a temperature of at least 120 degrees. However, it should not exceed 150 degrees.

Checking how hot the string is is quite simple. During cutting, stuck pieces remain on the edges of the material. If they are too long, the string is not heated enough. In the absence of such pieces, it can be judged that the string is overheated.

Using such a simple device, you can process about 3 foam panels. However, it is not suitable for large volumes of work. The batteries run out pretty quickly. To extend the operating time of the cutter, you will need to build a device that runs on mains power. A few simple tips will help you understand how to make a foam cutter.

Homemade electric foam cutters

If we divide such devices into groups, they should be classified as follows:

• linear cutting device;
• thermal cutter, which is used to perform shaped cutting;
• device with a metal plate.

However, despite this classification, each device has one common element in its design. To create cutters for foam plastic, you will need to find a step-down transformer. It is necessary that this element can withstand 100 W.

Line cutting cutter

To create such devices, you should prepare working space. Usually a table is chosen for such purposes. Two vertical risers are attached to it. Each of them must have an insulator. It is necessary to stretch a nichrome thread between the insulators. A freely hanging load is suspended from it. The nichrome thread is connected to the contacts connected to the step-down transformer.

The operating principle is quite simple. The nichrome thread heats up when connected, which makes it easy to cut foam. Thanks to the suspended weight, the thread remains taut. A weight is necessary because when heated, the thread begins to sag.

The moving foam is cut with nichrome thread quickly and evenly. How thick the processed sheets will be depends on the height of the thread above the working surface of the table. The main thing is that the foam is fed at the same speed throughout the entire cutting period.

To cut sheets vertically, you will need to use a cutter of a different design. In it, the cutting wire is tensioned in a vertical position. In this case, the working surface is made of chipboard. You need to attach a frame to it. It is better if this element is made from metal profile. However wooden blocks will fit well.

The frame is equipped with a paw-holder, on which the nichrome wire is suspended. A weight is attached to its end. The wire is passed through a hole made in the working surface. To prevent it from touching the wood, the hole is protected from the inside with a metal hollow tube.

When using thermal cutters, foam plastic is not only easily cut into specific blocks. From large slabs you can cut various geometric figures, such as square, semicircle, triangle. Before work, just run a marker along the surface of the slab, marking the cut line.

Shape cutter

When working with large foam sheets, using a stationary cutter will be difficult. Such panels hardly fit on the desktop. In these cases, a handheld foam cutter is used. This tool is often made from a jigsaw. The cutting blade in these tools should be replaced with nichrome wire.

It’s quite easy to build such an electric cutter with your own hands. To make cutting shaped elements more convenient, you can make several devices that have various shapes. First, remove the cutting blade from the jigsaw and connect the wire to the handle. The voltage will be low, but the handle and other metal parts should be insulated. Nichrome wire is connected to the cable. Nuts are used for this. The wire is bent in a certain way.

You can use a soldering iron as a cutter for shaped cutting of foam plastic. It needs to be modified a little. The device already has in its design electrical wire. To create a foam cutter from a soldering iron, you will need to replace the element that heats up with nichrome wire.

This device is highly convenient to use. Thanks to this product, it is possible not only to cut slabs of material into smaller sheets, but also to make recesses in them.

Metal plate cutter

There is another way to convert a soldering iron into a foam cutter. To modify the tool, you simply need to replace the tip with a copper plate. Steel will also work, but it takes longer to heat up and is more difficult to sharpen. However, when correct sharpening A steel plate can be used to cut any synthetic material, including polystyrene foam.

One side of the plate must be carefully sharpened. Sharpening can be done on both sides. It is necessary that the sharpening angle is not too large. The cutting of the material is carried out not only by the blade, but also by the blade of the plate. Such a cutter has one drawback - you will have to empirically find optimal temperature heating the knife.

conclusions

Making a foam cutter with your own hands is quite simple. The methods listed above will help you understand the structure and operating principle of the foam cutter. Such devices are practical and easy to assemble. Each method has its own advantages, so home craftsmen can choose the most suitable one, depending on the available materials.

The issue of home insulation is very relevant these days. Cladding house facades with foam plastic is one of the most popular types of insulation. And this is very justified, because... the process of such insulation is simple and clear, and all necessary materials always available for free sale.

But everyone knows that gluing foam plastic is very convenient on flat wall. With any method of gluing foam plastic to the wall: using dry-mix glue, foam or glue-foam, it is always very important that the foam sheet fits tightly to the wall and does not create air gaps.

If the wall is smooth, then no questions arise. But, unfortunately, the walls of old houses are not ideally even. Yes and different design features structures sometimes create differences in the plane of the wall.

This drawback can be partially mitigated by laying the foam on a thicker layer of glue. But the maximum permissible thickness of the adhesive layer often cannot cover the magnitude of the differences in the plane of the walls. In addition, too large differences lead to unjustified overuse of glue.

The only way out of the situation remains is to trim the foam according to its thickness. But doing this with a hacksaw is very inconvenient and takes a long time, especially if you need to cut a large number of polystyrene foam In addition, during cutting, a large amount of debris is generated in the form of foam balls. And the surface turns out to be uneven and the accuracy of such cutting is very conditional.

In order to quickly and evenly cut foam to the desired thickness, you can use a foam cutting machine. This device can be made independently, absolutely with your own hands.

Operating principle and design of the foam cutting machine

The operating principle of the machine is based on the fact that foam plastic easily melts under the influence of temperature. Thus, if you run a thin heated wire over it, it is easily cut, forming a perfectly flat, smooth surface.

To manufacture the machine, the following components are needed:

• LATR (laboratory autotransformer) or car battery;
• nichrome thread;
• stands for fastening nichrome thread;
• spring (1-2 pcs.);
• board-tabletop;
• copper wire.

A nichrome thread (spiral) is used as a cutting object. You can either buy it in a store or extract it from old household appliances in which they were used as filaments (hair dryer, for example). The thickness of the spiral can be 0.5-1 mm. The most optimal thickness is 0.7 mm. The length depends on the width of the foam that will be cut.

An important element of the device for cutting foam is LATR. But if it doesn’t exist, then it can be made using an old transformer and a device for charging car batteries.

You can also use a computer power supply, in which wires providing 12 W (yellow and black) are used to connect to the spiral.

To operate such a machine, it is enough to have an output voltage of 6-12 W.

It is necessary to correctly adjust the length and thickness of the filament so that it matches the voltage. If the thread gets too hot, it may burst. Well, if the thread heats up slightly, then cutting will occur slowly.

A car battery can also be used as a power source. It can be used in conditions where there is no electricity on the site.

For different tasks you can do different designs devices for cutting foam.

Basically, these devices will differ in the length of the spiral. To cut polystyrene foam into bars, you need a short spiral length.

You can install two spirals and cut the sheet into several bars in one pass.

Two spirals cut the sheet into three parts in one pass. The stand has guides for smooth feeding of foam.

But, in as a last resort, foam plastic can be cut into bars with a hacksaw. It is much more difficult to cut foam plastic to thickness, and even to a given size. Therefore, let’s look at how to make a machine for cutting foam plastic to width.

Step-by-step instructions for making your own machine and cutting foam plastic

Step 1. Preparing the tabletop. You can take any piece of chipboard as a tabletop for a machine for cutting foam plastic with your own hands. the right size. The surface on which the foam will move must be smooth. Holes for the racks are drilled in the tabletop. It is convenient to use metal pins with threads with a diameter of 10-12 mm as racks. The height of the racks should correspond to the thickness of the foam sheets plus a headroom. The pin is fixed with nuts.

To give the structure stability, bars are attached to the bottom of the tabletop, which will also serve for the safe passage of the electrical wire.

Step 2. Connecting the current supply wires. From below, under the tabletop, the wires are connected to metal stand rods: the wire is wound around the lower end of the pin and pressed with a bolt.

The second end of the wires must be connected to a power source, depending on the selected method. The best connection is through a plug that connects to the LATER socket. Connection is possible through self-clamping terminals, as well as by twisting and soldering. This depends on the selected power source.

In any case, the connection must be made in accordance with the rules for working with electrical installations and devices, be convenient for work and safe during operation.

Step 3. Fastening the nichrome spiral. A nichrome spiral is fixed between two posts. A spring is attached to one end of the spiral (there may be two of them).

The spring is needed to tension the nichrome thread during operation. The fact is that when heated, the nichrome thread lengthens and sags. A thread in this condition will not produce a quality cut. Therefore, the thread is fixed in an initially tense state, so that the spring is slightly stretched.

To fasten the nichrome thread to the pin, washers with an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pin are used. A small hole is made in the washer for attaching the spiral itself. A small sharpening is also done on the inner diameter side so that the washer can be fixed on the thread of the pin.

A spring with a spiral attached to it is inserted into one washer and placed on the first pin. The second washer is put on the second pin and drilled hole thread a nichrome spiral. Next, it is tightened so that the spring stretches and fixed.

Step 4: Cutting the foam. To spread a sheet of foam into two sheets of a given size, the spiral is set to the desired height. The required distance is measured with a ruler.

The machine is then connected to a power source. The thread heats up and now you can cut the foam, smoothly moving it forward along the countertop.

The cutting speed depends on the filament temperature, which in turn depends on the applied voltage and the thickness of the filament itself. You should not try to apply more voltage to achieve high speed, because... this can lead to rapid filament burnout. Here, a balance between tension, thickness and length of the thread must be selected experimentally. The thread should not overheat during operation. When heated, it turns red or scarlet. But it should not turn white - this indicates that the thread is overheating and that it is advisable to reduce the voltage, otherwise the thread will not last long in this mode. Of course, smooth adjustment is easy to do if LATER is available. But if it is not there, then laboratory block food can be made from computer unit nutrition, the video below has more information. After you have made this foam cutting machine with your own hands, you need to make sure that the device is safe.

It must be remembered that all activities must comply with safety regulations for working with electrical appliances. The power source must be grounded and all connections must be carefully insulated. All work on assembling the machine must be carried out with de-energized wires. The machine is connected to the electrical network only while working with polystyrene foam. After work it must be turned off immediately. While working with the machine, you should avoid touching metal parts and the nichrome thread itself.

Step 4: Cutting the foam at an angle. Sometimes it becomes necessary to cut the foam so that one side is higher and the other is lower.

To do this, the spiral is set at an angle with the required parameters. In this way, foam sheets of various sections can be obtained.

Useful video