SET UP.
D
A
B
P
E
C
O
N
G
M
H
F
I
J
L
K
MATERIALS
Scrounge your workshop for scrap materials to build the cutter. None of the dimensions are critical, so feel free to adapt the sizes shown here to use what you’ve got.
SAFETY WARNING:
[A] Hacksaw
[B] Drill and bits
[C] Screws and nails
[D] 18"× 18" pegboard any
thickness, tempered or not
» Styrofoam coolers [M] Model train trans-
» Leftover chunks of former One with variable
house insulation — Dow DC control is ideal.
Styrofoam “blueboard” and
Owens Corning InsulPink [N] Nichrome wire, 0.010"
are both extruded polysty- diameter, with a resistance
rene (XPS), not made from of 7Ω per foot. Get it at a
little beads, and give hobby store or online.
excellent results!
When heated, EPS
can produce benzene,
and when burned, it
gives off other noxious
fumes. So always use
your hot-wire cutter in
a very well-ventilated
area!
[E] 2× 4 lumber or any
dimensional lumber
[O] Hammer
[G] ¼"-diameter aluminum
rod, 21" long
[P] Wood handsaw
Photography by Bob Knetzger
[F] EPS foam material
Sure, you can buy it at a
craft store, but why not
get creative and recycle?
Once you start looking,
you’ll find lots of EPS foam
in everyday items you’d
otherwise throw away:
[H] Super glue or any
cyanoacrylate glue
[NOT SHOWN]
Use the train transformer’s speed control
to set the wire temperature: just warm
enough to cut the
foam. Never cut with a
red-hot, smoking wire!
[I] Test leads with
alligator clips ( 2)
Multimeter with Ω
setting (optional)
Screwdriver
[J] Bolt ( 1) with nuts ( 4)
any size
Tape measure
» Grocery store meat trays
in cool colors like black,
blue, red, and yellow!
» Picnic plates
» Coffee cups
» Fast food containers
» Packing materials
[K] Paper or cardboard
for making templates
[L] Transparent tape
Foam made by
Woodland Scenics is
specially manufactured
so that it doesn’t give
off harmful fumes when
cut with a hot wire. Get
it where model train
supplies are sold or at
woodlandscenics.com.
Make: 117
