I've seen guys making this process a lot more complicated (than needed) building CNC cutting machines and you did the opposite, make it as simple as possible! Using just one template and the nichrome wire!! Bravo!!!
What you do is amazing to me. I've always wondered how these things were made. Thanks.
14 лет назад
Hi! The wire is "Nicrothal 80", 0.3 mm thick. The foam is bluecore/fanfold. For this type of foam 2.5A though the wire gives a good cutting speed. The voltage will vary depending on the wire length. Good luck!
Could you put up a video of how you build the foam cutter (materials, asembly, etc) and also how you made the mold and what material you use for the mold?? very smart by the way! great wings!!
This is a great video, i have been hot wire cutting foam using a big tool which is makes it hard to get a nice cut, using a pivot point seem to be a very good idea. How do you go about aligning the foam to the pivot point? How high is the string in relation to the peace of foam?
hi David:- I have got into this foam cutting I have made a ft explorer wing, and all seems ok apart from a few ridges in it. I then got some solortex covering, with a suggestion of using some spray glue on the foam and then using the iron on the solortex to shrink it on, what type of spray glue do u recommend on Styrofoam for this application. please can you help?
hi! I like this technic very much but found no info how to make this cutter(searched your site and google). could you tell us how to make it? It would realy help. Thanks!
Damn, that is an absolutely beautiful result. Are you doing any height control with your hands, or are you just using the pressure from the template for the vertical position of the wire?
14 лет назад
@GreenAce92 Yes it does matter. The length from the pivot point decides the shape and size of the tip chord. Cheers, David
That negative template seems to be the way to go ;) Soon be making my first attempt. I got a very similar power supply to yours. The instructions with mine says not to turn it on or off with a load. It doesn't hurt the supply when you power it up with the clips already on the wire??
Hi David, Could you tell me what's the voltage, amps and wire diameter? I am having issues because the foam melts too much at the shorter side of the wing. How can you make it soo smooth? Maybe my wire is too hot?
@jacquesone100 I thought so too!!! I am a subscriber of rcff...i think with some of the planes paul and frank build this technique would cut down on their build time was thinking about sharing it with them...what do you think about it?
lol im bodging a hot wire cutter up now, i really thought there was no dollar tree foamboard or anything like that in my area but then a builders yard down the road has big very tough lightweight blue board for insulation. it seems so tough i cant snap it. 1.5" thick about.
Is there a benefit to using the stencil you did to cut vs having the opposite? Like using the piece you cut out of the stencil instead of what you used?
I've been using this since 1980 but in a well balanced, wire supported frame (exactly the same pivot point technique but less wire sag). Using the positive template makes the work (dragging through the template) more difficult, especially around the leading edge. The final results are poor to say the least. A negative template is the only way with this method. You should make sure you use hard wood ply with well sanded and soaped edges. Fiberglass sheet is great but more expensive. By the way, he went too hot here. His wire cuts too fast and melts too much of the airfoil at the tip.
Why are you cutting on an angle? what are the guide wires for under your foam, meaning why on an angle? What if you want the wing to be the same width on each side, what do you do then? What wire are you using please.
you can do it with a PC power source.. Since you can use 5 or 12v and also supports the current easily as long as the wire has over 10 ohms. Actually i tested it with 12v, and a guitar string (the thinnest) wich had about 20 ohms, and current for that resistance at 12v is about: I=V/r=12v/20ohms=0.6 amps. In 12v the source can handle in my case up to 9 amps. Overall the power used is 0.6A*12v=7.2 Watts.
@MrBouncer1 i realy like it man..i just dont understand how the tread seems to follow so good on the other end...its reallt amazing...i think u need skillz to do it like u do!! sure u could show Frank and Paul..see what they have to say :) good luck with it man...hope to make my wings that slick one day...:)
Man, that is several different kinds of awesome! Most amazing thing I have seen in a while. I wish there were someone nearby who could cut wings for me! Just awesome.
