tinsink

I have a foam wing cutter from about 20 years ago. I just used it for the first time
in almost 15 years. The wire barely gets hot enough to cut the foam. It is obviously the
wire that I am using. I need a wire that will get hotter. That is to say, wire with
lower resistance. What type of wire should I use and where do I get it?

John Boren

My Feedback: (1)

Go to your local aircraft supply company and purchase a roll of twenty thousanths stainless steel safety wire. I been useing my same roll for the past 15 years. It works great for manual cutting. If this doesn't work then you have a problem with your power supply. You need a good 18 volts at around 2.5 amps for good cutting. This will of course vary depending on the lenght and type of wire you are using.

John Boren

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

John:

You can easilier get the safety wire at old fashioned auto supply places. It can also be found at the places which do gasoline engine rebuilding. Those biggie places listed with the splashy advertisements seldome stock the stuff. I used to get it for about 50 cents, which is less than postage now.

Not everyone has an airport or aircraft engine rebuilding place local to them.

Wm.

michpittsman

My Feedback: (11)

I have seen what I believe to be the same or similar wire called stovepipe wire; if you want good old nichrome wire Sig sells it...JIM

tinsink

Thanks for the info guys.

pete913

If you want nickel chromium wire, (nichrome) take a look at the mcmaster carr site. They carry it in many diameters and in spools at prices you won't believe compared to buying it at the local hobby shop. Also I found a very good site on building your own foam cutting power supply. http://www.dwave.net/~dconrad/foamcu...oamcutter.html

djastram

I use .018 dia fishing string. It's stainless steel, and you can get it at Cabellas, or maybe other fishing supply places.

It works great.

mangolo

I have been using no.25 B&S wire ga.surgical,corrosion-resisting steel wire(.018" diam.)
which will probably be easier to locate than the aircraft safety wire



WALDO

Lile

>I have a foam wing cutter from about 20 years ago. I just used it for the first time
in almost 15 years. The wire barely gets hot enough to cut the foam. It is obviously the
wire that I am using. I need a wire that will get hotter. That is to say, wire with
lower resistance. What type of wire should I use and where do I get it?

There could be two problems: inadequate power from the power supply, or wire with too much resistance. If I know the voltage of the power supply under load (got an ohmmeter?) I could help you figure out a better setup to use. Email me from my website:

Lile Engineering
http://www.lile.biz
Nichrome wire for the hobbyist and experimenter
free hot wire foam cutter plans