Subscribed! My friend and I are dying to build one! Sounds cheap, Thanks for all the info on it so far!

sub.

Subscribed

dudes! So sorry i havent posted anything in a while... ive been on hold for a bit on the hot wire
build due to insufficient fundilation Ive also been busy trying to do everything i can to keep
my pregnant wife happy! shes a little more moody this time around, so i must be getting my
little boy
The last thing thats holding me up is space in my basement. I have a small basement, and too
many airplanes! I have a nice sofa thats taking up space that never gets used, so as soon as I
can get rid of that, ill have a nice large workbench to take that space wich the cutter will sit.

Tank, that is a great looking setup! i like the way you guys built that
Xpress, total cost so far is about 40 bucks for the power supply parts... Im figuring that the bow
and 2 tables will be maybe 40 bucks total as well, so im hoping around 80 bucks for the total setup with the power supply, cutting bow, guilitine table, and anchored wire table. not bad!

TJ, glad to hear bro! cant wait to see what you come up with! I'm going to do my best to
get to the gym tonight...Again with the pregnant wife though...

Now that foamy season is winding down, i'll be getting back to work on my Carden, but i will continue the hot wire build until it is finished. I will continue to post pictures and explain every step
that i do.
I also need to design a few airfoil templates to start with. in my past scrathbuilds, Ive just drawn
my own airfoils, but I have no proof that they are efficient, so i will probably do some searching online to find some proven airfoil designs. Ive been told that the one piece airfoil jig must be very smooth so the wire will slide easily through the jig, so i need to find a material that is smooth and strong.
anyway, more later... i gotta get back to work before the boss catches me on the computer

Sub

Well, I finally was able to get some pics of the simple setup... Excuse the mess, I'm always working on something and never cleaning.

My setup cost about $35.00 to make (minus the Transformer which is 30 shipped, I'm going with the 24V 4A version that sells for about 22.00) so a total of about $65.00 bucks.

I didn't go with the wooden spikes instead I got a 3/4" x 1/8" aluminum strip from Lowes which was about $5.00
I also used a 50" piece of 2.5" x 3/4" fence wood. $2.00 for a 8Ft slab.
the chain link was 1.65 per Ft. at Lowes. I got 1 Ft. (only used 3 links).
My power supply is pretty much the same as Jareds but I didn't use a GFI, I just put in a light swich (also the dimmer is a push on/off type). (all was about $15.00)
I got my wire from here http://jacobs-online.biz/nichrome_wire.htm I use 28gauge but I'll be going with the 26 next time for a slightly thicker wire. (also its free shipping)
misc nuts and bolts about $4.00

other than that most of the other stuff are things that I had laying around the house.

rubber bands, old shelving (the white platform),

As far as my template goes, I didn't do the negative jig, I used one that I had already made for my hand held cutting bow. its just some light ply and nails in the picture you can see How I set it up. Instead of following the inside I just run my wire on the outside of the template (the leading edge may be slightly harder to do than with the jig suggested but its a lot easier to make.)

The hard part for me is going to be cutting the ailerons out and doing a nice bevel. I've tried with my exacto knife and it didn't turn out to good. I'm going to figure something out.

Another good cutter is Del Bregmans? Its on the Charles River site last I saw. Very to one a friend uses here

TJ, thats it! awesome job bro, looks great! that is pretty much exactly what mine will look
like. cant wait to see it in person!

Jared if you need an actual Airfoil to cut, I can get one to you. I bought one of those Cricut Expression Cutters (pretty much just for vinyl cutting no scrap-booking here!) and I can also try and do some air foils for ya. I won it in an ebay action for $160.00, It works great for simple decals and shadowed ones. I don't know How to do the advanced stuff yet.

Originally Posted by Barn-E-Stormer

Sub

scribed

Originally Posted by dmcquinn

Rich - Does Ryan work for "Foam Products" at 739-8100? I have bought foam from them before but they did not seem to really like to sell over the counter.

Dave no Ryan puts in glass and 6 yrs ago. Had some things I was doing at the time and Jared and Ryan were just getting heavy in foam. I worked for a place that made props and foam cut islands to similate sand dune a surfbord suck in sand. I wire cut foam to look like sand dune spread glue over the foam then poored sand on foam for sand hill. This was a promotion for history Channel. That is how I never had trouble getting any chucks from them. Me and Brian Hueffmiere made 2 of these servo bay cutters back in 1996 or 98 and bunt up every reostat we could buy. I think that is what they were called. Found out we were using to big of wire. I have different sizes of fanalic.
So we started just heating with tourch and burn holes the wire was so thick. And we didn't have internet threads back then LOL. had to call of see a friend to find out next step. Been there done that a lot.
Jared try this ctter on you Thing..... Reosat????? LOL

Also is a pic of what Me and Brian made back then and I still use it today to burn my Servo wiring holes in wings to servo bays. The Eye bolts adjust to tapper of wing. Line the top bar over servo bays for wire postion. Heat the aluminum tube and push. As Hueff would say the last servo hole you see smoke your done.....

Originally Posted by TheTank

pics of our setup we built this weekend...

Tank ...I need that reostat like you have there. Clever set up.
Where was the unit purchased. And no the servo bay cutter will not be used. We have build threads now. Much easier...LOL
Rich,

Originally Posted by TheTank

pics of our setup we built this weekend...

That's awesome Tank with the weight pull. Very important not to get them rippied lines from one guy faster than the other or behind. Also to cut such large and the length of chucks you can. By the pics you have put all the research & thoughts into the cutter for some awesome quality cut panels. NICE JOB..
Rich

Originally Posted by HuckinChikn

dudes! So sorry i havent posted anything in a while... ive been on hold for a bit on the hot wire
build due to insufficient fundilation Ive also been busy trying to do everything i can to keep
my pregnant wife happy! shes a little more moody this time around, so i must be getting my
little boy
The last thing thats holding me up is space in my basement. I have a small basement, and too
many airplanes! I have a nice sofa thats taking up space that never gets used, so as soon as I
can get rid of that, ill have a nice large workbench to take that space wich the cutter will sit.

Tank, that is a great looking setup! i like the way you guys built that
Xpress, total cost so far is about 40 bucks for the power supply parts... Im figuring that the bow
and 2 tables will be maybe 40 bucks total as well, so im hoping around 80 bucks for the total setup with the power supply, cutting bow, guilitine table, and anchored wire table. not bad!

TJ, glad to hear bro! cant wait to see what you come up with! I'm going to do my best to
get to the gym tonight...Again with the pregnant wife though...

Now that foamy season is winding down, i'll be getting back to work on my Carden, but i will continue the hot wire build until it is finished. I will continue to post pictures and explain every step
that i do.
I also need to design a few airfoil templates to start with. in my past scrathbuilds, Ive just drawn
my own airfoils, but I have no proof that they are efficient, so i will probably do some searching online to find some proven airfoil designs. Ive been told that the one piece airfoil jig must be very smooth so the wire will slide easily through the jig, so i need to find a material that is smooth and strong.
anyway, more later... i gotta get back to work before the boss catches me on the computer

i dont know if i said congrats yet, well congrats!! and what do you plan on making a wing for first? yak? mx2?.........juka?? haha do the juka thatll be cool to see, with that sweep back at the root!!! 40$ sounds like ear candy, but i need the space too!!! haha well best wishes and good luck with the project!!!!!
take care,
tomascratchbuild

btw, foamie season is NEVER over!!!!!!!!

wow, i sure feel lazy...it has taken me THIS LONG to actually get this hot wire cutter up and
running....pathetic!!! lol
Anyway, the cutter has made its first official airfoil cut just a few short hours ago! I gotta be honest,
im not usually the guy that likes to toot his own horn, but in this very case, TOOT FREAKIN TOOT BABY!
this baby popped out a SWEET airfoiled wing with the very first cut.
So i guess the past 7 months that ive been screwing around with this thing and waisting time finishing
it has finally paid off...
I did a quick little youtube video of the basic setup and how it works, but tomorow i will be doing some
more videos of the cutter in action, because I have alot of wings to cut!!!
heres a link to the video:

Hot Wire Foam Cutter Part 1 (2 min 53 sec)