anyone wanna go in on a spool? or have some they don't need? just got my hotwire together and need to string it up...
Send me your address by PM and I will send you some: Inconnel. Much better!
surfding
thanks Mr. Ding... i'll send it now.
bye the way Mike, i scored a "lightly used" Lexmark z611 on ebay for $18.50 shipped to my door. it's coming with new print cartridges too.
thanks for the info about that printer... i've been foolin' around in boardcad making rocker templates... i'm really looking forward to slicing some blanks
Chrisp,
I experimented with several different types of wire (since Nichrome is relatively difficult to come by) and have found that stainless steel fishing leader (available at walmart in several different lengths up to 60') has similar electrical resistance, strength, and durability on my hot wire cutter (24V 2 Amp transformer with variable output dimmer) as the Nichrome. If you do use this make sure it is stanless steel, regular steel provides almost no resiitance and can smoke your transformer quick. Dont know if this helps you but it works great on a 36 wide bow that we are using to hotwire EPS and XPS and the variable output allows us to use this wire for making smaller tools for some custom applications (I.E. Hotwire "jigsaw" for cutting out outlines, etching grooves for internal stringers etc .. ) .
Hope this helps from a long time lurker, and new addict ...
Ive experimented with a few wires too - you are right the stainless steel fishing leader is the ticket! Any sporting goods shop has it cheap, go with the 180lb test max width, cuts everything from 1lb to 3.5lb eps, xps. Ive been using this wire for the last 3 years with great results, 6" to 12foot wires no problem. The real trick is to get the wire to run on your templates without actually touching the wood (or whatever material you are using) - I have not had to change a wire in over 40 cuts (think rollers that dont conduct and melt)! Makes life alot more enjoyable ;)
I need NiChrome as well, willing to go in on a spool if anyone is still looking. Been using another wire (can’t remember what it is), but it gets really hot, have to set up fans to blow on the wire as I cut otherwise it snaps.
PM me your mailing address and I will send you some inconnel.
It's the same suff that is on professional CNC machine for hotwire cutting EPS or XPS.
I did a couple of 1,000 blanks. I have enough for the rest of my life and my grand kids gran dkids
the supid stuff lasts too long?
Surfding
Thanks Surfding, PMing it now. You Rock!