Build Your Own Foam Cutter
- Choose any thickness wire from .005" to .020" diameter. Thin wires are safer and the cut cleaner— but they sag and break if stressed. Larger wires are tougher.
- Use the transformer and control unit shown.
- Design a fixture to hold the wire— use a spring to hold a constant tension in the wire.
- This schematic is shown only to indicate how a system could be configured. Consult an electrician or electrical engineer for proper wiring and setup.
| TRANSFORMER Model ABT-2 | |
| Input | 115 volts |
| Output | 12V @ 8 amps or 24V @ 4 amps (you can hook it up either way). |
| Size | 3-3/8" x 2-7/8" x 3" |
| Capacity | .005" wire up to 12" long .010" wire up to 18" long .015" wire up to 24" long .020" wire up to 16" long |
Pricing and purchase of ABT-2 Transformer on Abbeon.com
Control Unit
Model 18TP unit includes a standard grounded plug on a six foot power cord and a three-prong receptacle for quick and easy line and load connection.
A lighted rocker switch turns power to the unit on and off; a case-mounted, easy-to-operate 270°-turn potentiometer provides variable control of the RMS output voltage. Unit chassis are designed for portable use or 2-hole fixed mounting.
120 Volts AC 50/60 Hz, 10 Amps, 1200 Watts
Power Circuit: power semiconductor with parallel r-c circuit.
Control Circuit: all solid state circuit for stable, full-range control.
Mains Frequency: 50/60 Hz.
Output Voltage: 0-95% of input.
Overall Efficiency: 99%.
Power Loss: 1.5 wafts/amp.
Control Input: variable resistance, 270°-turn potentiometer.
Control Power: 1 watt.
Fuse Protection: special “2 millisecond” fuses are factory-tested and coordinated to protect the power semiconductors from short circuit faults.
Input Connection: grounded three-prong plug. (NEMA 5-15P @ 120 VAC, or 6-15P @ 240 VAC)
Output Connection: three-prong receptacle. (NEMA 5-15@ 120 VAC, or 6-15 @ 240 VAC)
Pricing and purchase of 18TP Control Unit on Abbeon.com
Nichrome Wire
- Tophet A
- One-pound spool
- Non-Magnetic
- For cutting styrofoam
| AWG | #24 | #26 | #30 | #36 |
| Diameter Inches | .0201 | .0159 | .0100 | .0050 |
| Diameter mm | .511 | .404 | .254 | .127 |
| Ft/Spool (approx.) | 793 | 1,260 | 3,140 | 3,200 |
| Ohms/ft | 1.609 | 2.571 | 6.500 | 26.00 |
| Pricing and purchase of Nichrome Wire on Abbeon.com | ||||
