What is a Foam Cutter?
A foam cutter is a device, manual or electronic, used to cut foamed materials such as polystyrene. This tool is also commonly referred to as a hot-wire foam cutter. A hot-wire foam cutter may consist of a thin, taut metal wire typically made of stainless steel, or use a thicker gauge wire that has been preformed into a specific shape. In either case, the wire is electrically heated to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). When the hot wire is passed through the polystyrene, the heat effectively vaporizes the material just before actual contact is made producing a clean, straight cut. Hot-wire cutters make neat, smooth edges in foamed materials that cannot be duplicated using a knife or saw. There are several types of hot-wire foam cutters that range widely in their sophistication. A simple hand-held foam cutter may consist of a tensioned wire attached to a handle. The wire is manually guided through the larger piece of foam to cut out any desired free-form shape.
