Being new here I do not know if this has been discused before. But I needed to cut styrofoam and hate the mess that it makes. Being cheap and not wanting to buy an electric one that melts it's way through I decided to try to make one. I used an old weller soldering gun and replaced the tip with a piece of number 12 bare copper wire and it worked quite well. I also tried to make a bigger hoop with number 14 wire. Both worked just fine but you are limited to the size of the hoop as one to big will not heat enough to burn the styrofaom.
Hope everyone is having the best day that they can.
Heath
Hobby and Craft shops have a simple device that is effective. I cannot imagine knocking anything else up any cheaper - that is if you can get the eureka wire.
"The Wonder Cutter" made by FloralCraft Corporation, Luddington, MI, 49431.
AND they have taken a Patent for it No.3297856. It's so simple, I wonder that the patent holds!
My father used to make these, used a coping saw, some element wire, a bit of PC board, and a Bachmann trainset powerpack.
Here is a similar set up, found on Google:
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/HalloweenTech/fotmak_MakingFoamTools.html
Great site.
Thank you
Heath