cutting foam wings

[@ziggy20072008]

Art of Noise/Close to the edit…. Great track from a great album.

[@miniphase]

Hi Mike You can't cut Celotex with a hot wire in my experience, it's a polyurethane based foam. You need either a white foam, blue foam or pink/peach foam as used here. This was Knauf Space Board. B&Q and Wickes stock it at times (if you're UK based). There are other foams that you may be able to get through a builders merchants such as Dow floormate....good luck!

[@miniphase]

Thanks Will, it's a very satisfying process when you get it right!

[@miniphase]

the pink foam here is Knauf Space Board, I've never cut EPP but hear it needs more heat and cuts more slowly

[@miniphase]

Yes, two different sized templates would be required, we cut tapered panels in this session though it may not be clear in the video. The bow hanging at an angle will help it 'swing' into the cut and also allow the hot wire to rise and descend as it follows the aerofoil section

[@miniphase]

Hi Anarchy83, The weight arm drops and pulls the fishing line with it. The fishing line is attached to the bow arms nearest the hotwire. The angle at which the fishing line pulls on the bow keeps it sat on the templates. I have seen guys put lead weights in the bottom of the bow arms, but have never felt the need to do it. Most of the time the bow doesn't need any help other than to get it started, or to delay one side if it's racing ahead on a tapered cut....good luck!

[@miniphase]

It does seem to be a seasonal product, Wickes also stock it from time to time. You could also try your local branch of Shefield Insulation and buy some Dow blue foam

[@reverendkrv]

nice one gentlemen, Are these wings for the old ASW-iforgotwhatitwas Paul? :)

[@pascalfavalessa4274]

Hello, very nice video, thanks for sharing. A stupid question maybe: how do you proceed for cutting the right half wing please ?

[@miniphase]

Hi Pascal, for the right half you just unscrew the templates, swap them around on a new foam blank. For cutting the underside, you just turn the core over. Hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

[@pascalfavalessa4274]

cristal clear , thank you very much miniphase.

[@wordreet]

I definitely have to have a proper go at this some time soon.

[@miniphase]

It's very rewarding once you get the setup right, give yourself time to fiddle around with the different variables before you start cutting wings though! Best of luck!

[@wordreet]

Some year soon! X¬D

[@mikeparkinson4786]

is that celotex? looks and sounds like it, i'm just starting to build scratch plane now out of Celotex can't get hot wire to work and tips?

[@miniphase]

sure is your holiness, Simon is doing a superb refurb job. 'Twas an ASW24 will now be an ASG31 (I think!)

[@PeterOZ61]

hey guys would to see how to make one of these swing arm cutters? Do you have any drawings or sketches? TIA

[@miniphase]

Hi Pete, no drawings at this end I'm afraid... do a search online, plenty of info out there that'll be far better than our solution here! All the best.

[@packyfpv3660]

Hi!!! My compliments for your hot wire foam cutter!!! I'm planning to build one too!!! Can i ask you what the arms of the cutters are made of? To keep my wire in tension i'm using a bungee chord but your results look better!!! Thank you for your help!!!

[@miniphase]

Hi, many thanks for the compliments, the bow arms are made from piano wire and they are bent in such as way that the wire is always under tension. Try and get as much tension as you can, but use eye and hand protection please!!

[@packyfpv3660]

Thank you for your quick reply!!! What do you mean with piano wire? To be honest i don't know anything about piano, but searching a little on internet i found only thin wire, and yours are quite thick!!! Can you give me a link or some suggestion about where i can found it! Thank you very much!!!

[@miniphase]

something like this- modelshopleeds.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=136_489&products_id=15337

[@miniphase]

no problem, hope you get on well!

[@PeterOZ61]

how does it go on a tapered wing?

[@miniphase]

attach the pulling lines along different points on the drop lever arm to achieve the different distances required

[@SladkaPritomnost]

1:25 are you happy with such result? I mean it's not a perfect cut, when wire is out of gauding templates, I mean edges are not the same as center of the wing (with wire bend), I dont like it.

[@miniphase]

It's probably not clear in the video but the cores are pretty near perfect, you would expect the wire lag to lead to a deformed core, but if your cutting speed and wire temperature are good, you won't have a problem.

[@BarbarossaTheOcean]

Nice video! I have questions. I want to put carbon fibre pipe inside of wing for increasing strength of the wing. So, do you know any way to do it? How to drill 2.5 meter long wing accurately ? Thanks :)

[@miniphase]

+Emir Berk Canpolat I would slice the cores in half (top to bottom) and then cut a channel and set the tube in with Gorilla glue. Ideally you need to make sure the tube makes contact with the outer skins, maybe with a ply web or similar.

[@BarbarossaTheOcean]

Thanks!

[@arrie1978]

What type of wire are you using to cut the foam, I have used nichrome, but it tends to loose it's stiffness when hot.

[@miniphase]

Hi Arno, sorry I have only just seen your message. I use nichrome too but with lots of tension. The 'legs' of my cutter hold the wire tight at all times.

[@arrie1978]

Ah thanksI also used weights to keep my wire nice abd tight

[@dayyanhanif8493]

what material is this?

[@miniphase]

Pink foam

[@dayyanhanif8493]

@@miniphase thanks a lot

[@jiberjaber]

looks good chaps, I like the s ale measurement, certainly different to Olympic swimming pools and London buses :-)

[@ChuckPlains]

Just as a by the way, do you manage to recycle your left over foam? I've heard that some recycling centers won't deal with it, so it has to go with household waste.

[@miniphase]

Think it depends on the local authority. I tend to keep most of my scraps, they're handy for the kids' homework etc...

[@ChuckPlains]

For a split second thee I thought you were going to say "for the kids dinner". :¬? [ My brain hurts!! } Hmm, well it would be fat free!

[@miniphase]

They eat anything.....I'll give it a go!

[@dhmossie]

Nice video! I have just made one of those drop arm cutters and found your vid quite informative ;) Where do you buy thin aluminium for the templates from?

[@miniphase]

+Frank Dubbya Thanks Fra nk. I went down to my local printers and got some used litho plate for free. I have heard of some people using aluminium flashing or even beer cans.

[@dhmossie]

Never thought of that! Been looking all over for aluminium flashing without success ... off to the printers now! :-)

[@Flieger46]

How do you make a wing spar for all the parts ?

[@miniphase]

***** Hi LeBuimi, in this case the wing just had carbon and glass skins. If you need to make a spar, you can just make up another template to cut a vertical slot in the cores and then insert the spar design for the job.

[@Skipp3rBuds]

What are you using for a power supply

[@miniphase]

12V 7amp constant non-variable DC supply sir!

[@miniphase]

thank you kindly sir....it was an enjoyable and productive session!

[@vamsi1997]

Which foam are you using

[@miniphase]

Knauf Sapce Board.... not sure if it's available any more though

[@javieruriel]

Which foam is that?

[@miniphase]

+Frank R. Pilot Hi Frank, it is Knauf Space Board.

[@gliderarts3573]

I never could get it to work I just had to secure the wire To the other end of the room I just use 1Handed operation just swing it over like a pivot and an arc.

[@miniphase]

That's a great technique especially for tapered wings!

[@utkarsh2301]

I just loved it !

[@khaidang1934]

awesome . so clearly ^^ i love you guys ^^

[@miniphase]

Thank you Khai! Cutting foam is a beautiful thing....as long as it's all going well!

[@khaidang1934]

miniphase where can i buy the foam that you are using in this video? Thank you Sir ^^

[@miniphase]

I'm based in the Uk and get the foam from Wickes or B&Q....elsewhere in the world it might be worth searching for your local Dow foam stockist and buy either blue of the less dense pink foam from them

[@miniphase]

no it's not the same as EPP....as mentioned before I've never cut EPP so you're on your own with that one! Good luck!

[@javieruriel]

Nice!

[@miniphase]

Thank you Frank!

[@miniphase]

I was going to roll out my member for a length comparison but didn't want to give you all an inferiority complex!

[@thatsmethistime]

nice job done.

[@WillAllen22]

impressive!

[@teachermike4831]

Bk g music crappy and loud

[@vamsi1997]

Which foam are you using