Build-it: Hand-held foam cutter

Cost of whole system

Nichromewire $0.05
Fillerrod $2
Brassshim $0.05
Wood $1
D-batteries $4
Tape Minimal
Totalcost $7.10
What is needed to make a foam cutter
Tools

Materials

Saw Item Amount Cost

Brace and
bits
(7/8" and
3/8")


Hard wood
1.5" wide,
1.5" thick,
6" long
$5-10 for
2"x2"
3'-5' long


Tape measure
and marker



1/8 thick
filler rod
16 inches
$4 for a
3-foot rod

Hacksaw or
Bolt cutters


A straw 1 minimal

Pliers

Nichrome
wire, 32
gauge
10 inches
$20 for
700-1000
feet

Vice

Brass shim
(very thin
brass sheet)
1" by 2"
$30-50
for 12-15
of 6"x12"
sheets

Wire cutters

D-batteries 2
$4 for
pack of 2

File

Strong tape 12-18"
$5 for 55-
yard roll

Hammer
GOALS:
o Participants have made a nichrome wire foam cutter.
o Participants know how to measure simple dimensions precicely.
o Participants have practiced more detailed machining and bending.
TIME:
60 minutes
PREPARATION:
Collect materials and tools
Make a foam cutter yourself to discover what participants might find difficult
Review and/or print Build-It instructions
ROOM SET-UP:
A clean, flat surface such as a table for participants is useful to have for easier assembly.



Prepare the wooden block 3

Prepare the wooden block
Time: 10 minutes
Tools Materials

Steps
1. Cut a 6 long, 1.5 thick, 1.5
wide piece of wood

SHOW THE PARTICIPANTS HOW TO PROPERLY MEASURE AND CUT THE WOOD.
o Begin by explaining the details of the measuring tape. If there are both imperial and
metric units, clarify which you are using and what the different-sized lines mean (1, ,
etc.) Then, mark the plank
o Situate yourself to begin cutting and explain how to use a backwards stroke on the first
cut of the saw. You can use your thumb to help guide and steady the saw.
o It may be necessary to have teams share wood and/or saws.
o Walk around to ensure each participant has used the saw.
2. Place the wood so that the rings
lie horizontally. Identify which
way the rings are lying by
looking at the edge you cut.
Drilling through horizontal
rings will keep the wood from
splitting.

We are using hard wood so that the risk of splitting is reduced even more. Hard wood will
also hold the rods in tension for a long time without slowly getting squished, as soft wood
would tend to do.

1
Prepare the wooden block 4

0
.
5
"

0
.
5
"

1"
0
.
5
"

3. Keeping the rings horizontal,
on the top, mark halfway along
the width.

4. Mark 0.5 from each end. Mark
an additional 0.5" from the
right end's mark.
Which end is the right end
doesnt matter, but this
description will be used to help
distinguish between sides.
5. Drill using a 1/8 drill bit.
Drill through, but do not wiggle
the bit! Making the hole larger
could make the rod slip
through. This is easiest to be
careful with a drill press, but
possible with a hand drill.

Add the metal rods 5

Add the metal rods
Time: 20 minutes
Tools Materials


Steps
1. Cut three filler rods: 3, 6, and
7


Filler rods are strong because they have a steel core, but very conductive because they have a
copper coating. The copper has little resistance, so the electricity takes the easy path along
the copper to reach the resistance wire, and does not heat up in the process!
2. File the edges of the filler rod
so they are slightly rounded.
This helps the filler rod slide
into the hole easier. This is very
easy to do with a belt sander
and is fine to do with a hand-
held file.
3. Hit the 7 filler rod in the single
hole, on the left end.
Support the wood very near the
hole (on a table or vice), but
allow empty space for the rod
to come out.

Hit the rods into the holes
before you bend the rods, so the
rods are straight and easy to
get in.

7" rod 6" rod
3" rod
2
Add the metal rods 6

4. Hit the 6 filler rod in the
middle hole, on the right end.

Hit the 3 filler rod in the far
hole, on the right end
Be careful to not drive the filler
rod too far if you have to
drive it back the opposite
direction, it will loosen the
woods grip on the rod.
5. Slide a 1.5" piece of a straw
onto the 6" rod.
The straw is an electric
insulator and will act as part of
the "switch" for the foam
cutter. It should go onto the
straw before you bend the rod
and add the wire.
6. Mark at " and 1" down the
two long filler rods (6" and 7"
rods)

7. Bend the top " of the 7" filler
rods outward
Clamp the rod so that the top
" is sticking out of the vice.
Bend with pliers.











0
.
5
"

0
.
5
"

5" 1"
0
.
5
"

7" rod 6" rod
3" rod
Add the metal rods 7

8. Raise the rod to 1" and bend
the 7" filler rod inward (the
opposite direction), so the rod
looks like an "S"
The purpose of this bent area is
to give the wire a place to sit
and not slip off the rods.


9. Repeat with the 6" rod



10. You will have the basic form of
the foam cutter! Make sure the
bent areas are bent in opposite
directions.


11. Cut a 10" long piece of 32-
gague nichrome wire




A 32-gague nichrome wire is used because the resistance from a ~3.5" length (R) corresponds
to the battery power supply (V) and a desirable current output (I). In other words, the
demand of the wire matches the supply from the two batteries and creates enough heat
to melt the foam.
When you find the wire is not cutting the foam as easily as it usually does, it could be
the voltage coming from the batteries has dropped. This has created an imbalance in
your V=IR equation! Your current has dropped to match the voltage drop. To
counteract this and increase your current output, reduce the resistance. To do so, simply
squeeze the rods in towards each other and wrap the wire around the rod a couple of
more times. This reduces the length of the wire, which reduces its resistance, and
increases the heat released (I) by the wire, cutting the foam faster.

Add the metal rods 8

12. Wrap the wire around one of
the long rods.
Alternate wrapping above and
below.



13. Twist the end and snip any long
wire remaining.





14. Squeeze the rods toward each
other slightly and begin
wrapping the wire around the
other rod.
As before, alternate wrapping
above and below the wire
stretched across, as before it
will make the wrapping tighter
and prevent it from loosening
from slipping.





15. Twist the end and snip any long
wire remaining.
You are almost there! Your
foam cutter is just missing a
switch and batteries.







Make the switch and assemble 9

Make the switch and assemble
Time: 15 minutes
Tools Materials

Steps:
1. Cut the 1" x 2" brass shim.
It should be about the same
height as the 3" rod.




We are using brass sheets because brass is strong, somewhat springy, and very conductive
(all things that are good for a switch). Copper sheets are not used because they bend very
easily and do not hold their form.

2. Bend the shim around a piece
of rod.
This helps you shape the shim
so that it will fit tightly around
the 3" rod.

3. Slip the shim off the other rod,
and squeeze the rolled piece
slightly with the pliers.
This will make sure it will fit
snugly on the 3" rod
4. Slide the brass shim onto the 3"
rod, making sure it can swing
nicely, but not slide off too
easily.



3
Make the switch and assemble 10

5. Bend the brass shim around the
long rod.
Go slowly and sort of "pull" the
shim to make sure it is wrapped
tightly around the rod.



6. Add a bend in the
opposite direction at the
end of the tab to make it
easy to engage/disengage.






7. You are left with a cutter with
everything except the power
source, the batteries.



8. Add the batteries between the
rods by wedging the battery
edges next to the rods first,
keeping the middle where the
batteries meet sticking up in
the air.


9. With it flat on the table,
carefully push downward
where the batteries meet.
The batteries will sort of "snap"
into place when they form a
straight line.


Make the switch and assemble 11

10. Pull a piece of tape around the
wooden handle and the two
batteries.
Pull it tight!

11. Unlatch the switch, move the
straw and click it back in to
turn the foam cutter on!