How and how to cut foam boards? How are foam boards cut? How to cut polystyrene foam at home.
Expanded polystyrene is one of the affordable and easy-to-install types of insulating building materials; the only technology requirement is the selection correct thickness sheets and adhesive composition. When processing and cutting it into pieces, it should be taken into account that the foam crumbles heavily; using the wrong tool or cutting too quickly leads to crumbled edges and excess waste. There are several ways to cut slabs, choosing the desired option depends on the volume of work, sheet thickness, complexity of the required workpiece. At home, the most commonly used tools are: stationery knife, a saw with fine teeth, a hacksaw, to create complex shapes or in case of frequent needs, it is better to buy or make your own thermal cutter for foam plastic (the working surface is a hot wire).
Slab cutting methods
The use of electrical appliances is allowed, but only if the grinder disk or jigsaw attachment is thin enough. The use of tools with fast rotating cutting surfaces results in coloring and breaking of foam sheets and uneven edges; this method is not suitable for precise workpieces, but is used when working with thick slabs. The simplest option is cutting with a regular paper knife with new, non-dull blades. Despite the fact that the entire process is carried out by hand, this method is valued for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, waste minimization and acceptable cut quality (the sharper the blade, the better it will turn out). The only limitation is the thickness of the polystyrene foam - a stationery knife is not suitable for cutting slabs larger than 40-50 mm.
Thicker and harder foam is cut:
1. A hacksaw for metal or wood with very fine teeth (no more than 80 mm).
2. With a regular knife: sharpened and slightly heated.
3. A soldering iron with a thin long nozzle (the method is well suited for making a single neat cut).
4. A homemade or factory-made wire cutter connected to a transformer.
The answer to the question of what is better for cutting polystyrene foam depends on the amount of work and the effort involved. Manual cutting of slabs is the cheapest, but constantly changing blades (every 1.5-2 m) is inconvenient when limited by time. Optimal results are observed when using devices made of wire: with a homemade device, it is stretched to wooden mount between two screws. TO nichrome thread a transformer is connected, its parameters are selected in such a way that polymer material didn't burn. It is safest to make the device stationary: the wire is stretched across an inclined board located at an angle, and the foam sheet is cut as it goes down. The main advantage of this method is obtaining a high-quality and sealed cut; the internal structure remains intact, while requiring a minimum of effort.
A professional tool with a similar operating principle includes a thermal cutter; it is used when it is necessary to cut polystyrene foam into shapes at home. It, like the homemade one, has a hot wire stretched between two arcs connected to a mini-transformer. The difference lies in the precisely selected power of the device and the convenience of the handle; the body rotates in any direction and is secured. As a result, a thermal cutter allows you to quickly cut foam slabs on your own, regardless of their thickness or density, into pieces of any complexity.
It has been noticed that heating the blades helps to obtain a more even and smooth cut; also, the thinner the cutting plane, the better. An important role is played by the pressure exerted on the pressed slabs: to prevent the foam from crumbling, it is cut smoothly, at a uniform speed. If the use of an electric jigsaw or grinder is unavoidable (a large amount of work in the absence of a thermal cutter), then it is worth practicing and choosing the optimal mode of disk rotation or applied force. But still the most top scores observed in devices with a wire that transmits 12 V and with a current regulator (to avoid overheating, leading to melting of the edges of polystyrene foam). The decisive role when choosing how to cut foam plastic is played by the thickness of the slabs; if it is above 80 mm, then a knife or saw is not suitable (it is almost impossible to obtain a high-quality cut).
Marking should not be neglected, especially when cutting out complex shapes; for this purpose, use a regular pencil and ruler. Basic safety measures are observed:
1. When using hot wire or soldering iron, avoid molten splashes.
2. When cutting foam boards with a knife, the movement is directed away from you and to the side.
3. Large volumes of foam plastic should be cut in a well-ventilated area; the material is not dangerous to humans, but when heated by friction or contact with the tool, an unpleasant odor is felt.
4. To protect against sharp squeaks, wear earplugs or headphones.
Foam boards are a thick and highly porous material; they consist of more than 95% air; if you are not used to them, they are difficult to cut. How to cut polystyrene foam depends on the type of cut, the availability of tools and the amount of cutting work.
Ordinary polystyrene foam - terminology and material characteristics
In a broad sense, foam plastics are considered to be a broad class of cellular (foamed) plastics based on polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, urea, phenol and even formaldehyde. All these materials are united by a minimum density and an internal structure in the form of frequently located and small gas cavities. However, in practice we have to deal with the only type of foam - low-pressure polystyrene foam, abbreviated PSV.
Only it has an affordable price; all other cellular plastics are much more expensive to produce and are rarely used in construction and repair work. The international name for low-pressure polystyrene foam (PSV) is the brand name Styrofoam, patented by the developer BASF back in the 50s of the 20th century. In documentation for imported foam plastic, the abbreviation EPS is often used. For practical purposes, it is important to know that all these terms - styrofoam, EPS andEPS – denotes ordinary polystyrene foam, familiar from childhood.
The structure in the form of small gas pores and the significant dimensions of the slabs determine the main operational advantages of foam plastic:
- Excellent thermal insulation on any side of the house. You can perform this procedure from the outside, you can combine external and internal thermal insulation, and the cost of such “double” protection will still be lower than the estimate for a newfangled roll insulation;
- Excellent acoustic protection of premises. In fact, sound comfort is achieved already with thermal insulation works– if frost cannot penetrate the foam layer, then loud sounds are even more unable to do so;
- Environmental Safety. Polystyrene foam is absolutely non-toxic, including on exposed cut lines and during long-term use. Some varieties are allowed to come into contact with food products what is regulated European standards quality (!). Moreover, polystyrene foam is safe for repairs; there is not the slightest need to test the walls covered with it;
- High resistance to mold, dampness, microorganisms, fungi, algae and other unwanted companions of human life. In order to enhance the durability of such consumer qualities, cutting foam plastic with your own hands must be done accurately and competently;
- Easy to install due to its miniature weight. This quality greatly simplifies the transportation and laying of polystyrene foam, however, when working outdoors, you should pay attention to possible “wind difficulties” - the foam blank can easily be carried away by even a weak breeze.
Of course, before any use of polystyrene foam, it is necessary to consider possible complications. Firstly, this material is destroyed by exposure to most technical liquids - from acetone and gasoline to white spirit and enamel solvents. This destruction is intense even with the vaporous effect of technical liquids on the foam.
Secondly, it is necessary to turn Special attention on the expected operating temperature of the surface covered with foam plastic. Already at +50 ˚C - +60 ˚C, some types of foam boards begin to crumble, their internal bubbles combine into large gaps and cavities. Painting surfaces insulated with foam plastic must be thought out in advance, otherwise the thermal comfort of the entire room will suffer from toxic nitro paint.
To renovate kitchens, saunas and brightly sunlit facades, polystyrene foam should be used with great care - high temperatures destroy it.
Areas of application of polystyrene foam...
...are not limited to the construction and repair area. Foam boards and sheets are widely used in the following areas of human activity:
- In medicine – cases for equipment, packaging for glass and sharp objects;
- In the organization of active leisure - inserts in life jackets, contents of buoys, floats;
- Repair of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment;
- In shipbuilding, as an unsinkable filler for compartments on small vessels (boats, boats);
- For design purposes, construction and modeling.
So the question of how to cut foam plastic is relevant not only for thermal protection of walls. You can use it to make a model of a boat, build protection for the refrigeration circuit in an air conditioner, or make a decorative figurine unique design. The light weight and affordability of the material should not be misleading about the simplicity of its mechanical processing - cutting foam plastic has a number of its own secrets and tricks.
How to cut polystyrene foam at home - simple and effective ways
Cutting small foam pieces (for modeling and design) is performed with a well-sharpened knife with a rubber tip on the tip. It is advisable to secure the workpiece in a vice or other auxiliary device. The fact is that it is easy for a steel blade to slip off a small part, and there is a possibility of cutting yourself. All movements when cutting small foam blanks should be directed away from you and to the side.
For particularly precise cutting of foam elements, you can use a soldering iron with a special knife attachment. Light movements of the heated blade give the material the required shape. arbitrary type. Be alert to the danger of hot plastic droplets coming into contact with your hands or other parts of the body. If necessary, cut sheet foam, with precise fitting of parts for continuous installation, the following techniques are used:
- For sheets up to 40 mm thick - an ordinary shoe knife with a wide blade and a blunt point. Before work, the blade is sharpened, and in general the sharpener needs to be kept at hand - after every 1.5-2 meters the knife will have to be sharpened again. The work will be accompanied by a characteristic “squeal” of the foam being cut, so it won’t hurt to stock up earplugs or headphones. Knife processing is good when adjusting the sheet to a specific installation size, for example, when installing final strips of thermal insulation;
- A wood hacksaw, but with fine teeth, is suitable for thick sheets< 80 мм. Чем меньше величина зубцов, тем точнее и ровнее будет срез. При резке с помощью ножовки прикладывается гораздо меньшее усилие, чем при использовании самого острого ножа, да и вероятность травматизма куда меньше. Способ актуален при необходимости длинных, прямолинейных разрезов однотипного характера;
- Processing with hot wire is the best and most productive method for cutting foam. Unfortunately, it requires a stationary location of the cutting tool, but in terms of cutting speed and accuracy it has no equal.
We will need a long knitting needle, nichrome wire, a 12-24 Volt step-down transformer, an adjustable rheostat and electrical wires of sufficient cross-section. The electrical components are assembled into a sequential circuit, the spoke is fixed to the layout, and a nichrome thread is stretched between its ends. When a small current is applied, nichrome heats up and easily cuts foam of any thickness.
Polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene refers to a universal material that is used for insulation and sound insulation in building structures. The basis of its structure is formed by foamed plastic. This explains why foam plastic quite often crumbles when cutting.
When processing the material, you need to decide what to use to cut it so that the cut line is smooth and there are as few crumbs as possible.
Types of tools
Foam cutting is carried out using mechanical and thermal types of tools. Beginners, especially with small cutting volumes, are recommended to use a mechanical tool.
Mechanical cutting . The most common available tools include a knife, jigsaw, saw and grinder.
Ordinary knife
. When choosing a knife, the main attention is paid to its blade. If it is sharp, then the cutting process proceeds faster and less waste is generated. The knife must be preheated before cutting.
The disadvantage of this method is that the use of a knife is possible with a foam thickness of 1-5 cm.
Shoe knife . As a rule, this knife is initially quite sharp. Therefore, its blade passes through the cellular structure of the foam with relative ease.
Disadvantages to use:
— the ability to cut only thin sheets;
— the knife blade quickly becomes dull;
- the need to have a sharpening stone.
Stationery knife . The stationery version of the knife is best used for soft materials. This knife has thin and flexible blades, so it is not used for processing thick slabs.
Advantages:
— little garbage;
— availability of purchase;
- low cost.
The office knife has a set of replaceable blades. Dull blades break off, which leads to a lot of wastage.
It is recommended to heat the blade before direct use. Then the plastic capsules will melt, and significantly less crumbs will form.
Trimming with a jigsaw is used when cutting foam up to 10 cm in thickness. This method does not require much effort. 
Flaws:
- the cut is not perfectly smooth;
- is formed sufficient quantity crumbs;
- cannot be used in the absence of power supply
Hand saw for wood
. If the thickness of the foam reaches 40 mm, then it is better to cut it with a hacksaw. The method is quite simple and fast, without much physical effort.
A saw with fine teeth is better suited. This tool is only used to obtain straight cuts.
"Bulgarian" . The advantages of the grinder are that it seems to cut the foam itself if you use the thinnest circles.
However, it is not recommended to cut thick material with a grinder. You won't get a high-quality result, but there will be a lot of garbage.
In addition, this option is not very good due to the squealing noise that occurs when the foam interacts with the circle of the machine. Plus, the noise of the instrument’s engine is added to it. Therefore, if you are cutting a large number of foam boards, you should wear headphones from the very beginning of the work. Add to this list the electricity consumption that you will need to pay.
Nichrome wire cutter . Practice working with foam plastic shows that a high-quality cut is formed when using a tool with a heated wire. The edges are even, smooth, and there are practically no crumbs. The advantages of the method include high cutting speed and productivity in volumes similar to industrial ones.
The active use of the method is hampered by the difficulty of acquiring it due to its absence in stores. If there is an urgent need for a machine, there is only one way out - to make a cutter yourself. This is a separate question, to which many good articles on the Internet are devoted, containing step by step instructions and illustrations.
Easy way to cut
Cutting can be done with thin steel wire. It should be secured to wooden handles. They are placed at different ends of the surface intended for cutting. The cut is reminiscent of the process of sawing firewood. You will need an assistant to hold one of the handles. Friction causes the string to heat up, so the cut line is even and smooth.
Follow safety rules, taking into account that when heated, substances harmful to the body are formed and released. Work should be done in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.
Bottom line
From the review, we can draw a general conclusion that the process of cutting foam is quite simple and fast. The processing method is selected depending on the selected tool, the volume of work, and the shape (straightforward, tortuous or volumetric) in which the result should be obtained.
Thermal insulation of the room is made from polystyrene foam, and decorative elements are also made. The material is easy to use and can be cut into required dimensions independently, at home, without resorting to the help of specialists.
- The main working tool is a device that resembles a saw crane and consists of a frame with a fixed stick. The upper end of the tungsten or nitromethyl filament is firmly attached to the rod. The lower end passes through the “toe”, which is attached to the foot and does not conduct current. The wire used is about 12 volts. The foam block is placed on the frame. Once the flow is turned on, the foam moves from front to front, and the wire can easily wash away the foam.
Features of cutting foam
Polystyrene foam is available in the form of slabs of a certain size, but they are not always suitable for various works, so the material is cut. In some cases, the edges of the sheet need to be made decorative, or the slab needs to be cut to the desired size, then the cut is cleaned. The composition of the foam includes small balls, which can crumble when cutting, which will lead to an uneven cut line, and then the material will not be suitable for work. Cutting polystyrene foam at home is done independently and does not require much labor. To do this you need to use special tools, thanks to which you can avoid crumbling of the material and obtain a clear cut line.
If the foam is broken, the edge will also not be smooth, and it will be difficult to work with such material.
What tools are used to cut foam?
To cut polystyrene foam at home, use a cutter, it can be different types, mechanical and thermal type. Using a power tool, you can cut a large number of foam sheets in cramped spaces. In this case, the cut may not be of the same quality as desired. The thermal type tool is professional and can cut straight lines in any type of foam. The basis of such a cutter is a wire or thread with a high temperature. Thermal tools can be branded or homemade. In the first case, the cutter is factory-made, it is very convenient and easy to use. A branded cutter is called special knife or a large heat tool that is used to cut foam.
Cutting foam using a power tool
Mechanical cutting is performed with the following tools: knife, jigsaw, grinder, saw. All these tools must exert a mechanical effect on the material. Mechanical tools are used when it is not possible to purchase a thermal cutter, as well as when it is necessary to cut a small amount of material. If the sheets are cut to insulate elements in the ground, then it is enough to use a stationery-type knife. With this tool you can cut slabs up to 8 centimeters thick, while the edge will be smooth. When using a jigsaw or grinder, the rotation speed should not be too high, otherwise the sheet may be damaged. If it is not possible to purchase a special device for cutting foam plastic, then using a grinder and a jigsaw, you need to take a thin disk or blade. The saw is used when there is no need to obtain an even cut. When using this tool, uneven force is applied and the edge of the material may be uneven.
Cutting foam with a heat tool
For this type of cutting, a special thermal cutter is used. Such a tool consists of a main working part - a transformer, from which voltage is supplied. The transformer can be powered from the electrical network or batteries, it depends on the type of device. The transformer has two arcs, which are the frame of the main element. On each arc there is a special wire, it is stretched from one end to the other. When the transformer turns on, electricity travels to the arcs, which heat the wire. The heated wire can evenly cut foam of any type and size. Since polystyrene foam breaks down easily at high temperatures, thermal cutting is easy and does not cause unevenness. Work using a thermal cutter is carried out with high precision. The most ideal cutting is performed with laser devices. The nichrome that the wire is made of heats up very much and easily cuts sheets of foam plastic, and no effort is required, thereby eliminating possible errors.
Cutting foam using a homemade heat tool
You can make a thermal cutter yourself; for this you need to purchase a transformer big size, it can be taken from old household appliances. Then you need to install the arches, for this you use a wooden plank and two long screws. Thanks to the wooden material, electricity will be supplied directly to the tensioned wire. The wire is secured between the upper elements of the screws. After this, the transformer is connected to the screws, electricity is supplied, and the voltage is adjusted. There is no need to apply too much voltage, otherwise the wire will burn the material and the cut will be uneven.
Mechanical foam cutting process
Cutting foam can be done using a stationery-type knife, and the blade must be new and sharp. In this way, you can cut material no more than 5 centimeters thick. The thicker the sheet, the more irregularities will form on the cut. With a sharp blade, the work is not so difficult, and the edge is smoother. First you need to mark the areas that need to be cut, use a ruler for clearer lines, and then proceed to the main work. A ruler is applied to one side of the foam and a knife is drawn along it, then the sheet is turned over and the same action is performed. The knife does not need to be deepened very much, after which the cut part is broken off along the line.
When using an electric jigsaw, the material crumbles greatly; you can only cut sheets up to 5 centimeters thick. Due to crumbling, the edges are not very smooth. The blade for working with a jigsaw should be thin and sharp, then the material will crumble less. First, make the markings, and then start cutting.
If there is no need to make a perfectly even cut, then mechanical cutting is used, and all instruments must be sharp, this greatly facilitates the work and prevents severe crumbling of the material. It will not be possible to cut out various shapes from foam plastic this way, as they will have unclear contours. The mechanical method is used for material with a thickness of no more than 5 millimeters, otherwise the blade should be longer, but the cut will be uneven. When using a grinder, take the thinnest disk so that the detachment of the balls is minimal.
First, the distance to be cut is measured, marked with a pencil, and the material is cut.
Thermal foam cutting process
If you need to cut out various shapes or make decorative edges from foam plastic, then a thermal tool is used. First, the required figure is drawn, and then the design is cut out of foam plastic using nichron wire. The wire must not be overheated, otherwise it will burn the material and will not give the desired result.
With the help of a heated wire, the foam is cut evenly, the material does not crumble. When cutting in this way, you can perform various decorative elements, curly edges, and other necessary designs.
Applications and benefits of polystyrene foam
Polystyrene foam is used in construction; it is used to insulate roofs, walls, foundations, and other structural elements. Various decorative elements can be cut from such material.
Polystyrene foam has a number of advantages:
- This material has low sound conductivity and serves excellent insulation, retains heat, thereby saving heating costs.
- Polystyrene foam is resistant to moisture, which prevents the appearance of various fungi and molds.
- Polystyrene foam is lightweight material, so it's not difficult to work with. It is durable because it is not subject to aging and destruction as a result of dampness.
- The material is resistant to temperature changes, therefore it is used for both external and interior work. It can be used to make various decorative elements indoors and outdoors.
- You can cut foam plastic yourself at home, without the help of specialists. Thanks to the thermal cutting method, you can get perfectly smooth edges. This method is used to cut out various shapes or edges with precise evenness.
Advantages of cutting foam plastic mechanically and thermally:
With the mechanical method, you can save money on purchasing expensive tools. If sharp blades are used, this makes cutting the material much easier and also minimizes crumbling. This method is used for cutting a minimum amount of foam up to 5 centimeters thick.
With the thermal method, high quality foam cutting is obtained. This method allows you to cut out various decorative elements and shaped cuts due to high precision. At the same time, the material does not crumble and does not deteriorate. Cutting is done with a special heated wire. The thermal method allows you to evenly cut thick foam.
If you plan to cut a small amount of material, it does not matter what the cuts are, and unevenness is allowed, then you can use mechanical method. For this purpose, tools such as a grinder, electric jigsaw, knife or saw, all devices must have a sharp and thin blade, this greatly facilitates the work and allows you to achieve maximum evenness of the cut.
If high-precision figured cutting is planned, then the thermal method is used. To do this, use a special thermal cutter. Cutting is carried out using wire heated from a transformer, which is fed electricity. This device can be purchased ready-made or made independently. To do this, it is necessary to attach special arcs to the transformer and stretch the wire, which will serve as a cutting element, as a result of incandescence.
Homemade devices for cutting foam plastic
- Power supply for homemade thermal cutters
- Homemade cutter for working with flat sheets of foam plastic
- Homemade thermal cutter for figure cutting
- Homemade thermal cutter from a soldering iron
Foam plastic is a lightweight, technologically advanced and durable material, which also has low thermal conductivity, and is a godsend for a builder or home craftsman.
It can be used not only as insulation, but also as a structural material for the formation of a wide variety of models, blanks, shapes, etc. But polystyrene foam is produced in the form of fairly large blocks, when cutting them with a knife or saw, the material crumbles due to the destruction of its structure.
Figure 1 - Diagram of an regulated power supply.
An electric foam cutter, the working element of which is usually a nichrome wire heated to a temperature of several hundred degrees, cuts foam accurately, evenly and without crumbs.
This happens because upon contact with a heated wire, the foam instantly melts, forming a strong sintered cut.
In this article you can get acquainted with the designs homemade cutters for polystyrene foam for various purposes.
Power supply for homemade thermal cutters
Figure 2 - Diagram of a cutter that allows you to cut flat sheets from a block of foam plastic.
The power dissipated by a nichrome wire at a given heating temperature depends on its length and cross-sectional area.
It is better if the wire is thin enough (0.1-0.2 mm). Its cold resistance is on the order of several ohms. The operating temperature corresponds to the beginning of the wire reddening. With a wire length of 50 cm, about 50 W of power is dissipated on it at a current of about 5 A.
If you only use the foam cutter occasionally, you can use a battery as a power source. Sometimes this is even more convenient, and from a safety point of view, better than using a mains power supply.
The filament heat can be adjusted by changing the number of batteries connected in series.
But when systematically working with cutters, a universal mains power supply is preferable. It is not difficult to make such a source with your own hands. Its basis is a step-down transformer designed for a power of at least 100 W, having a secondary winding designed for a voltage of 15 V.
The diameter of the wire with which it is wound must be at least 1.5 mm.
To smoothly change the current strength, you can, of course, use a suitable rheostat or make a secondary winding with taps and install a switch.
But the most convenient option- the use of an autotransformer with smooth adjustment of the output voltage (LATR), to the output of which a step-down transformer is connected. The diagram of such an regulated power supply is shown in Fig. 1. Here T1 is LATR, and T2 is a step-down transformer.
Homemade cutter for working with flat sheets of foam plastic
Figure 3 - Horizontal cutter with a spring.
First, let's look at how the cutter works, allowing you to cut flat sheets from a block of foam plastic.
A schematic representation of such a device with the power supply described above is shown in Fig. 2. The weight on this device maintains tension in a nichrome thread heated by current, which greatly elongates when heated.
Instead of a load, a spring can be used for the same purpose. A photograph of a device with this method of maintaining the wire in a taut state is shown in Fig.
3. When moving foam block on the surface of the table, the heated wire cuts it no worse than a heated knife cuts butter. The result is flat sheets of foam, the thickness of which is determined by the distance between the table surface and the cutting wire.
Diagram of a vertical cutter: 1 - cutting nichrome wire, 2 - load, 3 - frame, 4 - working surface.
For cutting parts from flat sheets A cutter with a vertical cutting wire is used.
It, like the previous device, can be made with your own hands. How a vertical cutter works is shown in Fig. 4. Its basis is a frame (3) made of wooden blocks or metal profile. In its lower part there is a working surface (4), made of textolite, thick plywood, chipboard, etc.
A cutting nichrome wire (1) is passed through a hole in the table (it is advisable to press a piece of metal tube flush into it), to which a weight (2) is suspended from below, tensioning it.
On such a machine it is convenient not only to cut sheet foam, but also to carry out its shaped cutting. For accuracy, it is advisable to first draw a cutting line on the foam.
Homemade thermal cutter for figure cutting
Diagram of a hand cutter: 1 - cutting wire, 2 - wooden block, 3 - spring, 4 - handle.
For cutting sheets of large size and thickness, or if it is impossible to place the foam on the workbench, a hand-held electric cutter is useful.
It can also be made by hand (see Fig. 5).
Its basis is a frame made of wooden blocks (2), hinged. A cutting wire (1) is stretched between the lower ends of the vertical bars. In a taut state, it is supported by a rubber band or spring (3). When working, the tool is held by the handle (4).
A similar tool can be made on the basis of a hacksaw or hand jigsaw, where the file is replaced by a cutting wire.
On one side there should be a tension spring and an insulator.
Thermal cutter, the device of which is shown in Fig. 6, allows you to make indentations in the foam, cut out cavities in its thickness, chamfer, etc. With its help, it becomes possible to handle this material in much the same way as a sculptor handles clay.
Diagram of a manual thermal cutter: 1 - nichrome cutting wire, 2 - screw with nut and washer, 3 - textolite handle 4-5 mm thick, 4 - electrical cord.
This device is designed quite simply:
- nichrome cutting wire (1);
- screw with nut and washer (2);
- textolite handle 4-5 mm thick (3);
- power cord (4).
To expand the capabilities of shaped cutting of foam plastic, it makes sense to make several similar cutters with tips of different shapes (see.
A good shaped thermal cutter for foam plastic can be a wood burning device if you connect a tip made of nichrome wire of the required shape to it.
For the same purpose, you can use a pulse soldering iron if its standard tip is also replaced with a piece of thick nichrome wire.
Homemade thermal cutter from a soldering iron
Diagram of a thermal cutter from a soldering iron: 1 - safety screen, 2 - 2 M6 bolts with clamps, 3 - brackets, 4 - stand, 5 - section of a straight tip, 6 - copper plate, 8 - wooden plank, 9 - support legs.
To process foam plastic, not only heated wire can be used, but also a heated metal plate.
The basis of this thermal cutter (see Fig. 7) is a conventional soldering iron with a power of 60 W, designed for a voltage of 220 V. Instead of the usual tip, this device uses a plate knife, which is the main element of the cutter. It can cut not only foam plastic, but also any hot-melt synthetic material.
The base of the device is a sheet of heat-resistant plastic, plywood or a wooden board (8), to the bottom of which support legs (9) are attached.
They are needed because in the middle of the base there is a gap into which the heated knife is lowered. Opposite the slot at the edge of the pad there is a stand (4) with brackets (3) for installing a soldering iron.
The stand is made of a metal tube, and the brackets are made of 2 M6 bolts with clamps (2).
Do-it-yourself foam cutting at home
A safety screen (1) is also attached there, which protects the worker’s hands from burns.
The thermal cutter knife is a copper plate (6) pressed into the cut of the straight tip (5) of the soldering iron. The cutting edge of the knife is sharpened at a slight angle.
It can be sharpened on one or both sides. The degree of heating is selected experimentally.
As you can see, there are quite a lot of methods for thermal treatment of polystyrene foam and the designs of devices designed for this - choosing what is suitable for you is not difficult at all.
Every person in modern world understands that it is most profitable to work for yourself, that is, to open your own small business. It is most profitable to organize own production at home.
But this requires special equipment, which requires cash. Any business requires capital investment and you need to be prepared for this.
One of the fresh and profitable ideas for business is the production of polystyrene foam; you can make decent money on it. Such a business has minimal risks. For such a matter, there is a special production technology that must be strictly followed in order to achieve a positive result.
Features of the material
Polystyrene foam became most popular only in the 20th century.
It entered the market and immediately attracted consumers, as it was useful in several areas of human activity. This material is most often used in construction - for insulating buildings.
It is very popular because it has the following positive properties:
- thermal insulation;
- resistance to precipitation;
- reliability, regardless of ambient temperature.
Manufacturing process
To produce polystyrene foam at home, there is a special technology that must be followed to achieve success.
In addition, special equipment will be required. The basis is construction material called polystyrene.
Stage 1
Polystyrene foaming and processing under high temperatures. The raw materials are placed in a special container, and then the polystyrene granules expand under the influence of high temperatures. In home production, this process lasts only 3-5 minutes and is carefully monitored by workers.
You need to use special equipment.
Stage 2
The result of the first stage can be drops of moisture that form on the surface of the granules. It is removed by drying. Drying at home occurs under the influence of hot air. This period lasts about 4 minutes.
Stage 3
The aging process can take up to 6 days.
The speed of its flow depends on the size of the granules and the ambient temperature. During this period, the granules should fill all the airless space. No special equipment is required for this step.
Stage 4
At this stage, the formation of granules into the final form begins.
This process at home requires special equipment. Granules are fed into the block mold, which, under the influence of high temperatures, acquire the desired shape.
This is done quickly, in 7-10 minutes.
Stage 5
When the blocks have acquired the required shape, they are sorted and stored. After this, the slabs are cut to thicknesses of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100 mm. Most often, blocks of this thickness are used.
The technology for producing polystyrene foam is not that complicated, the main thing is to acquire everything required equipment for making at home. All stages are carefully controlled by workers. In order to make high-quality polystyrene foam at home, you should work hard and invest some money in the business.
Premises requirement
A business requires a specially equipped premises that meets all the requirements for this type of activity.
The size of the room must be at least 70 m2. Part of it needs to be allocated for storing finished products, that is, a warehouse. The height of the workshop should be 3-5 meters. The room must be equipped with electricity. In addition, it is necessary to organize the supply of dry water steam with a certain pressure.
In order for production to be reliable, fast and profitable, you should first purchase a foaming agent, which will be useful at the first stage of production.
For aging you will need a special bunker. There is a complex for cutting polystyrene foam, without which production would also not be possible.
DIY foam cutting
Packs foam blocks using an automatic or semi-automatic machine.
Expanded polystyrene boards are a popular building material.
The foam production business will bring high income, but do not forget about high level competition in this area. A large number of products are made from polystyrene foam. Businessmen involved in this business buy foam plastic in bulk from manufacturers.
By making products yourself, at home, you can save a lot of money, but when organizing a business, it is important to use only high-quality equipment and raw materials. Making polystyrene foam at home is a profitable and profitable business!
Fen milling The presentation was prepared by a technology teacher of the highest category
Plastic foam threads
They are characterized by low density, thermal, acoustic and electrical insulating properties.
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Polystyrene foam cutting methods
Homemade knives for polystyrene foam. How to make a heat cutter from improvised materials.
Department: Garden equipment and tools
Polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) is an extremely fertile material for the home craftsman or builder.
Its most valuable features are low thermal conductivity, light weight, elasticity, and durability. Thus, it can be used as a heater and as a building material for production various forms, structures, empty parts, packaging and bases for small architectural forms.
Expanded polystyrene is made in over a meter block size on each side, then the desired panel thickness is cut from 3 to 20 cm thick (on request).
To fulfill your creative or construction plans, plastic foam must be cut to the desired size and shape independently. The foam is simply cut with a knife or wire. But in this case, the foam structure is destroyed because it is a sintered “sphere” of polystyrene foam.
Extruded polystyrene is one mass, but it can also be damaged. Therefore, using special electrical heat treatment patterns is the preferred choice for foam cutting. Their working fluid is usually a thin nerve wire that heats up by conducting an electrical current over several hundred degrees.
Upon contact, the foam instantly melts and forms a highly sintered layer. The end of the cut becomes smooth, uniform and uncolored.
For processing using small slabs, it is most advisable to use a blade with a vertical wire distribution.
The basis of this cutter is a frame made of metal or wooden rods (if it is small). At the bottom of the frame there is a working surface - a table. It is made of thicker plywood, particleboard, sheet metal or PCB. Any durable flat material. Above the frame (see sketch) is a nichrome wire that runs through the hole in the table. If the table is made of a flammable material, a piece of metal tubing should be pressed against the wire hole that blends into the surface of the table.
The upper part of the wire is attached to the frame with a screw, and the lower part of the wire is a mass of hundreds of grams.
The fact is that the wire, when heated, is very elongated and that it maintains tension and serves as weight. Electric wires lead to the ends of the wire. If the table is made of metal, the top beam of the frame to which the wire is attached should be insulated from it. For example, the end of the carrier itself may be light. If the table is made of a dielectric material, the frame may be entirely metal.
On this blade, it is suitable for cutting sheet material making figurative cutting because the sheet can be rotated in any direction.
For high-quality cutting, it is best to mark the next cut line on the foam.
However, for "cutting" sheets of size and thickness, and under circumstances in which it is impossible to bring foam to the workbench (for example, when doing home heating work, excess shear and protruding parts that have holes in the entire state of the foam) can be useful and electric hand lamp.
You can also do this yourself.
To do this you need a wire, preferably with a removable handle. Using a cutting device - grinding machines cut teeth from the blade. (They won't get lost - you can get a good pruning saw with a narrow blade of them).
At the end of the rest of the canvas we drill a hole to attach the nichrome wire.
Attach a tin plate to the handle to secure the other end of the wire. Of course, the blade should not touch the wire.
To compensate for the expansion of nimrom when heated, we install a small but strong spring. When cold the wire must be well stretched and when heated it must remain in a low tension state to keep the wire straight.
We connect the wires to the end of the wire (for the wire on the end of the wire that is on the handle we use saw blade). This is a handheld polystyrene cutter.
Styrofoam is more suitable than a hot butter knife. However, it should be taken into account that it is impossible to make milling cuts, just straight (due to the straight blade of the wire).
It is not possible to change the cutting "path" mid-process - correct it correctly. If you need to cut complex figure, you need to do this for more reps.
The power to be sprayed onto the wire should be approximately 100-150 W for a length of 50 cm. The wire resistance is usually 1-3 ohms. The operating temperature is at the edge of the wire reddening.
The surge transformer can be used as an AC adapter. On the secondary winding it should be 6-12 volts with currents up to 10 A. However, “interference” with the transformer makes sense if the cutter is used very often and a lot.
If blade work is fairly sporadic, it is wise to use a small battery. It also breaks hands in terms of mobility. After all, you can work with the battery even though you're standing on a ladder and walking around construction site. And from the point of view of electrical safety, the battery is better.
When working with small parts or for very precise sizing, as well as for curved cutting, you can use a cutter made on the basis of an impulse soldering iron.
Pulse soldering is a very large current transformer and low voltage on the secondary winding. The tip of this solder is small in the shape of the letter V of thick nimrom. It is connected to the secondary winding of the transformer and heats up within a few seconds to high temperature. As a cutter, you can use a soldering iron with regular sewing and self-adhesive soldering iron.
The home cutter is made of thick nichrome wire. He has correct form and is attached to solder clamps instead of a conventional beam.
A wood torch can also be a good foam torch, especially if that model has a nichrome tip.
The polystyrene foam cutter will also come from a regular soldering iron, which has copper rod tips. You don't need to remove the sticks, but you can make a nozzle - a knife and tin.
The soldering iron should be strengthened stronger, 60-100 W, so that the nozzle warms up well.
As you can see, there are many ways to reduce foam, so it is easy to choose the most suitable one for your specific request.
Konstantin Timoshenko © 11.11.2011
You can discuss and discuss other forms of PPC blades on the forum
Polystyrene foam and penoplex are materials that are used as insulation in different areas construction.
How and how to cut foam boards?
They are easy to process, have a small weight, are not susceptible to the formation of mold and mildew, but are destroyed when exposed to acetone and similar solvents. However, despite the enormous similarity of materials in some parameters, significant differences are also visible.
To understand how penoplex differs from polystyrene foam, you need to compare their production methods and consumer properties.
This will help you find the correct area of application for each insulation.
Manufacturing Features
The raw material for the production of polystyrene foam and penoplex is expanded polystyrene. The difference is in the manufacturing technology. Polystyrene foam is produced by treating polystyrene granules with dry steam. The result is a material that is 98% air, hence its lightness and inexpensive price.
For penoplex, the extrusion method is used, which promotes the formation of a single structure.
The resulting material is denser and its degree of breathability is much lower.
If you want to know whether polystyrene foam or penoplex is warmer, you need to compare the thermal conductivity coefficients of insulation materials. For foam plastic it is 0.035-0.05 W/m×°C, and for penoplex it is slightly lower and amounts to 0.28 W/m×°C. According to the indicators, penoplex retains heat better.
Comparison of characteristics
Other properties by which both materials are compared include:
In terms of flammability, both materials are easily ignited materials, but penoplex is more prone to fire.
To eliminate this drawback, special treatment with fire retardants is used, which increases the resistance of materials when exposed to fire.
Application area
When figuring out whether foam plastic or penoplex is better as insulation, you need to compare their characteristics comprehensively. Then for each case you can choose the best option.
It is better to insulate the facade with polystyrene foam, since it is cheaper and has good breathability.
Therefore, you can save not only on thermal insulation material, but also reduce costs for vapor barrier.
For thermal insulation flat roof two options are beneficial.
When insulating a balcony, the thermal insulation should be as thin as possible so as not to take up extra space. In this case, it is advisable to choose penoplex, which has low thermal conductivity.
Review Polyfoam or penoplex: similarities and differences.
What is the easiest way to cut foam?
Thermal insulation structures are assembled from modern polystyrene foam, decorative elements are cut out, and a large number of other things are produced.
Its scope of application is very wide. And not least because this material is easy to process, quick to install and can be cut with your own hands.
Homemade thermal cutter for polystyrene foam
However, you also need to be able to cut foam plastic with your own hands. After all, to get a really high-quality cut and final detail, you need to try hard. Note that polystyrene foam is not dangerous to human health.
1 Cutting foam
So, polystyrene foam, like any other material, needs to be processed before use. Initially, it is supplied in ordinary slabs with a certain thickness. However, the shape of the slabs is not always sufficient to use them wherever necessary.
Often the slab has to be cut into pieces, trimmed, and cleaned. Sometimes it becomes necessary to cut off a decorative part at the edge of the slab or make a certain angle.
There are actually a lot of options. But one question remains. How to cut foam? It would seem, why else invent some additional units, buy a special cutter for foam plastic if you can not only cut it, you can even break it with your own hands. And this is literally true.
Here we need to turn to the features of polystyrene foam itself and reinforced polystyrene foam for the facade. The foam itself consists of small polystyrene balls.
The initial raw material in it is a polymer that is mixed with foam fillers and air. The result is a fairly pliable and very light structure that can be easily cut or broken by hand.
But breaking foam plastic is not The best decision. Your break line will never be accurate. The polystyrene foam balls will distort it, making the final structure unsuitable for precision work.
However, we still note that it is very easy to break or cut foam. That is, cutting foam plastic at home is quite possible. Another question is how to do this accurately and with minimal destruction of the material. This is where a foam cutter or any other one will come in handy homemade apparatus.
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2 Cutting tools
The foam cutting tool may have different designs. It depends on the design and type of cutting how exactly the foam cutter will cope with its tasks.
Expanded polystyrene consists of small balls and can crumble
A mechanical cutter is used to be able to carry out relatively small work in cramped conditions. You can cut the body of polystyrene foam with a mechanical device. But the quality of the cut that ends up may not be what we would like.
Thermal cutter for foam plastic is already professional equipment. It is used by builders, designers and other similar professionals.
The thermal cutter quickly makes holes or cuts lines in any type of polystyrene foam. Starting from regular and ending with extruded high-density foam.
The thermal apparatus basically uses a hot filament or wire.
Based on the type of assembly, the apparatus for cutting polystyrene foam for insulating a house with foam plastic from the inside can be divided into:
- Branded designs;
- Homemade samples.
In the first case, we are dealing with units that were created at the factory. They were specially designed and conceived to give a person maximum productivity and convenience while working.
Branded models include both specialized foam knives and large thermal cutters or other professional equipment.
For example, the same laser cutting foam plastic is possible only through the use of low-power factory lasers, which are controlled by a computer. They are expensive, bulky and quite complex, but as a result of working with them you will get almost perfect cutting.
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2.1 Mechanical cutting
Mechanical cutting is performed with tools that are based on the force of mechanical action or friction.
Most often, such equipment is used at home. When you don’t have the opportunity to buy a thermal cutter, and don’t have the desire. Let's not forget that a high-quality thermal cutter can be quite expensive.
And it’s not always worth buying it, especially if you just need to cut a couple with your own hands polystyrene foam boards for thermal insulation.
You can actually cut polystyrene foam even with a regular blade.
The easiest way to cut foam plastic is to take a regular knife, especially if the foam is cut for insulation of sewer pipes in the ground. A utility knife with a medium-hard blade is ideal. With its help, you can cut a slab up to 6-8 cm thick without any problems. Moreover, the slab will be cut with high quality, especially if you already have at least basic experience.
But grinders and jigsaws, if they can be used, should be used very carefully. Here you need to understand that a strong torque has too serious an effect on the weak structure of polystyrene foam. If you do not guess correctly with the torque and the choice of disk, you can ruin the stove with your own hands.
The recommendations here can only be general. It is advisable to buy special equipment for cutting foam. If you don’t have anything like that on hand, then at least try to find the thinnest disc for an angle grinder or a jigsaw blade. The thinner it is, the better.
In general, you need to be careful with saws. Regular saw It is better not to use it for foam plastic. Unless you don't need cutting precision at all. But in this case it is easier to simply break it.
If you buy a special saw, then the conversation is different. But in any case, you need to be very careful, since the saw, due to the uneven force, has a greater chance of seriously damaging the material.
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2.2 Thermal cutting
For thermal cutting, a thermal cutter is always used. Thermal cutter is a special unit for cutting polystyrene foam, it costs almost the same as foam glue.
It consists of only a few parts. The main part is the working transformer, which supplies voltage. The transformer may have batteries, or it may be powered directly from the network. It all depends on the specific model.
There are two arcs or mounts extending from the mini-transformer. These arcs are essentially the body of the working element. A special thread is tied to each end of the arc. Nichrome is most often used. The thread is stretched between the ends of the arc so as to form a tightly taut wire.
When the transformer is turned on, it supplies electricity to the arcs, which, in turn, heat up the filament itself.
The hot thread cuts through foam without any problems in any position and any size. After all, the polymer is extremely unstable, and it interacts very poorly with high temperatures.
Special stand for homemade foam thermal cutter
The big advantage of a thermal cutter is that it gives you the opportunity to work with filigree precision. More precisely, cutting can only be done with lasers. And even then, if we exclude the human factor.
Nichrome heated to a serious temperature cuts foam like a knife cuts hot butter. Moreover, it doesn’t even really touch the stove, meaning you don’t have to apply any physical pressure. Why is this convenient? Yes, because putting in physical effort is always fraught with the possibility of making a mistake.
If all the work is done by a heated wire, which melts the foam rather than cutting it, then the chance of making a mistake becomes minimal.
2.3 Homemade thermal cutter
Clever radio technicians have probably already thought that the design of a thermal cutter is very simple, which means that it can be assembled with your own hands. Indeed, you can assemble a thermal cutter without any problems.
Your main task will be to select a small transformer for cutting Rockwool insulating cylinders and similar products. Well, this is actually not such a problem. You can take a transformer from a TV or convert it from a working sample.
Next you need to assemble an analogue of the arcs. The simplest such mechanism is a mount on wooden plank two long screws. The tree will not allow them to conduct electricity among themselves, so the only conductor will remain a nichrome stretched thread.
The thread is pulled between the heads of the screws. Then all that remains is to connect the transformer to the screws, then turn on the electricity and adjust the voltage.
It is advisable not to overdo it with voltage and clearly understand that there is a certain correlation between the thickness of the nichrome thread and the operating voltage at the output.
Too high a voltage will heat the thread red-hot, and in this position it will simply burn out the polystyrene foam without even touching it. As a result, you will not be able to cut smoothly.
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