Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Resistance wire - calculating input

S

suryah

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm making a hot wire cutter for polystyrene foam. Thw cutting wire will be
Nichrome.

Does anyonw know of a formula that will give me the means to calculate
possible voltage and amperage combinations to put through it (so I don't
melt the wire)?

I know that a 9v 1A setup will work, but I would like to know what others
could be used.
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm making a hot wire cutter for polystyrene foam. Thw cutting wire will be
Nichrome.

Does anyonw know of a formula that will give me the means to calculate
possible voltage and amperage combinations to put through it (so I don't
melt the wire)?

I know that a 9v 1A setup will work, but I would like to know what others
could be used.

For styrofoam, just get a decent bread knife. An X-acto, or even a razor
blade, is good for small pieces.

Don't try to cut styrofoam with a hot wire. If it gets anywhere near
hot enough to "cut" the foam, it melts it and you get a globby mess.

Or, dip the wire in glue and drag it through sand, and make a little saw
out of it.

Good Luck!
Rich
 
S

suryah

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks for the link. It's not dangerous. I know that the stated setup works.
It's just that other PSU's are more easily obtainable, and I wondered which
would work and which would not.

Hot wire cutters are often used in trade and by hobbyists - particularly
model railroaders. Woodland Scenics sells them - but I'm not going to pay
their prices!
 
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