In place foam sculpting tool

[Anonymous]

Does anyone make a small hot wire tool for sculpting foam once it is in place?

The Woodland Scenics hot wire tool really only works when cuttng foam before nstallaton or for basic cuts after. I am lookiing for a handy small "u" or "v" shaped hot wire tool hat can be used for 'digging" and shaping river beds, ditches and detail rock cutting once the basic foam shapes are cut and glued in place.. Have seen some photos of such a tool but no manufacturer.

[orsonroy]

Any of the hot wire cutters can be modified to cut contours into in-place foam. The WS cutter has an attachment head for this sort of application, and some people have made their own by sculpting the contour out of heavy gauge wire, and using a 200 watt soldering GUN as the power source.

I prefer hand tools. They're faster and just as accurate. Cheaper, too!

[Bikerdad]

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/products/customer/product.php?productid=16164&cat=108&page=1

[FCnota]

Never thought of using a soldering gun with heavy wire. How heavy is heavy? 12 solid? I'm very interested, as I have a soldering gun but not the hot wire cutter. If I can save a buck on the tool, that means more train stuff! Any comments?

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FCnota

Never thought of using a soldering gun with heavy wire. How heavy is heavy? 12 solid? I'm very interested, as I have a soldering gun but not the hot wire cutter. If I can save a buck on the tool, that means more train stuff! Any comments?

There was an online article on this technique somewhere, but I can't find it now. I've tried the technique, and 16 or 18 AWG solid wire works fine. I tried 12 AWG at first, but it took too long to heat the wire and cut effectively. If you can find it, thicker piano wire should be the best thing to use.

[bogp40]

You can change the wire on most hot wire cutters. Just don't go too heavy, the high resistance of the smaller wire is how most of the tools work. I bend the wire on the Hot Wire to any convex shape I need. This way you can plunge it into the foam and create any shapes hole or crevases you desire. The tool will not like going through the glue joints, so proding and sliding the wire through them may be nec.
Bob K.

[FCnota]

I'll try the 16 and 18 and let you know, thanks.