Thread: Hot wire foam scroll table!

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As I'm sure a few of you know, I've been spending some of my project time on building a tool to make life a bit easier. How's that you ask? I am sure most, if not everyone here knows the pain in the butt that cutting foam with the various types of saws causes. Hours of cleanup, if you can call it that, because there really is no end to the job. Just when you think you are through...You're fishing that tiny little nut you dropped out from under the workbench and see that pile of foam shards that you missed with the vacuum. Holy #$*&!!! OMG!!! Where does this stuff come from?!?

Much less fun, the task of trying to get it out of the Shopvac! While it clings to everything you try and brush it, lift it, scoop it, & dump it out with. No, this doesn't solve that entirely. But it sure cuts down (pun fully intended!), on the cleanup. And, as an added bonus, cuts tighter radius curves more accurately that you could with any other tool on the planet that doesn't have CNC in front of it's name!

What do I think of it so far? Well... !!!!!!

I'd like to send a very special thanks to Pete, and Steve O @ GoE for the great idea, and all of the improvements along the way.

Pay no mind to my cow skull in the background...




















The instructions for the project can be found here: GoE

A little playing with my new toy to find the right heat settings...




Started out a little too hot, as evidenced by the feet. Oh, and btw...the mess left afterwards. Or, the lack thereof!

That is absolutely fantastic!! I can't wait to buil done!

Very cool new tool. Yep, that foam snow is a PITA!

That is brilliant!

Fantastic work! You must be thrilled!

I thought about building one of these but then looked at the price that the Foam factory had on them and realized I could not build one much cheaper. I also love how neat it is to use. No more clouds of pink foam.

Originally Posted by TK421

That is absolutely fantastic!! I can't wait to buil done!

Thank you kind sir! I can't wait either, I just know your going to turn out some amazing works with yours!

Originally Posted by Terra

Very cool new tool. Yep, that foam snow is a PITA!

Thanks! You aren't kidding there, and you know probably better than most!

Originally Posted by The Halloween Lady

That is brilliant!

Many thanks mi' lady! Although I can only claim the execution as mine own. All credit due, goes to Pete & Steve O for the concept, along with my thanks for their sharing it.

Originally Posted by Halloween Scream

Fantastic work! You must be thrilled!

Schönen Dank! Yes ma'am! Absolutely ecstatic!

Originally Posted by cmerli

I thought about building one of these but then looked at the price that the Foam factory had on them and realized I could not build one much cheaper. I also love how neat it is to use. No more clouds of pink foam.

Thanks, and you should! Au contraire, mon frère, not as expensive at all. For HWFF's scroll table, you are looking at a minimum of $59.95 for an 8" blade, with a 12 x 14 cutting surface. While I've not received the drop leaf hinges I ordered just yet (so I'll not count that into the equation), my work surface currently sits @ 25 x 18 with 12" of possible cut height, and a throat depth of 10.5".


Bill of lading on the materials:

(1) 2 x 4 stud---------------------------------------------------------$1.79

(1) 1 x 8 x 6' white pine---------------------------------------------$5.59

(1) 0.018" guitar string----------------------------------------------$2.30

(1) Lightech 120-12-75w electronic transformer (dimmable)---$14.69

(1) 4 x 4 x 1.5" metal electrical box-------------------------------$.95

(1) 4 x 4 metal blank plate-----------------------------------------$.95

(1) old heavy duty grounded extension cord----------------------$ free. I had it lying around.

(1 pkg of 4) Heavy duty gator clips--------------------------------$1.95 ($.49- pro-rated)

(1) old gold plated speaker binding post--------------------------$ free

(5') 8 ga. power wire-------------------------------------------------$5.00 (I could've recycled extension cord for this too, I just have had that wire laying around for a couple of years, doing nothing)

(1) 6' L. Aluminum C channel (lower clip-wire attach point------$9.69 (used about 3" of it, $.17 pro-rated)

(1) 600w dimmer------------------------------------------------------$4.99

(1) spst light switch--------------------------------------------------$2.99

(12) zip ties-----------------------------------------------------------$.15

Total------------------------------------------------------------------ $40.08


I did a few extras like sleeving/heatshrinking the cables with some extra materials I already had on hand from previous projects. Not necessary at all, just aesthetics, like routing the arm out to fit the cable. Not important in the grand scheme of things. If you'd like to do the same, add about $8 more. All in all, it's pretty well comparable to their 3-D table kit size wise, at about 1/2 the cost of a fully operational (read: not including adjustable power supply) hobby table shipped. The Pro version is the same table with the adjustable power supply @ $149. Now with handheld bow cutters you are right...definitely not cost effective to roll your own.

very cool!!

Funny that you post this today. I just got home from picking up the wife and kids, took them out to chinese dinner and stopped at JoAnns to pick up a new glue gun and a foam cutter. costs 25.00 and can be found near the floral foam. Tried my first cut and I was stoked. So glad I picked it up. Tomorrow my dremel, heat gun and what ever else suits my fancy. LOL