Safety and Hot Wire Foam Cutting

Thanks Fleemo
wrote in message
oups.com...
Welcome to Usenet, Fleemo!

Thanks Dude, I appreciate the welcome.

Minus the 'tude, he is about right. I haven't seen or heard anything
about
using a respirator to cut foam. Of course, they used to not worry
about
asbestos either. If you are worried, use a respirator. You might as
well
own a good one if you are going to be serious about building planes.

I realize polysterene smoke is probably not something you want to
breathe in like the bouquet of a fine wine, but I was looking for input
on specifically how toxic it is and what steps need to be taken when
carving foam with a hot wire. Is working in a well-ventilated room
enough of a safety precaution, or is a respirator required?

Where can I find a hot wire cutting tool?

Jean-Paul, check out http://www.HotWireFoamFactory.com

-Fleemo

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 14:25:34 GMT, "Dude" wrote:


"MikeR" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
A friend of mine just bought a hot wire foam cutting tool for carving
and shaping polystyrene foam. My question is whether the fumes and
smoke from doing such carving are a safety/health hazard? Any
guidelines for using such a tool safely?

Thanks.

-Fleemo


My question is whether the fumes and
smoke from doing such carving are a safety/health hazard?
YES! (Duh)


Any guidelines for using such a tool safely?
Don't snort the fumes. Don't touch the hot parts.

You're welcome.



Welcome to Usenet, Fleemo!

Minus the 'tude, he is about right. I haven't seen or heard anything about
using a respirator to cut foam. Of course, they used to not worry about
asbestos either. If you are worried, use a respirator. You might as well
own a good one if you are going to be serious about building planes.



As I recall, urethane foam is toxic and shouldn't be hot wire cut. You
can make a cutter with an electric train transformer and stainless
wire on a bow type device. We made one, but it has been a couple of
hundred years ago.
Ed Sullivan

Ed Sullivan wrote:
On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 14:25:34 GMT, "Dude" wrote:




As I recall, urethane foam is toxic and shouldn't be hot wire cut.
You
can make a cutter with an electric train transformer and stainless
wire on a bow type device. We made one, but it has been a couple of
hundred years ago.


Yes. Urethane foam releases cyanide gas when heated. If you use
urethane in your plane and catch on fire the release of cyanide is
either a problem or a feature depending on whether or not your
burns are survivable.

Hot-wiring of polystyrene should be done in a well-ventilated
room while wearing a respirator. The respirator protects you
while cutting, the ventilation protects you after you remove
the respirator. You should should 'organic vapor' cartridges.

Be careful where you set teh hot wire down while it is still hot.

Have fun.

--

FF

http://www.techlib.com/hobby/hotwire_foam_cutter.htm

http://www.dansworkshop.com/Hot%20wi...0cutting.shtml

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/produc...tomer/home.php

http://www.foamcutter.pl/Megaplot.htm

Polystyrene...no problem.

Polyurethane...bad


wrote in message ups.com...
A friend of mine just bought a hot wire foam cutting tool for carving
and shaping polystyrene foam. My question is whether the fumes and
smoke from doing such carving are a safety/health hazard? Any
guidelines for using such a tool safely?

Thanks.

-Fleemo