Hot-wire foam cutter (Proto-made) ID:207
 | |
| Type | Hot-wire foam cutter |
| Make/Model | Proto-made |
| Serial number | |
| Original owner | Protospace |
| Loan status | Owned by Protospace |
| Arrival date | 2025-07-27 |
| Location | Currently stored underneath the shelving at the South wall of #108 - adjacent to the stairs, near the cleaning supplies, ground-level. |
| Functional status | Functional |
| Usage permissions | Members |
| Certification | Read this Wiki entry |
| Wiki-ID | 207 |
| Label | 1.0" 1.5" 2.0" |
Specs
This tool was found in Protospace in a broken state in July of 2025. It was refurbished and the wiring was slightly redesigned.
It had been hard-wired to a 20V 4.5A (90W) power supply and the nichrome wire had been burnt-through.
The installed nichrome wire is 0.8mm in diameter.
The tool was changed to have a female 5.5mm x 2.1mm DC barrel-jack and was successfully used by feeding ~9V 5A (~45W) into the jack using an adjustable multi-voltage power supply (personally owned, not from Protospace). It is intended to locate a spare 9V/5A power supply and attach that power supply to the tool for future users.
Usage
NOTE: Cutting polystyrene (both EPS or XPS) foam or plastics of any kind will produce dangerous and toxic fumes. For this reason it is strongly urged that this tool not be used within Protospace, and only when wearing a proper respirator. The two options for using this tool, then, are to use it behind the building in the parking area, or by making a pitch [such as this one](https://forum.protospace.ca/t/pitch-id-like-to-borrow-the-broken-foam-wire-cutting-tool-so-as-to-not-suffocate-everyone-in-the-space/) to remove the tool from Protospace and use it in a safe space away from other members. Use of this type is generally not permissible but is excepted for this tool because of the noxious fume production.
Troubleshooting
If the wire breaks, us 0.8mm nichrome wire to replace it
Documentation
TBD