Hot knife

C

Cas Alkanowski

Well-known member
Has anyone ever used a hot knife[elec.]to carve decoys [divers]out of blue board insulation .I have made 3 with 2 layers using liquid nails to attach the two layers together with 1/ 4 plywood bottom attached with liquid nails.To carve the body shape I have been using a fillet knife,but this was to messy,leaving slivers all over and hard to clean-up.So I was thinking of using a hot knife if it works okay with out sticking to the knife or a bad melt down.Harber -Freight has them on sale for $17 bucks.I have read where a hot wire is also used but know nothing about that.
 
Cas, I was just surfing the archives here and saw a hot wire method for cutting foam with a battery but don't remember where it was. Try a browse. Sounds like a good idea, keep us posted.
 
Do a search for hot wire foam cutter, you can find plans and youtube sites that may have some interesting takes on making your own.
 
I have a hot knife and a buddy of mine used one to make a foam boat. Not something you want to do indoors unless you have an exhaust vent system. works good..like a hot knife in butter but the smoke comes off the foam...probably very toxic. Perfect for sitting in the driveway.
 
My buddy is a Home Builder and uses foam block system for his foundations. he has a pretty large hot wire cutting set-up for the cutting the foam blocks. I used it once to trim and shape some old Herter's foam blocks, It worked pretty well. It does smoke a bit though. Outside it was fine, but I wouldn't think it would be good inside. It definetely would have worked better with a little fine tuning.

It is very clean though, doesn't make much of a mess, save for the pieces of foam you cut off. No dust however.

I would think, that would be the way to go for decoys. I think a knife would be a little harder to handle, BUT I never tried one.

Jon
 
Bill:Thank you for info.,I forgot where I saw this set up before.after viewing Derek & Xena's post I read where I had posted questions on this method to make foam board decoys, and intend to build this unit.I have lots of diver duck decoys by Avery Decoys but want to cut down the weight so I can carry more in my Higby "BBSB" it is only 13 foot long,so blue bills and canvas backs will be my project.
 
Cas,

Not quite as neat as a hot knife, but when I was messing with carving foam I used an old fashion electric carving knife. Worked well for me. The two opposed blades cut without much tearing.

Scott
 
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