-----Original Message----- From: shdc@googlegroups.com [mailto:shdc@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Simon Ford Sent: 27 March 2011 20:05 To: SuperHappyDevClub Subject: [shdc] Anyone got a broken toaster?
I'm after the element out of one, to try and make a foam cutter...
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On Sunday, 27 March 2011 at 8:07 PM, Chris Styles wrote: > Does it have to be broke?
> Tesco will sell you a new one for about £5....
> Failing that.. I used to use thin rework wire...
> Cheers, > Chris
> -----Original Message----- > From: shdc@googlegroups.com [mailto:shdc@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Simon Ford > Sent: 27 March 2011 20:05 > To: SuperHappyDevClub > Subject: [shdc] Anyone got a broken toaster?
> I'm after the element out of one, to try and make a foam cutter...
> -- IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to any other person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the information in any medium. Thank you.
> I would't want to buy a new one; as hugo says, i'd much rather just > buy the wire so there was no waste.
> But recycling seemed more fun :)
> Ideally, i'd like to make a CNC foam wire cutter of course!
I'm not sure resistive wire is necessary unless you want to run it off the mains. Not advised - it's bad enough being hot without being live as well.
I made one using stainless wire sold for model aircraft purposes. It's plenty resistive enough for a 12V supply and is strong enough to string really tight.
> I'm not sure resistive wire is necessary unless you want to run it off the
> mains. Not advised - it's bad enough being hot without being live as well.
> I made one using stainless wire sold for model aircraft purposes. It's
> plenty resistive enough for a 12V supply and is strong enough to string
> really tight.
Yeah, I made one of the bow type ones years ago, for aircraft wings
too. At the moment, I'm trying to think how you might be able to do a
single ended setup so you effectively have a 10-15cm spike up out of a
baseboard.
I'm wondering if heating from the end of a solid thin spike might
work, or whether you'd need to put some heating wire inside the actual
cutter to keep it hot enough. Depends on the spike material and how
hot it needs to get maybe?
> I'm wondering if heating from the end of a solid thin spike might
> work, or whether you'd need to put some heating wire inside the actual
> cutter to keep it hot enough. Depends on the spike material and how
> hot it needs to get maybe?
Maybe attach an old variable temp soldering iron to something stiff
enough like a thin drill bit?
On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 10:28 PM, Simon Ford <simon.a.f...@googlemail.com>wrote:
> > I'm wondering if heating from the end of a solid thin spike might > > work, or whether you'd need to put some heating wire inside the actual > > cutter to keep it hot enough. Depends on the spike material and how > > hot it needs to get maybe?
> Maybe attach an old variable temp soldering iron to something stiff > enough like a thin drill bit?
Frigin laser. Awesome :) that sounds like one to try.
I also just thought (inspired by a previous shdc) how about a hacked
sewing machine to give a jigsaw like action for a dremmel bit ?! Mount
the oscillating mech under the board.
> Frigin laser. Awesome :) that sounds like one to try.
I really hope you're not serious there :p If you are can you tell me so I can never come to SDHC ever, I like my eyes :)
> I also just thought (inspired by a previous shdc) how about a hacked > sewing machine to give a jigsaw like action for a dremmel bit ?! Mount > the oscillating mech under the board.
You might be best off with something with less travel, I vaguely remember we had cutting machines at school (some years ago) where you could touch the blades as they were moving such a small degree that they just vibrated anything non-rigid in contact with them while going through balsa etc like a hot knife through butter. Could probably use an old speaker or something?
> > Frigin laser. Awesome :) that sounds like one to try.
> I really hope you're not serious there :p If you are can you tell me > so I can never come to SDHC ever, I like my eyes :)
You have a point there :-).
> > I also just thought (inspired by a previous shdc) how about a hacked > > sewing machine to give a jigsaw like action for a dremmel bit ?! Mount > > the oscillating mech under the board.
> You might be best off with something with less travel, I vaguely > remember we had cutting machines at school (some years ago) where you > could touch the blades as they were moving such a small degree that > they just vibrated anything non-rigid in contact with them while going > through balsa etc like a hot knife through butter. Could probably use > an old speaker or something?
I've got a little fretsaw that might be how you describe - it doesn't have a proper motor, just an open transformer. Works like a buzzer. I haven't tried to cut myself but I would think the only nasty part is where the blade enters the cutting table.
It does have the blade supported by a big spring at the top end, though. Supporting a cutting tool vertically without tension would be more complicated.
I also wonder whether a simple spinning dremel tool would work - it's easy to get a burr hot enough to melt plastic, so perhaps you could heat the spindle with friction rather than cutting with abrasion ?
On 27 March 2011 20:05, Simon Ford <simon.a.f...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> I'm after the element out of one, to try and make a foam cutter...
Not a broken one, but I have one with a Swedish plug on it that isn't currently in use. It would probably make more green sense to dismantle it here for some usefulness than to fly it back to Sweden :)
Had to cut it up a bit to get it in the car; thanks leatherman :)
There were much thicker blocks (10cm), but they had lots of flecks of
grey in them, so not suitable unfortunately.
Looked around b&q for ages trying to find something thin and stiff
enough to use as a hot cutting blade, but didn't find anything (nails,
metal rods all too thick, drill bits too short). Got home, and found a
thin skewer. Just tested on the hob for now, but seemed quite
effective.
