Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonG
I have a friend that does cast concrete/cochina (sp?) stone.
He powers his frame cutter from a transformer and dimmer switch.
Said he would get shocked with the 120V unit.
About a 4" spring on the frame keeps it tight.
He uses masonite board for the profile shape and runs the wire along it.
He has 24" and 48" frames, I have always wondered if for a vehicle this would work:
Use a dowel on each end of an 6-8' piece of wire.
Have one person hold each end.
Guy in front follows old body.
Guy in rear follows end of boat tail shape.
Done in no time  |
Homebuilt airplane guys have done this for decades, for wing airfoil core profiles, which are critical in exact shape.
Due to wire lag, cut no more than ~4' sections, otherwise the wire lag makes scallops in the foam. Don't rush it--let the heated wire do the cutting at its own pace b/c if you pull it will stretch or break the wire. Slower and at wire temperature just hot enough to cut makes a better cut.
Another non-hotwire prospect is to just use polyurethane foam, placed on a frame of the correct template shape, and simply sand or cheese grate the foam to shape. Makes a lot of powder that goes everywhere, but those who've worked with styrofoam and polyurethane say poly is the only way to go. Poly lets you use cheap poly resin, vs. much more expensive epoxy, and is more chemically compatible. A couple of 4'X8' 1/2" sheets from Lowes or Home Depot would do the trick. Peel the aluminum foil backing off. For compound curves, score the back side of the foam so it will more readily bend. Face both sides with light fiberglass cloth for a light, strong sandwich structure.