What materials can I use with the hot wire cutters?

Hot wire cutters cut and shapes from different types of styrofoam . The grey and blue foam sold in the college shop is styrofoam and the majority of packaging foam is too. Do not cut other materials using the hotwire. Some types of foam can release highly toxic fumes when heated.

Styrofoam cannot be laser cut because it can catch fire very easily under the heat of the laser. Polystyrene can be CNC routed but it can take a lot of time to prepare a digital 3D file for CNC cutting. The Hot wire cutter is ideal if you want to make quick models from polystyrene foam.

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