I can quickly see a few minor design changes/improvements to this, but I thought it was kind of a smart/neat/handy maker solution to cutting complex or curvilinear shapes in foam:
It’s also a nice, simple first project in electronics, IMO. So would this, too, while we are at it:
I made a couple of these for one of my projects. Very simple to make and works great! Found the heater wire at hobby town USA on Mockingbird. Cut the frame on a laser cutter and used a 12V wall transformer I found on the donation shelf. Mine was pretty big but I probably could have used a 5v and gone slower. A spring is definitely helpful because the wire stretches with heat. Beat the heck out of using a saw.
Someone was demonstrating one they built for making glider wings. It was CNC driven. I think it was at a rocket convention in 2012.
Tanners sell NiCr wire by the foot
I made a table-based one from MDF for making terrain. Uses a surplus laptop charger for power.
Amateurs.
Do you use mach 3 program for this cutter?