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Got hot knife?

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Got hot knife?
Highpower Offline
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#1
Question  12-16-2021, 08:14 PM
I'm thinking of getting a hot knife for cutting various foam types and synthetic rope etc. One of the Made in China specials that look like they all come from the same factory regardless of the color or "brand" on the decal. Usually close to 100 bucks or so depending on how many attachments come with it. Anybody used one? Worth it, or are they all cheap garbage? I want a hand held model because I don't have space for a hot wire table / bench unit.

I'm tired of butchering up cuts trying to use a utility knife, scalpel, scissors, bread knife etc., etc. Bash
Willie
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f350ca Offline
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#2
12-16-2021, 08:28 PM
What's this get a tool? Why buy something you could spend hours making>

Greg
Free advice is worth exactly what you payed for it.
Greg
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EdK Offline
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#3
12-16-2021, 09:37 PM
(12-16-2021, 08:14 PM)Highpower Wrote: I'm thinking of getting a hot knife for cutting various foam types and synthetic rope etc. One of the Made in China specials that look like they all come from the same factory regardless of the color or "brand" on the decal. Usually close to 100 bucks or so depending on how many attachments come with it. Anybody used one? Worth it, or are they all cheap garbage? I want a hand held model because I don't have space for a hot wire table / bench unit.

I'm tired of butchering up cuts trying to use a utility knife, scalpel, scissors, bread knife etc., etc.  Bash

Can you post a picture of the made in China one you're referring to? We had one at work, not sure if it was made in China, but I don't remember what brand it was but I do remember what it looked like. Chin

Ed
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Highpower Offline
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#4
12-16-2021, 10:45 PM
(12-16-2021, 08:28 PM)f350ca Wrote: What's this get a tool? Why buy something you could spend hours making>

Greg

If only I had the hours to spend. This week between the wife and I, we spent half our days going to various doctors offices. Next week we have medical appointments every single day including Christmas Eve! Rant

She has to run back and forth between 3 doctors and I have to deal with 5 of my own. Everybody is a "specialist" these days. Bash
Willie
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Highpower Offline
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#5
12-16-2021, 10:52 PM
(12-16-2021, 09:37 PM)EdK Wrote: Can you post a picture of the made in China one you're referring to? We had one at work, not sure if it was made in China, but I don't remember what brand it was but I do remember what it looked like.  Chin

Ed

Sure Ed. One of these things:

   
Willie
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arvidj Offline
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#6
12-17-2021, 06:03 AM
I've got this one  ... hot knife.

Probably bought it with a coupon so less than $20. Used it a few times to cut the hot end of my 3D printer out of a plastic glob malfunction. Seems to work well enough. Temperature can be controlled (for various definitions of 'controlled') with the knob. Not instant-on. More like minute-on. It is as sturdy as it looks ... as in NOT ... but with rational use is robust enough to get the job done.

The challenging part of process is cleaning it up afterwards. I just wipe it down with a paper towel while it is still hot and I am sober enough to not burn myself.
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EdK Offline
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#7
12-17-2021, 10:44 AM
(12-16-2021, 10:52 PM)Highpower Wrote:
(12-16-2021, 09:37 PM)EdK Wrote: Can you post a picture of the made in China one you're referring to? We had one at work, not sure if it was made in China, but I don't remember what brand it was but I do remember what it looked like.  Chin

Ed

Sure Ed. One of these things:

The one we had at work was strictly for cutting braided sleeving so it wouldn't have worked well for cutting foam. Similar to the one shown below.

Ed

   
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Highpower Offline
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#8
12-17-2021, 11:30 AM
Yeah I'm looking at the ones that use longer blades on them (6 in. - 8 in.) for cutting through thicker foam sheets. Reviews on them seem to be all over the place of course with quite a few DOA, only worked for 3 minutes, weeks, or months etc., doesn't get hot enough, yada yada yada. Complaints about the blades getting soft when hot and bending / twisting or the trigger switch or temp rheostat not working is common as well.

Amazon has taken to removing any reviews with a rating of less than 4 stars half the time. The graph is still up showing the number of 1 star, 2star, 3 star reviews but when you click on the star rating it says there are no reviews. You only see the written ratings for the 4 or 5 star levels.  Rant

I recently bought a new Pelican case to store my LCR meter and accessories in. (Overkill I know...) They come with "pick & pull" serrations formed in the foam that you are supposed to be able to pluck out by hand to make pockets in the 4 in. thick foam base to cradle your contents. Problem is the foam they use now is so strong you have to cut them out. Pulling on them causes it to shred the walls of the foam. Trying to hack through the serrations with a cold blade makes it even worse - at least for me.  Blush

Maybe I'll just shelve the idea and try to find a decent label maker instead. I'm also tired of 'Brother' labels that fall off 2 minutes after I try to get them to stick to anything!   Bash

I see Amazon has 'Dymo' machines that are like half-price right now, but that worries me about availability in the future. Discontinued support?  Chin
Edit: Disregard. Usual marketing wank. They just doubled the normal price for the 'was' price. Scam.
Willie
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