Re: How to use a hot wire (Kanthal) to cut a plastic bin containing a liquid

From: Dan Caster (dcaster_at_krl.org)
Date: 07/30/04 

Date: 29 Jul 2004 18:53:46 -0700

Kanthal wire is good for pretty high temperatures. I don't think you
will need anything that hot for most plastics. So I would think that
Nichrome would be more than adequate. But you might tell us what kind
of plastic you are wanting to cut. And also what the liquid is.

I don't think you will have much luck regardless of what plastic with
the liquid cooling the wire. If I were going to try something, it
would be taking an old circular saw blade ( non -carbide tipped teeth
) and grinding it to be a knife edge. Try using a sabre saw with a
knife blade to see how easily the plastic cuts with a knife. Then if
that works use a table saw for more power and speed. You will
probably want to hang some plastic sheeting as I expect it will be
messy.

                                           Dan

lars.soderstrom@tfif.fi (Lasse) wrote in message

> Any other suggestions how to saw a plastic bin into 2-4 pieces with as
> few moving parts as possible (to decrease the spill of the liquid that
> pours from the bin to the mechanism&surroundings)?
>
>>
> |-\\\\\-o-----w-i-r-e---s-a-w-----o-<=osc motor=>
>
> I can see one disadvantage, the liquid may become contaminated by
> small plastic particles that need to be filtered out later. An
> advantage is that the temperature of the liquid is not that important
> for the process, it just makes cutting a bit slower.
>
> /Lars

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