It’s computer controlled
That’s what “CNC” means. Design on your computer – produce in reality.
It’s fast
Create large objects in minutes rather than hours.
it’s large
The foam material blocks you buy at your local home improvement store fits without needing to be pre-cut.
it’s collapsible
It doesn’t take up workshop space when not in use.
it’s cheap
Both the machine and the materials you put into it are as cheap as it gets.
You can’t order the machine yet, because I’m still touching up the final details on the prototype. Join the Discord server to keep track of the project and get notified when it’s available for purchase!
the cnc foamcutter
HotSharp
Soon to be available for pre-order, my new CNC foamcutter is designed with the ambition be the best foamcutter in the world. The wood frame makes it look as if it is only intended for hobbyists, but I assure you – this is professional gear. Everything from the mechanics and electronics to the CAM software is custom made for this specific machine. The wood is a strategic design choice to make the machine available at a modest price, but with bombastic capabilities. This is the thing you need to have when you’ve outgrown your 3D printer and want to make bigger stuff!
The exact price is currently unknown, but expect something between $900 and $1000 when it’s finally made available.
Cuts FOAM with a hot wire
The thin wire is electrically heated by the machine by passing an electric current through it. You don’t need to buy any extra accessories to get started – I even include a small block of EPS foam to get started cutting immediately.
Import design files directly
Import SVG files (2D graphics) and STL files (3D models) directly into the CAM software.
intuitive cam software
The software to control the machine is custom made for this machine, to make the work process as intuitive as possible.
self assembly required
It’s how I’m able to offer this machine for this cheap price. Aside from the fact that you don’t have to pay for factory assembly, by shipping it to you in parts I can use much smaller packages in the shipping, thus saving you money on shipping too!
WIFI enabled
The CAM software connects to the machine over WiFi, and optionally over USB cable if you prefer that.
Order with wood parts or without
If you have the capability to produce the wooden pieces yourself, you can save money by ordering everything except the wood pieces. We provide the schematics for the dimensions of the wood and where the drilled holes need to
be placed.
Useful for making many things
These are some of the use cases that the machine was made to enable.
foamcores for fiber-reinforced laminates
When making fiber-reinforced laminated parts, for example for surfboards, motorcycles, boats or airplanes, it is often useful to embed a core of foam material between the sheets of fiber. This machine simplifies the production
of such foamcores by allowing you to directly produce them straight from the computer design, without having to make physical patterns first. This enables rapid iterations and improves production accuracy by removing an in-between
step.
RC airplane airfoils
The 4-axis freedom enables the cutting of highly accurate airfoils with any imaginable design. A linearly-tapered, back-swept wing with wash-out twist is cutable in a single operation which takes only a few minutes. Even more complex wings are cutttable in multiple operations. The output is so smooth it doesn’t need sanding before use. The vertical alignment of the hotwire means it doesn’t sag from gravity, and neither does the foam while you’re cutting it – enabling you to produce super thin shapes while maintaining perfect straightness.
props, decor and marketing materials
Cutting out logos and texts is easily done by just importing the SVG file from your graphics design program.
Stage decor is also easily done, by importing the 3D model file into the CAM software. The built-in 3D slicer allows you to quickly produce large statue-like objects by outputting once slice at a time from the machine. You
can make Michelangelos statue of David in a single day, in full scale.
custom moldmaking and casting
This machine allows you to quickly make a physical representation of any shape you’ve designed in your computer. This is useful when you’re trying to produce a mold for casting some material into the final shape; the EPS foam
cut-outs is a nice first step to produce the mold.