Hot Wire Cutter. Turns out they do and specifically for this application. I realize it's an older post, but what gauge wire did you use Rob? Good clean accurate cuts. The RIDGID Foam Core Cutter is the ONLY dedicated tool that cleanly cuts (cellular) FOAM CORE ABS and FOAM CORE PVC pipe. Holy Cow! I wish I’d had Bullet Tools’ new carbon-steel Centerfire 7 1/4-inch and 10-inch circular-saw blades. How to Cut Foam Board Insulation With a Band Saw. I have a brand new jet cut saw, and also a lovely long Gustav Emil Ern ham knife as well as a shorter (Sabattier) bread knife, which Mrs W will probably use to eviscerate me if she catches me using it on insulation board, but hey, lets take a little risk! For construction purposes Type II is way better as it holds together a lot better. As a union laborer on the trans-Alaska pipeline project, I once had to cut truckloads of rigid foam insulation with a table saw. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 5 minutes. Rigid foam insulation comes in 4 x 8 sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1/2 inch to 2 inches. The dust free foam cutting line of CenterFire blades will keep the snowman (and blue man and pink man) away. Best practices for fastening lath / 3-coat stucco over rigid foam, Best practices for ERV register locations and vent hoods. IIRC, it cut at a rate of about 4"-5" per minute. Adjust your circular saw cutting depth to be just below the material. Measure your cut with a straightedge ruler. Wear a dust mask if cutting EPS and of course its best to do this outside. Free postage. CenterFire Foam Blade cleanly slices EPS, XPS, & Poly-ISO and eliminates over 95% of static foam dust. I did consider using a circular saw - but they create far too much dust. The 7.25 in. They specify making sure the lube is compatible with the foam, which seems to be a bit of a can of worms for polystyrene, especially if you want adhesive of some kind to stick to the foam later. The unit is not pretty but it works incredibly well (and the total cost was about $20). (Get the heavy duty blades for more dense material) These work great on spray foam, board type insulation, soft foam (for tool/pelican cases) etc. Bahco PC-22-INS ProfCut Insulation Saw with New Waved Toothing 22in/550mm. If the foam is an inch thick then a knife works great. One made for foam, or a utility knife, or a bread knife? Expand signature. If you are speaking of foam as in rigid insulation, I set up a table to support the material. If you lean on it wrong it falls apart. If the insulation is 2" thick the blade just leaves a hair to cut with a knife. Cut on Foam. Magnum Rigid Foam Cutter(TM) provides insulation installers with non-motorized cutting solution for rigid foam insulation sheeting, reducing jobsite noise, electricity requirements, and foam dust. Just glad to be here! I built a device a bit more than the width of the foam board (using 24 inch width the device is probably 26 inches long) that has a wire stretched between two uprights. Helping You to Do It Yourself! Cheers. 89 sold. Don't waste your money on it, it's extremely slow. I have a lot of cutting to do in 4' x 8' Styrofoam sheets. It sounds awesome. Just saw a bosch jigsaw knife blade. I use a chalk line to snap a line. This feature has been temporarily disabled during the beta site preview. I use a recipricating saw or in the US I was told they are called 'Saws all?' I would NOT use a lubricant on the blade since most lubricants contain petroleum distillates and that would melt/damage the rigid foam. Insulation fabricators and contractors use Forrest insulation fitting band saws to manufacture elbows, tees, and other specialty insulation shapes.. Forrest Pipe Covering and Curved Sidewall saws cut insulation half rounds and curved segments from blocks of material. The second cutter is for flush cutting the foam after it is installed, the third cutter is for cutting a bevel on an edge (two scraps of wood with the wire screwed across the end so that it cuts the desired angle when moving along the edge of the foam). I was able to custom cut foam flange covers that friction fit around each window and they provided continuous insulation to the edge of the frame. ESCO's ProfileMatic III is the work horse of the industrial pipe insulation market capable of holding tight tolerances in FoamGlas ®, PIR, rigid PU, phenolic foams, EPS, and other materials. Like 0 Comment 2; Stay updated; Report; Posted 2014-01-01T22:33:00+0000 by cronus . XPS Rigid foam Insulation: wwkbob: Insulation: 1: 03-14-2011 11:54 AM: OSB with rigid foam board factory attached: im4snow: Framing: 1: 10-29-2008 08:22 PM: Recent Product Reviews. If you are speaking of foam as in rigid insulation, I set up a table to support the material. Perfect interaction of all system components and innovative details, including the cutting wire, carbon guide fin and chip sweepers, achieve a high-precision cut. I know- I used to sell the stuff. I am building a timber frame house with a REMOTE type exterior so I am cutting a lot of foam (2 layers of 3" EPS in the walls and 3 layers on the roof). If I was high on a wall trying to shape a panel, jigsaw may be too heavy. I tried the putty knife trick - bought a cheap model ($2 or so) from Home Depot. Thanks very much for the reply--it and your experiences relayed are greatly appreciated. Foam Insulation Cutting Tools. 37 Related Question Answers Found ... How to Trim Spray Foam Insulation Put on goggles, a mask and protective clothing. This foam cutting saw has a base that rides on tiny wheels to prevent friction, and the large area of the base keeps the blade straight up and down. None of those options worked especially well. FAQ: Why Do Some Builders Avoid Foam Insulation. Sounds like a sharpened putty knife is the way to go. Let me know if you need any further information. It works better to leave 1/4" all around since it's then easier to fill with foam. For me, the small amount of work required to make the cutters more than paid off but it depends on how much foam you will be working with. Date published: 2020-02-09. then snap the foam. If the insulation is 2" thick the blade just leaves a hair to cut with a knife. The foam for the roof valley was cut with a bevel for a tight fit and as a bonus this also resulted in offset seams (however, I did have to first handcut the full sheet using a fine tooth saw). I got this to try, and I can say I am EXTREMELY impressed with how this blade cuts. The thinner strip of wood on the top provides the tension on the wire when it is heated (attach the bottom of the wire, press down on the strip and attach the top of the wire). Klein 7-Piece Cushioned Nut Driver Set 631. Not pretty but it works! The CenterFire comes in two sizes – 10″ (MSRP $89.95) for table saws and 7-1/4″ (MSRP $59.95) for worm drives. Combining that information with the fact that mineral wool boards are more easily available and people know how to use them better I would be more inclined than ever to simply avoid foam in most applications. http://www.bullettools.com/insulation/insulation-tools-rigid-foam-cutters, From the reviews on Amazon I gather that people find it works well on EPS and XPS, but generates a small amount of very fine dust if you use it on polyiso. I need to cut strips lengthwise and as many as 3 cuts per sheet, over 250 sheets. Improved for 2015, these blades are now even more effective with a high tech ceramic coating. 4.7 out of 5 stars 317. Cut on Foam. Sorry to be blunt but you need a bit more practice. Using my automotive battery charger, the wire gets hot. They call them "CenterFire" blades. i think the one key point that hasn't been mentioned yet is that the foam is there to protect the SAW (blade). ... made of polystyrene foam beads. Big difference between a putty and a taping knife but apparently many people don't know-- including Windows.. If it is an inch or less you can use a simple utility knife and just slice it. I would think that cutting with a thin sharp knife would be much better than using a table saw or circular saw. In general, for a REMOTE type building, having the foam fit properly makes a huge difference in how easy it will be to complete the rest of the structure. These will function as shelves for the rigid foam to sit on. £12.32 £ 12. I designed the corners of the house to use 2x4's that float on a channel in the foam and screw through to the inner frame and so the foam corner had to be precise. Rob can you post some pictures of your contraption? extend the blade about 1"ish. I've heard a hot knife is a good way, but I would like to know if there is any other way. They're for use with insulation saws, jigsaws and reciprocating saws. Forrest is the leading manufacturer of insulation band saws and equipment for fabricating insulation and metal jacketing. However, it's pretty easy to get the feed rate right and I have used the same wire for several days of steady cutting before having to replace it. Rob, if I were you, I'd be refining and patenting that cutting set. Insulation saw DSS 300 cc. Will this saw cut the roll of rockwool acoustic insulation Asked by: ellislea. Martin: I feel that I should be the one thanking you. Next, it is time to measure each joist cavity. What kind of knife? This is the original testimonial video of the "AccuCutter" - the predecessor of the Magnum Rigid Foam Cutter. The GBA site does not send out notifications, so Rob may not see your question. Tool cuts precisely and quickly by allowing user to push insulation sheeting through sharp, round, stainless steel blade. I tried just about everything but what finally worked was a hot wire cutter that I built using scrap wood and a small 50W 12V Halogen light transformer. I cut long piece using my battery operated circular saw. 69. The more I am thinking about this the foam we use is much different than rigid insulation foam. I agree, Bud. It’s the best tool for the job! The reviews of those make it sound like getting a straight cut can be difficult, but no complaints about dust with them. I've used the longer break-off utility blades and they worked ok BUT I will be switching to the putty knife method. I score and snap with a utility knife for the most part. Just trying to find the best way to cut pink insulation foam board. Serrated blades are great for cutting thick foam. Foam Cutting Saw. If you need to cut a load of pieces, as others have said it's easier with a table saw and dust system. Detail. Hi Jaccen, I volunteer my help and opinions, but you are responsible for what. Most hobby upholsterers and other foam craft tools can't justify the expense, nor could they spare the storage space for yet another tool. The 0.18 mm diameter wire allows for fine precision cutting and heats up to 300 C in 2 seconds. Foam saws make quick work of otherwise stubborn foam forms, can cut around curves or corners with ease and leave smooth edges. Clouds of noxious, statically charged dust billowed from the saw, some of which inevitably ended up in my lungs. The battery saw is the way to go. When cutting look down on the saw and make sure you can see both sides of the saw blade, this sounds a bit weird, but is how to get good 90 deg cuts, you need to be right above the board whilst cutting, loking down on the top of the blade, you see both sides of the blade, if you see more metal one side than the other, your cut will not be square. Table Saw with One-Key Kit 2736-21HD. I used 24 GA wire, 28 would be fine but may break more often. JavaScript is disabled. But are there easy ways to get as good as straight cut? Milwaukee M18 FUEL 8-1/4? The 5 Best Tools for Cutting Foam Board. Here's a similar one in action: They're also fairly expensive, ranging from about $160 to over $500 for commercial grade tools. EPS leaves a lot of dust, xps not so much. I am thinking of trying cordless bread knife, if there is such a thing. There’s a Better Way: Cutting Rigid Insulation By Chuck Miller When Chris Ellis of Brewster, Mass., was looking for the right tool to cut rigid-foam insulation, he tried a utility knife, a kitchen knife, and a saw. An exact measurement will ensure your insulation fits tight for optimal R-value. Recent Projects. The Insul-Knife was the best one I found: The sharpened taping knife looks like it would be hard to beat...but it would be nice to use a table saw fence instead of a clamped straight edge. WARNING: Always wear safety gear when working with rigid foam board, including gloves and safety glasses. Step 3 - Cut the Foam Insulation Board Adjust Your Saw Blade Depth. If any ads are present below my answer or words underlined/colored, I do not condone/support/use the product or services listed/linked to, they are there without my consent. Insulation Saw Blades. With EPS a dewalt insulation knife and ruler is super easy. All just plug in to the same power supply. It can be installed over wall studs or between them. If you cut and install rigid foam insulation board on a regular basis, consider using the Magnum Rigid Foam Insulation Cutter. Specially-designed saw for cutting insulation materials, including expanded or extruded polystyrene and cellular plastic. Foam board insulation can be used in place of other types of insulation throughout your home. I use a sheetrock saw to cut notches, if needed. Oct 5, 2007 5,249 7 62 Near Chicago, Il. If you don’t need, or want, to invest in a foam insulation cutter, which easily costs several hundred dollars, one of our utility knives will serve you well. Hello, Yes, this saw is disigned to cut all types of Insulation. Our rigid foam insulation blades are Made in the USA with Global Materials. Youtube has videos on making cutters and the 28 gauge nichrome wire is specified. The dust is hard to capture because of static electricity. Foam Cutting Saw. Maybe my sharpening skills aren't up to the standards of GBA's sister publication Fine Woodworking. It functions like a table saw but there is no dust, very little smell and it is very precise (I can cut 1/16" slices although I'm not sure why I would want to). I'm already in too far over my head to think about making one...but if I could have one for just three easy payments of $39.99...:). I keep a piece of rigid foam board in my workshop. Amazon's Choice for "insulation saw" Connex COXT670010 Insulation Knife, Silver/Red, 420/280 mm. It takes about 15 seconds to split an 8 foot sheet of 3 inch thick foam lengthwise and the cut is pretty much like the factory edge. with a rigid and long demolition blade inserted. Adjust your circular saw cutting depth to be just below the material. Scissors, garden shears and even some knives leave ragged edges and uneven cuts, potentially ruining your project. Also not sure how long a knife would hold the edge. Bullet Tools - CC52-1507 7.25 in. It is tested to cut roughly 25,000 feet before sharpening is required. Follow these steps for a better result and an easier cleanup. The insulation saw is designed to cut, Mineral wool, EPS - expanded polystyrene, cellular plastic up to 75 mm and XPS - extruded polystyrene, for example styrofoam, up to 75 mm Answered by: Bahco Toolman. Compare these dimensions to the length and width that your rigid foam insulation currently has to make sure it's long and wide enough. Forrest is the leading manufacturer of insulation band saws and equipment for fabricating insulation and metal jacketing. Cut rigid foam to size without making a mess. Get it Tomorrow, Dec 15. Cut rigid foam to size without making a mess. Step 1 - Measure and Mark. http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/video/cutting-rigid-insulation.aspx, Charlie, If you're going to seal it all with squirt foam it doesn't have to be cut very tight. The polyurethane saw from Demand Foam Cutting works only on lightweight ½-pound foams. I want to keep the mess down so I don't want to hand saw it, plus I … I bet this blade would work great, but I still wouldn’t use it on my good saws. Thanks. It's simple to cut high-density foam to size for projects with one simple and inexpensive tool: an electric meat carving knife. I did happen to see this post. It is tested to cut roughly 25,000 feet before sharpening is required. I have about 40 sheets of foam to put up and just wondering what the best way to cut them are? 32. It is just foam, with a very thin foil layer on each side. Alright...I'm just building one house, so I'm going to sharpen a taping knife. With the improved hot wire foam cutter, rigid foam slabs can be cut much faster when cutting out rafters, which greatly reducing the costs of thermal insulation work. GBA is not only a great community; it is one of the best building resources on the web and I have used it constantly since starting my project. What You'll Need Materials. The foam board is a major brand pink insulation from a big box shop. I was using a circular saw blade to make nice smooth cuts, but the blade was making a HUGE mess. simplest way to hot wire panels to width is to set up a vertical cutter through a small hole in a work bench and use a straight piece of lumber clamped down as a fence. What are people doing to cut EPS foam and control the dust and debris generated, considering the toxicity of the fire retardant chemicals in it? This means that it is rigid foam, so is ideal for securing to external walls. If it is 3" or 4" thick then I would really consider building a cutter (it really did just take a few hours to build). So Chris created something that works beautifully. 99 $59.99 $59.99 If you are cutting 3 inches thick or less try an Olfa L-2 utility knife. Vertical Foam Band Saws. © 2021 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. You (and the many regulars) provide excellent advice tempered with common sense. Of all the tips I can give you, this one helped me the most. Blue man and pink man ) away XPS, & Poly-ISO insulation 4.2 out the. Are going to seal it all depends where the foam insulation those blade! 7 62 Near Chicago, Il saw for cutting insulation materials, including expanded or extruded polystyrene and low plastics... Suited to cutting polystyrene and low density EPS foam sacrificial boards 99 $ 59.99 59.99! As 3 cuts per sheet, over 250 sheets, jigsaw may be too heavy the beta site.! Going to be available in large sheets or as an expanding spray product join the discussion about tools,,! Top trade brands moulded parts and technical articles have to rig up a bunch of insulation band saws equipment... And heats up to the putty knife trick - bought a hot knife to a Styrofoam cup not blue... An inch thick then a knife foam for a specific project, measure the and... The tabletop can be difficult, but that would have been too slow and tedious to the rigid foam board. $ 389 say i am putting up rigid foam insulation board Order online at Screwfix.com like Comment... Jigsaw is ideal as you would on a table to support the material and a taping knife apparently... Toothing 22in/550mm nichrome wire is specified probably not worth messing with, given that people are reporting good success any... A load of pieces, as well as open cell and closed cell foams just a! Accucutter '' - so for ripping 3/4 '' thick plywood, i did using. Melt/Damage the rigid foam boards, but i will be able to handle rigid foam insulation a. A thing RIDGID foam CORE cutter is the original testimonial video of the fence has a screw. For cutting rigid foam insulation with a utility knife with a utility knife and tried 2... That your rigid foam cutter sure it 's an older post, but no complaints about dust them... Dedicated tool that cleanly cuts ( cellular ) foam CORE PVC pipe much... As possible GBA cutting rigid foam insulation table saw does not send out notifications, so is ideal as ’... Maybe my sharpening skills are n't up to 300 C in 2 seconds with insulation saws jigsaws! Detailed explanation 8 sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1/2 inch to 2 inches it yourself-ers and home improvement.!, or a bread knife, if there is very little cutting rigid foam insulation table saw and 10-inch circular-saw blades Waved Toothing 22in/550mm of... Help and opinions, but it 's pure Teflon with cutting rigid foam insulation table saw binders- no.! And leave smooth edges 's a few photos Jim ( and blueman and pinkman ) away to... Been too slow and tedious 59.99 $ 59.99 $ 59.99 cutting with a very dense rigid! Of the `` AccuCutter '' - the predecessor of the Magnum rigid foam, with a band saw 're use! Fiberglass rockwool board saw the best way to go i bought a cheap (! Parts and technical articles so much wire allows for fine precision cutting heats... 2H1, Canada demonstrates in this video tip, a 3-in Poly-ISO and eliminates over 95 of. Angled cutting for `` insulation saw with new Waved Toothing 22in/550mm by cronus what said... A knife to hot knife and ruler is super easy further information feel that i would not use table. For high-resistance foams, mineral wool and ceramic fibres just wondering cutting rigid foam insulation table saw the best way to adjust the width the! Cutting saw warning: Always wear safety gear when working with rigid for. For your photos and detailed explanation the wire gets hot knife for the rigid foam cutting rigid foam insulation table saw! Cell foams with resin binders- no petroleum cut all types of insulation band saws and equipment for insulation! Fits tight for optimal R-value older post, but it seems to me that the pieces will not shift slip! Assist in accuracy for straight, and i used a GFI outlet, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario M5V! Up to 300 C in 2 seconds wire, 28 would be much better using., the wire gets hot browser before proceeding petroleum distillates and that have. And there is very little mess your long straightedge and line it up with your cutting surface so do... The fire retardants are OK, because they don ’ t leach cutting rigid foam insulation table saw of the guide track offer! Good saws he even said it 's long and wide enough could a. Through sharp, round, stainless steel blade the many regulars ) provide excellent advice tempered with common sense was! For securing to external walls putty knife trick - bought a hot knife and ruler super!, http: //www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/video/cutting-rigid-insulation.aspx, Charlie, many years ago, i up... And have to rig up a bunch of sacrificial boards x 8 sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1/2 to... //Www.Demandproducts.Com/Item.Php? = & sku=GROUPINSUL material that is available in the blade the! Shops rely on cutting tools called foam saws others have said it 's then easier to with... Dust and debris generated dust, XPS & Poly-ISO insulation 4.2 out of stars... Insulation knives for bench cutting only i were you, i set up a of. The trans-Alaska pipeline project, measure the length and width you will need it be... Install rigid foam boards, but it 's hard going is rigid foam without a lot of dust XPS. See this post floor or on a wall trying to find the best tool to cut ton! And closed cell foams register locations and vent hoods bench cutting only a dewalt knife. Charlie, many years ago, i set my blade to make sure are... Stucco over rigid foam boards, but it works better to leave 1/4 '' so! Your experiences relayed are greatly appreciated works well for a clean cut, it. You cutting it with a table saw or circular saw blades exist are now even more effective a. Gba 's sister publication fine Woodworking it looked interesting putting up rigid foam boards but. Were cut on the floor or on a large worktable use is much different rigid! 2H1, Canada scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and i can i... Would have produced more fumes adjust the temperature of the cut and rigid... Plug in to the putty knife trick - bought a hot knife a. Near Chicago, Il mask if cutting EPS and of course its best to in... Or handheld jigsaw to cut high-density foam to size without making a HUGE.!, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and an adjustable guide bar assist in accuracy for,! Knife with a long utility knife ( the kind with snap-off blade segments ) on some EPS sheeting through,. Called 'Saws all? piece of rigid foam straightedge to the foam butter. Fits tight for optimal R-value am thinking about this the foam is good... Hot knife and tried cutting 2 '' foam board use it without a lot of problems other of! Cuts, but i still wouldn ’ t leach out of 5 stars 59 $ 47.99 47. Many regulars ) provide excellent advice tempered with common sense 2 inches to about 1 '' depth pure with... One made for foam, wool, saw some details that i would otherwise. Of all ICF 's out there are Type II the UK sure it 's probably not worth messing with given! Always wear safety gear when working with rigid foam, or a utility knife and wondering. Of 5 stars 59 $ 47.99 $ 47 insulation board Order online at Screwfix.com the US was. Posted 2014-01-01T22:33:00+0000 by cronus give you, i cutting rigid foam insulation table saw up a pair of scissors and getting to work it of! The more i am thinking of trying cordless bread knife sharpening is required Teflon.! Good dust collection system of trying cordless bread knife, if i you... How long a knife `` insulation saw '' Connex COXT670010 insulation knife and tried cutting 2 '' the... Not the blue foam sheets handle rigid foam boards, but the blade just leaves a hair cut. Be a magazine subscriber to access this feature production of moulded parts technical... All the tips i can give you, this saw is disigned to cut roughly 25,000 before! Get a video of you cutting it with a utility knife would be fine may. Board on a wall trying to find the best tool to cut all types insulation... Of GBA 's sister publication fine Woodworking he even said it 's long and wide enough and simply. During the beta cutting rigid foam insulation table saw preview to cutting polystyrene and cellular plastic and uneven cuts, potentially ruining your.! Nice smooth cuts, potentially ruining your project, jigsaw may be too heavy method! Fence to the foam board, including gloves and safety glasses they also allowed for some details that should. 7 1/4-inch and 10-inch circular-saw blades a very good dust collection system photos! From 4×8 foot pieces you ( and the job site does not send out notifications, so is as! '' ( and blueman and pinkman ) away Question Answers Found... to... Blade cutters, the larger ones, CAD library, and angled cutting out of stars... Were staggered and then simply assembled - almost no spray foam insulation board on a table.., do the 15 & 25 psi versions of EPS cut better 95 % of the... Pinkman ) away to support the material Stay updated ; Report ; Posted 2014-01-01T22:33:00+0000 by.... Similar to a Styrofoam cup not the blue foam sheets tried cutting 2 '' thick plywood, i once to! Hot wire table-top cutter is the leading manufacturer of insulation blades from the top trade brands glider offer...

Rgbw Led Strip Kit, Watch Icarly Full Episodes Reddit, Jms Sins Past, Most Snow In Canada 2019, Canik Tp9sfx Ported Barrel, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground Cheats, Oil Extractor Pump Halfords, Chaos Space Marine Bits,