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Hot Wire Glue?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 12:32 pm
by kerryb
I've read here more than once about the availability of glue for EPS that will still cut nicely with a hot-wie cutter.

I'm starting my trailer build plans, An ultralite foamy. Can someone please tell me that name brand or glue type to use with EPS and a hot-wire cutter?

Re: Hot Wire Glue?

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 2:50 pm
by Pmullen503
I like Gorilla Glue. The hot wire surface isn't perfectly usually perfectly flat and the foaming action fills in any gaps. Both EPS (white bead board) and XPS (Blue or pink foam board) can be hot wire cut.

Just DON'T try to hot wire cut isocyanurate foam because of the possibility of cyanide fumes.

Re: Hot Wire Glue?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 5:45 am
by GPW
Kerry , in the past we have had chance to cut foam blocks glued lightly together , and they were assembled with a specific foam glue (UHU) that we got at Michaels ... It was more like the old cellulose cements (DUCO ) but was foam safe ... unfortunately being from Michael's it was very expensive and the tubes tiny , making it unsuitable for trailer work ... :frightened:

In the past we also hot wired EPS wing cores , tacked lightly together with hot glue , and that was OK ... The final gluing was done After the cutting...
There will always be some slowing of the wire through the glued part but it was no problem really , if the glue was applied very THIN ... It only takes a tiny amount of glue to secure foam for cutting ... apply sparingly !!!! :thumbsup: ;)

Re: Hot Wire Glue?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 6:25 am
by Pmullen503
If you know where the hot wire will pass through the foam you can mask that area to make sure there is no glue there. I misread your first post, I would still use Gorilla Glue but the white version is easier to cut through. Also mist it with water, use very sparingly and it will hot wire cut.

Re: Hot Wire Glue?

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:12 am
by lthomas987
I got my hot wire cutter (which is very course and made from a solder gun and some romex ground wire) to go through gorilla glue seams in the xps. It just slowed down a bit.