How To Cut Styrofoam Ball For Animal Cell Project

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Lightweight and easy to paint, styrofoam is a great cloth for whatever number of arts and crafts. Cut styrofoam into whatsoever shape you want is easy, merely you'll demand to choose the right tool for your needs. You can cutting styrofoam manually with cookie cutters, knives, or box cutters. For a smoother, more finished look, use a wire cutter or an electric knife. Whether you lot're making custom pieces for your cosplay outfit, unique decorations for your holiday tree, or prop elements for a theatre product, y'all'll exist cut styrofoam into the shapes you need in no time!

1
Use a blade for directly cuts. Bladed implements similar knives, box cutters, precision blades (similar Ten-acto knives) or hacksaws are slap-up for cut through styrofoam, especially if you don't need to brand any curved cuts. For a smoother cutting, run the bract along an old candle before cutting your styrofoam.
- When waxing your bract, apply a white candle to avoid getting colored candle wax on your cream.
2

Utilize dental floss for cutting through styrofoam sheets. Dental floss is great for cutting directly lines through sheets of styrofoam. Lay the styrofoam downwards with the floss underneath it. Line the floss up forth the line you want to cut through the styrofoam, and then identify one hand on the styrofoam sheet to. To slice the styrofoam, pull the end of the floss furthest from yous towards you.

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three

Utilise cookie cutters to make unique shapes. If you take a relatively thin piece of styrofoam (no more ii inches or five centimeters thick), you lot could use a cookie cutter to cut through styrofoam. Just press the thin border of the cookie cutter into the styrofoam until it punches through to the other side. The styrofoam piece that results volition be in the shape of the cookie cutter.
four

Attempt cutting information technology underwater. If you don't want to make a mess, you lot could effort cut styrofoam underwater; that is, submerging a piece of it in a tub or bucket filled with water, and cut the styrofoam underwater with a knife. This prevents the small crumbs that come off from flight all over the place, enabling you to make a faster, and hence smoother, cutting. Call back to strain the water before pouring it out. The cut styrofoam block tin can easily be patted dry afterwards, every bit styrofoam does not absorb water.

i

Employ an electrical knife to cut thicker pieces of styrofoam. If you're cut through several pieces of styrofoam at in one case, or through a single slice that is several inches (several centimeters) thick, an electric knife is your best bet. They're best for making straight cuts, but they could also assist you make a gently curving cutting.
ii
Utilize a foam cutting saw to cutting through larger pieces. Foam cut saws are the best option for cut through large bricks of styrofoam like those used to package televisions and other big appliances. However, they're also the most expensive option, and tend to range from about $150 to $400 USD.^[ane]
- Generally, you lot can just turn the saw on and press the piece of styrofoam you wish to cut into the blade, keeping your hands articulate of information technology. Consult manufacturer directions for the particular blazon of saw yous're using.
- When using a power saw to cut styrofoam, article of clothing a grit mask and safety goggles. Power saws can create a "foam dust" that is similar to sawdust, merely can irritate the lungs if inhaled.
iii
Apply a hot wire cutter for smoothen cuts. Hot wire cutters cook through the foam with a heated wire, creating a shine edge. They are specially constructive for creating rounded edges or shapes out of styrofoam.^[ii]
- Apply slow, consistent pressure with the hot wire cutter forth the desired cut line. Moving too fast through the foam volition cause the wire to snap.
- Use extreme caution when operating a hot wire cutter because the wires are extremely hot and can cause astringent burns.
- Hot wire cutters are great because they exit behind the fewest styrofoam crumbs and produce the smoothest cuts.

1
Follow the directions for the craft yous're making. Sometimes you might make curved cuts first when cutting styrofoam, while other times you might brand directly cuts. Either is adequate as long as you're following the directions for your project.^[3]
- If you're engaging in a project of your ain design and non working with directions, you tin brand either curved or direct cuts first. Remember, it's your project, then at that place are no rules!
ii

Use long, sawing motions when cutting with a blade. Continue steady, fifty-fifty force per unit area on the pocketknife throughout the cutting process to reduce the chances of breaking or crushing the cream. Long, sawing motions will also minimize the amount of foam crumbs y'all produce.
three
Cut out indentations from the heart of the styrofoam. If you want to cut a low in styrofoam, beginning in the center. Depict a line effectually the expanse y'all want to remove, then select a tool that will allow you to remove information technology while achieving a depth and a degree of curvature that pleases y'all.^[iv]
- A depression with vertical sides is best removed using a knife. Just select an accordingly long knife, and so cut forth the line you've marked.
- In some cases, indentations are all-time accomplished using a rounded sanding tool rather than a knife.
four
Cut channels in the styrofoam using a bladed tool. A long, serrated pocketknife or an electric knife is probably best for cutting channels through your styrofoam. Mark the length and depth of the channel on your styrofoam, then dial your blade through the styrofoam to the depth you marked. When the piece is loose, remove it.^[5]
- Y'all tin can use this technique to cut channels that run through a slice of styrofoam or along the surface of a piece of styrofoam.
5

Split up circular styrofoam balls past cutting them downward the middle. You can cut a round styrofoam ball in half past tracing a line forth its equator with a sharp pencil. Many styrofoam balls already take this line marked by the manufacturer. Use a sharp blade, a hot wire cutter, or an electric knife to bifurcate the ball.

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Add New Question

Question

Why practice I demand to wax the knife?

Retrieve of the wax every bit a lubricant, information technology allows the knife to go through the production faster.
Question

Can I smooth the surface with a fine grit sand newspaper?

Not a good idea. Even a fine grit will tear the cream: think rough sand against a very smooth surface. Instead, use a spare piece of foam get rid of the burs. Just rub the foam slice gently against the cut edge.
Question

Can I use a kitchen knife to cut Styrofoam?

Yeah, and the ones that work best are the ones with a serrated blade.
Question

How can I cut out a bowl shape out of large block of Styrofoam?

Cut it into a half-sphere first using a hot wire cutter, then use a pocketknife to scoop out the insides of the bowl.
Question

How would I cut a face or head out of Styrofoam block?

Very carefully! Use a diversity of tools -- knives, floss, and wire cutters -- to attain the desired affect.
Question

Practice I need to cut a Styrofoam ball in one-half?

Information technology depends on what you lot want to create. If you require a full ball, then don't cut it. However, if y'all purchased a Styrofoam brawl for a flat project, then yes, cut it in half before yous commencement.
Question

How can I cut a Styrofoam ball, but cut simply 1/4 of the ball to bear witness the center?

Mark the surface area with a marker, then use an 10-acto knife to cut out the slice.
Question

Where can I get transparent Styrofoam?

It is already transparent. Being a foam, each time the low-cal passes through one of the thousands of layers it is fabricated of, the calorie-free gets scattered a bit, then it looks similar it is white. By the way, that'south exactly the same reason why it is a good thermal insulator. You can verify that it is indeed transparent by melting it with few drops of acetone.
Question

How do I cut a 12" round Styrofoam to 11 1/ii"? What tool practice I need?

Gakiema Rakiep

Customs Reply

Measure out the middle signal of 11 i/2". Employ a potent knitting needle or pivot and push button information technology through the center and nearly into your work bench. Direct your cutting wire to five.5 1/4" (the halfway mark of your circle diameter). Rotate the bigger piece while holding the knitting needle very stable. The outer edge will be trimmed abroad to your required size.
Question

How tin I harden a Styrofoam faux stone?

Gakiema Rakiep

Community Answer

I mixed plaster of paris as per the mixing instructions on the package, then covered the Styrofoam rocks by spreading the the plaster of paris with my easily. It takes a few minutes to dry, or maybe an hr, depending on how thick you spread it on. And so you lot can add more layers if y'all wish.

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To protect the work surface, utilize a cut board or cut mat when cutting Styrofoam.

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Things You'll Need

Counter top or table
Serrated kitchen pocketknife
White candle
Precision pocketknife
Electric kitchen knife
Craft knife
Hot wire cutter
Mitt saw
Power saw
Condom goggles
Grit mask
Floss
Cutting mat or cutting board

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Article Summary X

If you want to cut styrofoam, use a knife or hacksaw to make directly cuts. As you work, make long, slow cutting motions to reduce the risk of damaging the foam. When working with thicker pieces of styrofoam, use an electric pocketknife or purchase a foam cutting saw. To cutting a canvas, place it on top of a piece of dental floss, hold the sail down, and pull the cease of the floss furthest away from you towards you. If you'd rather cut unusual shapes out of your sail, cutting the foam with a cookie cutter. For advice on how to cut depressions or channels into your styrofoam, keep reading!

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