I was sent the Styro Cutter from Floracraft for a review. What is a Styro Cutter? Lets look at the manufacturer’s website for more information:
Heated wire allows you to easily cut simple & intricate patterns. No cord allows you to take it anywhere.
The Styro Cutter is a heated wire tool that allows you to cut through Styrofoam easily. Lets put it to the test and see just how easy it is.
The directions are on the back of the Styro Cutter. I must say that they are a little lacking. For me it was more trial and error when working with the tool. For instance, should I allow the tool to heat up for a few minutes before beginning? There isn’t any indicating lights on the tool itself not even a light to tell you whether it is on or off. I actually somehow had a bad battery at first and had a hard time figuring out if the tool was still heating up or if there was a problem. It turns out when you have proper batteries, the tool almost immediately becomes hot enough to use. I actually am removing my batteries to store this tool. The switch on the side of the tool is just a simple slide switch and can easily be knocked into the on position. This tool gets extremely hot. It should not be left unattended or within the reach of children. I would love to see a better switch on this tool in the future and maybe a light to tell whether it is on or off.
If you will remember, I did a comparison of Smoothfoam versus Styrofoam right here on the Craft Test Dummies. I am also testing this cutting tool on both products as well. I started with Smoothfoam and attempted to cut a ball in two. As I mentioned before, I experienced a learning curve with this tool. Give yourself some scrap pieces before diving into a major project.
The tool itself though cut through the Smoothfoam like butter. It is a slow going process as the tool is melting the foam as it moves through but the smooth cut is definitely worth it. I did notice on the Smoothfoam however that there were strings left after the cutting was complete. However there is no mess! Yes this tool cuts foam without all that snowy mess that is left behind when you try to use a knife. That alone is worth it!
I was feeling more confident with the tool at this point and moved on to Styrofoam and a more complicated shape. I did not experience any of the strings with Styrofoam. Just a clean cut that you can’t get with a knife! I drew my stars onto the Styrofoam then used my tool to cut around the perimeter. Please note that one drawback to the Styrocutter is the size of the project you can do. I found through experimenting that about 6 inches is the maximum depth you can go using this tool. For projects larger than this, you will have to get another tool (which I will be testing on CTD soon so stay tuned).
For the most part, my cuts were clean and fairly straight. You can see from the picture below that I would sometimes get off slightly and have a wavy cut. The most challenging aspect for me is holding the tool at a 90 degree angle so that your cuts are not angled.
I made a few projects using the foam I cut. The first is a star garland for 4th of July. The full tutorial for this one is available on Buttons Galore and More.
The next project is with Smoothfoam. You can find the full instructions for these Father’s Day medals on my blog.
The last thing I did was to cut a piece of Styrofoam and wrap it like a canvas. I love the idea of being able to make custom sized canvases anytime you want with this tool. What a great and simple project.
Heat is really the way to go when you are cutting Styrofoam. The Styro Cutter does a great job of cutting any foam but does cut slowly. You really must be patient when using this tool and let the tool do the work for you. This tool is not intended for use by children and should not be left unattended. The wire gets extremely hot and can cause burns. I feel that the instructions on the package itself could use some more work as well as the switch for the product. Also the Styro Cutter is only for foam projects that are small (less than 6 inches) as larger projects will not fit under the arm. All in all I love this tool and will now be making more Styrofoam projects in the future. If nothing else, get this tool so you don’t have to deal with the mess that cutting foam with a knife leaves behind!
Disclosure: sample provided for review
- StyroCutter Plus from Floracraft Product Review - August 19, 2013
- Styro Cutter from Floracraft Review - June 20, 2013
- Comparison of Styrofoam versus Smoothfoam - June 3, 2013
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- Phoomph for Fabric by Coats and Clark - April 19, 2013
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- Americana Clear Chalkboard Coating by Decoart - February 27, 2013
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Everything is perfect. I love the garland project, I really will like this tool. Do you think it is good for carving or just cutting?
A much more efficient and clean way to recycle styrafoam packaging into crafts,Thanks for the heads up )
This would seem to be a very handy tool! Cutting styrofoam has been such a messy proposition in the past, putting dust everywhere. This seems like the perfect solution.
Hi. I’ve used my styrocutter a few times and the project came out great! I would like to know the best way to clean the wire portion. Mine has gotten a lot of residue and looks burnt. Also, does anyone else experience a burning smell when it first comes on or a little smoke as the wire cuts through the Styrofoam?
Yes, I’ve gotten a little smoke and smell, too. No worries there. To clean, I just waited for it to cool a bit and then wiped a rag down it- but you could use a bit of steel wool, too.