After reviewing the StyroCutter from Floracraft , the next product on the agenda was the StyroCutter Plus also from Floracraft. I was sent one of these to review as well so more Styrofoam crafts for me! First lets check out the website for more information:
Electric heated wire that cuts up to 4? thick STYROFOAM™. Heats in less than 30 seconds.
Makes simple & intricate patterns easy to cut.
The package contains the tool, cord, and instructions. The instructions were easy to follow and well written. The tool must heat up before use. Also you cannot push the tool through the foam. It is important to be patient and allow the tool to melt the foam as you go along. This is actually my second StyroCutter Plus as I have owned another one. I actually ruined that one by trying to push it through the Styrofoam. It is extremely important for you to read and follow these directions so that you do not damage your new tool.
After plugging in the tool and allowing it to heat up I began by cutting some Smoothfoam. You can see a full comparison of Smoothfoam versus Styrofoam here. The Smoothfoam cut well but again left strings when the cut was complete. These are similar to strings you get when you use hot glue.
Next I played around with poking holes in the Smoothfoam with my StyroCutter Plus. This is one of the benefits of this tool over the StyroCutter. You can add holes anywhere in your project with this tool. I made several holes for this project and never really got good at making them. I imagine with some practice the holes could be perfect. Mine however were not exactly perfect but they worked for this particular project.
The same project shown above also used a portion of a decorative foam wreath form from Floracraft. I also used the StyroCutter Plus to trim it to size. Again the cuts were wonderful and the tool worked like a charm.
Now lets cut some traditional Styrofoam with this tool. Again I got a great cut with this heated tool. Another reminder that I went slow on all of these projects and allowed the tool to do the work for me. This is very important when using the StyroCutter Plus.
The other great benefit of the StyroCutter Plus is the ability to do huge projects with Styrofoam. So I started carving out some elements that will be used to make something BIG. I love that I don’t have to worry about the size or shape of my project with this tool.
The cuts as with all of my tests were great. As long as I held the tool steady and straight my cuts were perfect. I am not always perfect so I did get some wavy and angled cuts along the way.
Now are you ready to see a few projects? This nautical art will be on Buttons Galore and More in July.
My Emerald City push pop cupcake display is perfect for an Oz themed night. This is where those holes came in handy for the handles of my push pop containers.
Now are you ready for the big project? This arrow is about 4 feet long and a gorgeous rustic beauty. I will have a full tutorial up for this one on The Country Chic Cottage soon along with pictures of it actually in place instead of on my porch.
All in all the StyroCutter Plus is an amazing tool for cutting Styrofoam. The benefits of being able to puncture holes anywhere in your project plus being able to handle large projects are key over the StyroCutter. Be sure to follow all directions on your cutter before beginning. It is very important to let the tool do the work for you and not to force it into your Styrofoam. Learn from my mistakes and take all directions seriously when working with this cutter. The fact that this version of the cutter is plugged in and not battery operated does inhibit your movements but not to the point that you cannot use this one successfully. I was impressed with this tool and will continue to use this one for my foam cutting needs.
- 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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- Decoart Patio Paint - April 29, 2013
- Phoomph for Fabric by Coats and Clark - April 19, 2013
- Fabric Mod Podge - April 3, 2013
- Fiskars Cuts+More Scissors - March 18, 2013
- Americana Clear Chalkboard Coating by Decoart - February 27, 2013
- Perfect Pearls Mists by Ranger - February 11, 2013
Want it !!!
I also would love one of these ,have to find out were I can get this around where I live, there is a model shop I will try there first, if not , I can always buy online.