Need help cutting cores out of a foam wing?????

[Paul Taylor]

I have tried the hot rod method of putting a hole all the way through the foam wing. No luck. The rod drops and came out the bottom even tho I had it blocked up.

HELP !

[Will Hinton]

Hi Paul,
Did you have the wing verticle?  I have a little jig I made that holds the rod verticle, is adjustable as to how far from the guide board the rod hangs,so I can set it to the right dimension from the guide for the center of the wing.  Then I heat the rod, slide the wing up from the bottom very slowly and usually have a good, straight hole as a result.  The guide I have is a 12" wide board with guide lines every half inch so I can follw a certain line with the trailing edge to keep the rod going straight.
This is a really short and incomplete description of the process as I do it, if ya need more, pm me and I'll try to get a picture taken soon to send you.
Blessings,
Will

[Doug Moon]

Will,

If you or anyone else can post a pic coring a wing it would be great.

Thanks

[Paul Taylor]

If Wil can send me pics on cutting starter holes I will post a pic of cutting out the core

[john e. holliday]

Wish I were there as I could show you faster than I could write it.  Also it would be much simpler to show.  But, basically I have the 1/8th music wire going thru I bolts on a vertical board with stand offs to center it over the core.  The core is still in the bucks it came from.  Use a level to make sure every thing is vertical.  Also the core is clamped to keep it from moving.  It is high enough off the floor so the hot end of the rod will clear the core by a couple of feet once it gets thru the core.  I have a clothes pin on the top of the rod to hold it until I get the end of it cherry red.  Release and wait for the sound of it hitting the floor.  Make sure you have something on the floor to catch the rod that doesn't burn.  I have cored 30+ inches with this method.  Shorter cores should take less time.  Don't be in a hurry here as you don't want the rod going thru the top or bottom of the wing.  Might practice on some scraps first to make sure you have it all set up right.  When the holes are punched thru then all it takes is feeding the coring wire thru the holes to finish the cut outs.  Later and have fun,  DOC Holliday

[Willie Johnson]

I have a jig I made that lays vertically to a door, wall or table edge.  It has a wheel collar that prevents the rod from going through to the floor.  It has 2 pieces of wood on the bottom that holds the foam but allows the rod to pierce through the end.  I use a quick clamp to help hold the foam flush with the jig and get very little wander.  I use the clothes pin method of holding rod while heating and releasing it to start the hole.

[Will Hinton]

Okay, here's a couple of pics of mu jig, since I'm working alone today this is the limit of help or I'd have my help take some "almost action" shots of coring the beast.
I do think that Doc and Willie have superior techniques since they clamp the wing and drop the hot rod through the wing instead of moving the wing up over the rod as I do.  I'm just too darned lazy to modify my jig since this works fine for me.
I clamp it level, chose a line for the TE to follow, set the rod at the proper distance from the jig for the center of the wing, (held in the shuck at all times by the way,) and tighten the rod so it won't swivel.  Then I heat the rod, start the wing up along the chosen guide line and take my time so the rod actually moves the foam out of the way by melting it rather than pushing through.  The rod seldom if ever actually touches foan since it melts it away as it comes to it.
If you take your time, this works well.  I still plan to some day switch to the other method of dropping the rod down through the wing as I think it's a more stable method with the wing clamped tight.
I hope these two pics help, feel free to grill me on it!
Blessings,
Will