Foot Switch, Foot Operated Pedal Controller Power Switch for Hot Wire Foam Cutter

For those who are familiar with the PROXXON Thermocut 115/E (which is pretty much the gold standard for hobbyist tabletop hot wire foam cutters) the MINOVA hot wire cutter is basically a clone of that one but with several improvements over the PROXXON. With the lower price and several improvements over the PROXXON, it definitely makes the MINOVA a clear winner. After unboxing, assembly was pretty much straightforward and while the multi-language user manual it comes with has some instructions and tips for making various types of basic cuts, it was rather sparse in instructions for setup. This is something MINOVA could improve upon. Luckily, I had seen enough YouTube videos over the years, particularly the videos over at Shifting Lands on YouTube to know how to assemble and set these types of tools up without issue. This Amazon page for ordering the KD-6A has some photos step-by-step instructions on the page, which may help get some novices over the hump in setting theirs up. So if you purchase one, bookmark the Amazon page to help in setting it up. The table is made of a hard, sturdy plastic shell. Its work surface is aluminum, with a precision etched grid and measuring ruler, with integrated protractor guides, and an adjustable aluminum upper arm, which is also etched and painted with angular scale markings. While the form factor and design are pretty much identical to the PROXXON, one other slight difference is that there is an integrated power plug port on the front for an external continuous foot switch. This is why there's a three-position rocker type power switch on the front, as opposed to a simple on/off two-position switch. Unfortunately, MINOVA was out-of-stock for their optional external foot switch when I bought mine. But this hot wire cutter works perfectly fine with the PROXXON 38700 Foot Switch FS, which I had purchased instead. The continuous switch is operated by holding it down with your foot and allows for hands-free turning the hot wire on and off, which greatly helps when making cuts and multiple pieces. The MINOVA comes with 2 different extruded aluminum fence rails. One is a 3/4 inch tall, or low fence rail, like that of the PROXXON. More critically, though, is the design of the rotating fence rail guide. The MINOVA guide has a locking knob which secures the fence rail firmly in place. This is one of the more notorious shortcomings of the PROXXON, where its fence rail doesn't have this locking knob. That leads to the fence rail being somewhat loose and can cause it to wobble when pushing a workpiece through the cutter. The MINOVA doesn't seem to suffer from this problem thanks to this second locking knob. This second knob securely locks the fence rail in place and so it doesn't really wobble when pushing a work piece along it. The MINOVA also comes with a second fence, a 3.15 inch (or 8 cm) tall elevated extension rail, which the PROXXON doesn't have is standard. This taller fence prevents bending during the cutting of taller or thicker materials. Another standard attachment which comes with MINOVA is the circular cutting attachment which allows you to make circular cuts, such as cylinders and cones. There are third-party circular cutting attachments that you can get for the PROXXON to do this, but it's nice that the MINOVA comes with one. Another win for the MINOVA. All-in-all I'm the very happy with the MINOVA KD-6A so far, and the several refinements and improvements over the PROXXON hot wire cutter which this is a clone of, combined with the nearly 15% lower price tag, has me quite pleased with my purchase. So if you're in the market for a tabletop style hot wire cutting tool …this is the one to go with.

Good quality foam cutter. Chose it over the Proxxon because of the additional accessories (tall guide wall and circle cutter). Cuts well.

First off I must say that the assembly instructions are pretty spare and seem to be missing some of the critical steps, like the sequence of steps to actually attach the cutting wire between the support arm, through the base and into the connecting screw. You actually have to disassembly the support arm and wire spool before you can assemble them all together to attach the cutting wire correctly. After assembly, the instructions slightly improve to show how to make the various cuts - straight, cone, etc. - while using the included fences to guide the foam. I did appreciate the sturdiness of the fences and how well they all attached together. Once they were installed, they were square to the table and solid so they didn't move. The heating element worked well and cut through the foam I tested rapidly. You just have to test it to see what heat levels to use to get the best quality cut while allowing some speed of cut. The build quality of the base is heavy duty plastic which is sturdy enough to support whatever you're cutting. It also houses all the pieces (support arm, fences, etc.) when you want to pack it away. The only issue I have with this is that the clips on the underside of the base do not really lock the parts into the base firmly so they can flop around a bit. This necessitates having to flip the base upside down to pack away the parts and then leaving the base upside down (and perhaps placing the base into the plastic bag it originally comes with) when putting the base into the box to keep everything in place. If you flip the box over when putting the box away, parts will fall out of base. Overall, this is a nice kit to get acquainted with foam cutting without having to expose yourself to other methods, such as a hot knife or an electric knife, which can be quite a bit scarier! Price is reasonable so if you are contemplating needing to cut foam for your arts and crafts or DIY project, this is a good kit to start with.

I was very excited to add this to my crafting collection. Unfortunately, it failed to meet expectations by a large mark. The user's manual is nearly useless for setup instructions. I assembled the unit based on the pictures and started making practice cuts to find the best settings for my project. The unit stopped heating during the 3rd cut. The manual does not include trouble shooting steps or any guidance how to correct the problem. I hate dealing with returns, but that seems my only option.

Seems to work great. Time will tell. Manual is almost useless. Works great

Excellent product. I really like that it has the larger fence and the circle cutter. This is a great machine at a great price.

I do 3D modeling for cosplay and movie props. This cutter really takes the frustration out of working with foam. I’ve used it for insulation panels and EVA craft sheets, and it cuts like a champ once the wire heats up. The adjustable fence and rail make it easy to line up long, clean cuts without wandering off the line, which is something you can’t pull off with a knife alone. The heated wire glides through the material, leaving clean edges instead of those crumbly, static-filled messes you get from manual cutting. The build is sturdier than I expected for the price; it is well made and doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap. The tension adjustment helps fine-tune the wire for different foam thicknesses. You just have to definitely respect the heat; that wire gets scorching fast. I always unplug it and let it cool down before changing setups. It’s not a tool you’ll use every day, but when you need precision foam cutting for a model, prototype, or insulation job, this thing earns its keep. All-in-all, it’s a solid piece of equipment for hobbyists and builders who like clean, accurate results.

Work perfect with mininoca foam cutter. PERFECT TO HAVE FREE HANDS

Muy buen producto, funciona perfecto para mis manualidades

Can't go wrong for the price. The high fence is amazing, helps keeps everything square. Appears well made, works well and heats up quickly. It is the perfect size for my crafting projects. Vertical throat is just under 6 inches.

Perfekt zum Minova Styroporschneider, hätte es mir größer vorgestellt, aber ist klein und handlich, passt und funktioniert gut. Kann ich weiterempfehlen!

In terms of actual performance there is little to complain about here - it cuts through a variety of solid to soft foams with a bit of fiddling to find the best setting for each, allows a foot pedal (optional), and all of the angle adjustments are precise and easy to set. The circle/cone cutter does work too, although it takes a bit of practice and obviously requires you to stab a hole in the bottom of the material in order to spin. There's roughly 12 inches of cutting space along the left side and every adjustment has a chunky knob and clear set of markings. Bed is aluminum and while the body is plastic is feels solid in use. Any complaints are unrelated to performance. This is a bulky beast when assembled, and although everything does store in the base of the unit nothing clips in place so it's all loose. If you want to keep the arm and compass rail attached you still have another rail and the circle tool loose. And you probably will, as the wire spool is very basic and comes undone easily, and the arm is fiddly to install. It's best placed on top of a shelf where nothing else can damage it, I suppose. As a random aside, the box containing the power supply has a weird little cutout, almost like there may be a version of this that allows use of a cordless tool battery. Overall, however, it's a sturdy, well built device that cuts well and enough adjustments to cut basically any angle you'd need.