Can I modify fiber optic knife to cut beeswax?

W

W J Powers

Joined
Jul 1, 2004
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I see electric heated 1" knives on eBay to cut fibre optic cable. These are 40 to 60 watts. I need to cut open honey comb in beehives, which would need a 5" to 6" blade. If I use similar material to make a blade, will the fiber optic knife generate enough heat to slice open the honey comb wax cappings? Where would I get the right metal to make the blade if the electric element can deliver the heat? I would only do actual cutting twice a year, for about 10 minutes of actual cutting time. Also note, beekeepers are financially conservative, but can't have equipment failures in the midst of drawing off honey, so inexpensive is the goal, but reliability is paramount.
 
Get a six-inch kitchen knife with a wooden handle, something long and thin, maybe a bread knife.

Lay it on the burner of a stove set for low for a few minutes, and it will cut your honey comb like... well... like a hot knife through butter.
 
What you need is nichrome wire, a sort of bow frame to hold it taut and a heavy duty battery or low voltage power supply for the power. Don't use the fiber optic knife power supply unless it only puts out 12 volts. It is too dangerous. You will have to experiment a bit to figure the right gauge of nichrome wire. If you needed to get 12 watts out of a 12 volt battery you would need a 12 ohm wire. So maybe you want a wire that gives you 12 ohms per foot.
 
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