does anyone have experience with the line of Proxxon foam table hot wire cutting accessories made by Shiftinglands? I am specifically looking for a distributor who will accept VISA directly (not paypal). thanks

https://www.shiftinglands.com/shop/

Have you tried MicroMark? Or Model Expo? Both are model/hobby tool specialists. I believe both carry Proxxon products.
VR Russ

I didn't even think of either company so I just checked. ME = none. MM = have the foam factory line of stuff. thanks for the suggestions.

the owner, Gerard, has been very communicative and pro-active addressing my conundrum. he has contacted a company which will set him up to accept several types of credit cards.

I think for a one man business, half a world away, he is going well above and beyond what we have come to expect as "customer service".

Gerard mentioned it might be two or three weeks before the credit card service is in place. will follow up.

For reviews / demonstrations look at the tabletop/RPG crafting scene. Gerard Boom is a common guest at least on german speaking channels and demonstrates some of his tools:

In german

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U9pIzusWVQ} For strange reasons I like german videos {/url]

Still the videos above show some of the tools and IIRC "Black Magic Craft" had some others (and that funny language form that island of the french coast)

Okay, by now I have actually used some of the tools:

a) Guider Pro 2 - this replaces the rip fence that comes with the Proxxon with a higher and sturdier one that has no flex and no "tilting high pieces" problems. The V2 has an option to use an angled cutting wire (Not used by me - the V1 simply was not "available"). This is the most recommended tool since it reduces errors/fixes the biggest niggle with the Proxxon. Extremly simple to use

b) Circle cutter - this is a tool that you COULD do on your own. Versions doable range from "very cheap" (Tape a thumbtack to the Proxxon) to "virtuall a clone of the SL tool". But the SL tool is well done, easier to use than the "tape and thumbtack" and I am lousy at woodwork. To get good results requires some practice and it took me a while to realise that it can also be used to construct culverts

c) Multi corner cutter - Very specialist piece. It allows to cut perfect multi-edged pieces (3/5/6/8). Useful for table top but the pieces generated are rather large, smallest is 6cm across. I bought it for some specialist projects (modern/sci fi doors, industrial tower bases) so I got my use of it

d) Angel cutter - cut fixed angles without moving the wire of the Proxxon. Very much a convenience tool since it allows me to quickly switch from any of the above to say a 30 degree cut without fiddling with carpenters square etc. to move the wire. Again I had some concrete projects that could make use of it so for me worth the money

e) Template sets - I do quite a bit in fantasy TT so the gothic and classic arch templates see quite a bit of use. Again, the same can be done with french curves etc, the templates are just a lot faster/more convenient and consistent. This is important to me since I often draw the stuff on paper first

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As for some other stuff - not sure. I wanted to look/talk about Dome Cutter vs ShapeShifter with Mr. Boom but something named after a bad beer intervened and the workshop got dropped

thank you for your well articulated assessments. as I become more familiar with foam construction and my proxxon cutter, I see the versatility of the material.

repetitive accuracy will only serve to increase this medium's usefulness.

thanks again!