Abstract: A core pinning machine (1) includes a rotatable wire cutting apparatus (6) which comprises a housing (10), a cylinderical shank (13) rotatable within the housing, a cutter (18) with a sharp edged orifice (20) abutted to an end of the shank and a wire guide passage (17) located within the shank parallel to and offset from a central longitudinal axis (16) of the shank. The passage is rotatably alignable with the cutting orifice, allowing passage of the wire through the wire cutting apparatus. The wire cutting apparatus is disposed in a heater (25) which heats the wire as it passes therethrough, with the heated wire then inserted into a wax pattern (7) until a core (8) is contacted. A timer controller (2) registers the stop, and, after a delay, signals an actuator (23) to rotate the shank, which causes misalignment of the passage with the cutter, severing the wire against the sharp edge of the orifice.