3D Printed Plank Cutter

[spill50]

Not been around for a while but I recently bought a new ship kit to keep me occupied over Christmas (no doubt a lot longer than that). I need a plank cutter for making multiple repeat 90 degree cuts. Yes I know I could have bought one, but I figured I would make use of my other hobby and 3D print one and thought people here might like to see it.

 

It takes a Swann Morton scalpel blade and lets me do any angle between 45 and 90 with adjustable/removeable fences to make repeat cuts.

 

This is the first version and already thinking about changes to improve it. Probably change it to use standard double edged razor blades among other things.

 

[Patrick Matthews]

Nice!

Most of these choppers use the single edge blades, strong, sharp and easily sourced by the hundred.

Consider that the work surface will get chopped too, a deeper and deeper canyon will develop. On my 20 yr old home grown chopper, I use magnetic sheets to secure a steel rule when needed. It's about time for me to change it...

 

[spill50]

@Patrick Matthews I like it, if it does the job for 20+ years, then it must be doing something right. I do like the idea of the magnetic sheets. If I didn't have a 3D printer mine would probably look something like yours  

 

Yeah the blades I will change to the square single edged ones, the scalpel blades are just what I had to hand but it will be a pain to change. The plastic is quite hard and not even scratched yet but we'll see how it holds up after a few 100 cuts  and the fence only goes out to 55mm so that needs tweaking for longer repeat cuts. Great thing about 3D printing is I can just print a fence with different geometry in a few minutes.

 

I'll post V2 when it's done.

[CaptnBirdseye]

Sweet! Are you going into production? 😀

[spill50]

2 hours ago, RockinBudgie said:

Sweet! Are you going into production? 😀

Ha, I may do a small number if people are interested.

[CaptnBirdseye]

If you can get it to cut straight, with no wobble with the handle, you might just have something there 👍

[max142]

spill50: that's really nice. Would you be willing to part with the stl. files?

I picked up an Ender 3 a couple of years ago. I can print but not good at drawing up 3d designs.

[spill50]

@max142 I've made some adjustments and printing a new version of it this evening. Once I've dialled in the design and worked out the quirks, I'll share the files.

[max142]

spill50: Dude, that's awesome.

[allanyed]

Your cutter is very impressive!

 

I think if you had an inventory of cannon barrel STL drawings covering 1600 through about 1825 and 3 pounders to 32 pounders you could be kept quite busy with your hobby of 3D printing.  Actually one or two drawings for each period would probably work as I know you can scale them up or down for various scales and sizes.  I have been using 3D printed barrels on two projects and the detail is as detailed as the drawings.  Based on some of the build logs here at MSW I am flabbergasted some kits still provide cannon that are more imaginative than realistic in shape and scale size, so your audience could include both kit and scratchers.    Then again, it is no longer a hobby if you go into production and maybe not so much fun.   

 

Allan

Edited December 17, 2021 by allanyed