Assistive Cutting Board for One Hand Use for Disabled, Elderly or Ill.
Intro: Assistive Cutting Board for One Hand Use for Disabled, Elderly or Ill.
A disabled, ill or elderly person can have a hard time with task as simple as pealing an apple or buttering bread. This assistive board for less than $10 can really make life easier for someone with a disability, either temporary like a broken arm or permanent like a missing limb.
THIS IS THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF IT IN ACTION, CHECK IT OUT!!!
THIS IS THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF IT IN ACTION, CHECK IT OUT!!!
STEP 1: What You Are Going to Need.
MATERIALS:
-Cutting board (I got mine at Target for $8, it’s a 20” by 15”, the bigger the better because you have more working surface. Don’t get a wood one because the big ones are way to heavy for a person that would be using only one arm)
- Knife (the size of your knife should be relative to the size of your board, my knife is 8”. Make sure the cutting part of the knife is flat, not curve)
-Wood screws or nails 2” (I used wood screws because they hold the food better but nails are easier to clean, you decide)
-An extra piece of plastic at least 6” by 6” and ½” thick ( I used an acrylic sheet, this is for the supports and holders you can replace this if you have a better material)
-Anti slide soft pads/ sugru (sugru works best)
- Two machine screws and nuts 1"
TOOLS:
-Dremel with cutting wheel and drilling bits (or any tool that you have that can do the same job)
-Hot glue gun
-Screwdriver
-Cutting board (I got mine at Target for $8, it’s a 20” by 15”, the bigger the better because you have more working surface. Don’t get a wood one because the big ones are way to heavy for a person that would be using only one arm)
- Knife (the size of your knife should be relative to the size of your board, my knife is 8”. Make sure the cutting part of the knife is flat, not curve)
-Wood screws or nails 2” (I used wood screws because they hold the food better but nails are easier to clean, you decide)
-An extra piece of plastic at least 6” by 6” and ½” thick ( I used an acrylic sheet, this is for the supports and holders you can replace this if you have a better material)
-Anti slide soft pads/ sugru (sugru works best)
- Two machine screws and nuts 1"
TOOLS:
-Dremel with cutting wheel and drilling bits (or any tool that you have that can do the same job)
-Hot glue gun
-Screwdriver
STEP 2: Cut and Glue the Bread Holders.
From the extra piece of plastic with you Dremel cut two pieces of 3” by ½ “ these are the bread holders.
Then cut three 1” by 1” squares these make up the knife holder.
the two 3' by ½ “ are going to be glued to the top left corner of the table.
Then cut three 1” by 1” squares these make up the knife holder.
the two 3' by ½ “ are going to be glued to the top left corner of the table.
STEP 3: Put the Screws " Food Holders"
In the bottom left corner mark three spots in a triangle shape and drill from the bottom the three wood screws.
The screws have about 1/2" separation between them imagine them fitting in the inside of an apple so you can see the distance they should have from each other.
The screws have about 1/2" separation between them imagine them fitting in the inside of an apple so you can see the distance they should have from each other.
STEP 4: Glue and Install the Knife Holder.
The three squares need to be glues as if you are making a cube.
Then drill a hole in the middle.
Now on the top right corner of the board drill a hole.
Put one of the 1" machine screws from the bottom in the hole and put the knife holder in that screw and tight the nut.
Don do it to tight the piece should be able to move from left to right.
Then drill a hole in the middle.
Now on the top right corner of the board drill a hole.
Put one of the 1" machine screws from the bottom in the hole and put the knife holder in that screw and tight the nut.
Don do it to tight the piece should be able to move from left to right.
STEP 5: Attach the Knife.
Put the cutting part of the knife flat with the board.
Put the tip of the knife inside the cube.
Mark a spot to drill that will go thorough the walls of the cube and the the tip of the knife.
Drill and the hold the knife in place with the 1" machine screw.
Cut an extra piece of plastic of 1" long by 1/2" and make a groove on the middle, since the knife has free movement this will help to hold the knife on place.
Put the tip of the knife inside the cube.
Mark a spot to drill that will go thorough the walls of the cube and the the tip of the knife.
Drill and the hold the knife in place with the 1" machine screw.
Cut an extra piece of plastic of 1" long by 1/2" and make a groove on the middle, since the knife has free movement this will help to hold the knife on place.
STEP 6: Finish Up and Enjoy.
Place the soft pads or the sugru in each corner in the bottom and you are ready to use.
my final model used sugru about the size of a nickel and it works way better that the soft pads and also wont slide
my final model used sugru about the size of a nickel and it works way better that the soft pads and also wont slide
8 Comments
stephanie.campbell.102977 9 years ago
Hello I need help! I am trying to make this for my amputee mother and I can not find any 1/2" thick acrylic! ANYWHERE!!! Please help with suggestions to replace the acrylic with because the thickest I can buy in my area is 1/8" thick and that is probably way too thin, especially for the knife assembly!! Any helpful hints and suggestions would be great!!!! Thank You :)
stuart.mawbey.3 9 years ago
Good on you. I''m inspired, i'll make my own &*#$ chopping board! The ones online were almost 80 dollars for the same thing. Thanks so much - from a one armed man.
CatTrampoline 12 years ago
One tiny edit I would suggest is to recommend stainless or brass screws for the food holder since they don't rust, and some of your readers may not know this.
rosenred 13 years ago
bridge47 13 years ago
Nelson_Yepez 13 years ago
thanks and great ideas are always appreciated
Warlrosity 13 years ago
Nelson_Yepez 13 years ago
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjYWXI_6nfE