Easy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tool

This is my first attempt at submitting an Instructable. I decided to go with this super simple, super cheap, and extra tough pumpkin carving tool.

Step 1: Gather the Parts

The parts list is really simple:
2-4" long piece of copper tubing (I used 1/2")
Course toothed Jigsaw blade

Step 2: Clean Inside of Tubing

I cleaned the inside of the tubing with a small wire brush. This  facilitates sweating a little solder in later to firm up the assembly

Step 3: Mark the Blade

Put a mark on the blade to show that it is sufficiently installed. I made sure to go a couple of teeth down. This makes the teeth dig into the couple and made for a stronger joint. You can see my red mark in this picture.

Step 4: Squeeze the Copper

Mount the copper tubing in a vise by about 1/2". Squeeze the jaws down until there is just enough room to insert the blade. Then insert the blade to your mark and squeeze the copper the rest of the way down around the blade. I  positioned the copper in the vise a couple of times to crimp just off the edge of the blade to get a tight grip on the blade.

Step 5: Sweat the Opening

Using traditional soldering techinue, I sweat some solder into the joint. This keeps it from working open and loosening around your blade. My first attempt did not include cleaning the inside of the copper, so this step wasn't possible. It probably isn't totally necessary. You can always tighten it back up in the vise if it works loose.

Step 6: Finished Tools

You can use a variety of different blades to suit your needs. These are sharper and more rigid than any carving tools you can buy.

Comments

[beecroft]

Good idea! I've been using vice-grips.

[FBookhoo]

This is a really great idea!

Thanks

[getoffamycloud]

Yeah! Me and my dad made two of these (but just jigsaw blades in unfinished wood-scrap handles) and they are THE BEST for carving pumpkins!!! Thanks for spreading the word further!

[bptakoma]

This is great! Try reciprocating saw blades as well. If you don't have copper or epoxy around, you could nest the base of the blade in some polymer clay and bake for a sufficient period of time.

Take your extra copper tubing and cut at an angle with a hacksaw. You now have an easy small circle cutter for your pumpkin. Just stick it in and twist around.

[ghaines1]

This is ingenious and a wonderful thing to share with everyone. Well done!

[lalegría]

Note that using typical rosin flux, the solder is unlikely to adhere well to the metal of the steel blade. To make a really strong (and safe) joint, you will need to use a more aggressive (and more toxic) acid flux.

[planefixxer]

That may be true, but was not looking to actually solder to the blade. The crimp on the blade is enough to hold it rigid by itself. The purpose of the solder is only to keep the crimp from opening. That being said any solder that will join the two sides of the copper together is sufficient.

[lalegría]

I really like your instructable as a fast way to make a saw handle. I think if you just add a few drops of stainless steel flux (ZnCl in HCl) to the joint you may be able to produce a very strong bond with the convenience of soldering.

[marhar]

Very nice, clever to think of the copper tube as the handle!

[Bettybstt]

Very clever. Nice Instructable, thanks for writing it up.

[W8L42B9]

nice I made one like this but with a saws all blade i was going to post it but then, i did not feel like it lol....best saw i have.

[Showler]

Nice idea for a really simple instructable. I would try using a different saw blade and maybe some epoxy. Soldering can be a little tricky for an average individual but epoxy is only a trip to the home depot away. Good job!

[planefixxer]

Epoxy would work too. I figured if you had some copper laying around like me, you can also solder.