TUBE CHOPPER 3527!!!

Intro: TUBE CHOPPER 3527!!!

Hi, this note is from future me. Ive just posted an instructable on better version of tube chopper, so if you was dirrected here from my other projects or don't want to waste your time on less efficient jig, go straight here:

ANOTHER, BETTER TUBE CHOPPER

Future Me

Recently I've managed a deal with a bicycle workshop nearby, so now I can get a bunch of inner tubes every week for free. It means that now I have to figuree out what I can do with them, and probably will result in a bunch of upcoming instructables.

One way to to reuse bicycle innert tubes is to weave with them. I've learned about this technique from Idea63's instructable INNERTUBE LOOP CREATIONS. After that I used it in my BICYCLE BAGGAGE NET FROM OLD INNER TUBE project. You can see the result on the photo.

Now I'm planning to experiment more with this technique and I already have a couple of projects on my mind, but firstly I have to make the process more sufficient. The thing is that for the weaving you need cut the tube into multiple loops, or rings. It's can be accomplished by hands, as I did in mentioned project, but it's a quiet time and energy consuming process. So I came up with this chopper.

This device allows you to cut/chop multiple inner tube loops of regular widts with less afforts. And it;s pretty simple. I've made it as a working prototype from scraps of wood and a handplane knife. After I figure out what improvements I want to implement I'll make version 4000, but even as it is, it works well.

STEP 1:

the whole thing is quiet simple and you can make your own version just by interpreting the photo of the finnished device. I'm posting this tutorial since I'm going ro reffer to it in upcoming projects, and probably many people will ask me how to make the copper anyway.

So firstly, I've scethched the design, and found suitable wood scraps.

The middle block on the basis is supposed to be the cutting surface, so I turned it with the grain facing up. It didn't last long though (it was pine wood) so use densed wood for this or just other material, like a piece of polyetheline cutting board for example.

Two wooden planks are screwed to the basis pieces from the sides and hold everything intact. The plank on the left side is taller and acts as a fence for positioning the tube.

STEP 2:

The inner tube loops for weawing are supposed to be of 10-12mm width. So you need to create a recess in the vertical beam of equivalent depth. Otherwice, you can glue on a piece of wood of required width onto top part of it.

STEP 3:

The blade I'm using has this long vertical slit in the middle, which is characteristic for certain type of old siviet planes. I'm using it to attach the blade to the vertical post with bolt, nut and a washer. The blade freely slides along the slit.

If the blade you have doesn't have a slit, wecure it on the wooden block with two Г-shaped brackets on sides.

STEP 4:

To guide the blade and prevent it from rotating I'm adding two aluminium brackets to the sides made of available scraps.

STEP 5:

When everything is assembled, the chopper is ready to be used.

Cut the inner tube with scissors first, pull it undearneath the blade till it stops against the basis of the vertical post. Aligne the side of the tube relatively parallel to the fence on the side. Put the blade down and smack it a couple of times with a hammer to cut a loop.

I'll keep thinking on improvements and, maybe, completelly different designs, but this is it for now, thank for your attention and have a nice loops.

I'll be posting some of my experiments with inner tube recycling on my Facebook page, so, take a look, and maybe stay for longer.

STEP 6: Upgrading to V. 3527!!!

As some of you have suggested in the comment section, and as I myself was going to anyway, I have added a lever. And it sucks. Maybe the overall structure isn't ridgid enough or maybe... it just suck.

So, if it happens so that you'll achive better results with this, let me know what, and how you did it.

Comments

[M L G]

I too would suggest a lever slotted into the top of the blade almost like the paper guillotine at school?
Don't know how old you are maybe a bit before your time? Look it up you see how well it works having a lever instead of each time having to hit with hammer, almost easier just to cut with scissors?!

[Waldemar Sha]

Check the update.

[gr8fldanielle]

I think a lever would make it a lot easier. I made a net from the bike net instructable and used a paper cutter to cut my loops. Quite easy and fast actually.

[myinsrructables]

My thoughts exactly. You could mount a lever on top, similar to how a tortia press works. Plently of leverage, easy to use, and should be much faster than a hammer, and, would make the whole thing last longer. Just make sure your blade is good and sharp.

[Waldemar Sha]

Look at the update.

[Waldemar Sha]

Yeahm I thought of a lever as of 4000!!! model feature, Less violent and faster action.

[spark master]

First off I like it, wish I had seen something like this when I was a kid, a bike WAS my means of transport until I was 22, when I got a Driver's License.

The bike rack web was the best. And while I can see how the bungee cord ended it on the edges, how does one end the edges in this stuff, so it does not come apart?

You can do truck tire inner tubes and make hammocks! IT would take the weight of even a heffer like me!

Sweet but like the LASER, it is an answer in search of a question.

Thanks for showing us yours, but my question remains, how does one close the ends?

This reminds me of what we did with chewing gum wrappers as a kid, they were fun to do and totally useless.This on the other hand is\ NOT useless

ciao

[Waldemar Sha]

I can suggest using loops made out of thinner (less wide) inner tube on edges, while securing them with glue. This way you atleast will have no open loops sticking out and the whole thing will not udo itself. Othervice I can't suggest anything else than pulling something like a cord or installing jumprings of sort.

[Kink Jarfold]

Truly, a device that would make Dr. Joseph-Ignance proud. Nicely thought out and executed!

KJ

Yes, pun intended.

[Waldemar Sha]

That seams to be the most efficient kind of doctor.

[Woodclaver]

Hi:
Loved it.
Instead of side brackets perhaps a second bolt matching first in line w/slot?

[Waldemar Sha]

That's was exactly that I was thinking about when making this thing, but I had no place left for another bolt, so I added brackets.

[colinje1]

Mount the plane blade at a slight angle it will the cut incrementally instead of trying to cut in one go.

[Waldemar Sha]

Do you mean, like guillotine? Well, firstly, you'll need a straight metal edge against the blade to cut. Secondly on cutting incrementaly the rubber will stretch and you'll have hard times on getting straight and paralle edges on a cut piece.

[jabete]

Inner tubes as ranger bands.

[Waldemar Sha]

A lot of them...

[wayne.gleason.54]

Great idea. I'm going to try and make one, but instead of making the recess in the vertical beam 10-12mm as you did in step 2, I am going to make it about 25mm (1") and then drill a hole through the recess and add an adjustable back stop to it. Keep on dicing.

[Waldemar Sha]

Yes. At first I didn't think of adjustable depth stop much since I thought I'll only be dealing with inly one size of inner tubes for only one porpouse (weaving), so I only needed a fixed sized loops. But now I know, that I'll be dealing with diffrent sizes, I'm looking toward implementing this feature in next alteration of the device.

[Grumpy 01]

You might want to use either a plastic deadblow or plastic mallet to prevent damaging the struck ened of the blade.

[Waldemar Sha]

Yes, it's a good thing to implement, but I'm looking towards levered action, as gr8fldanielle suggested. Also the plane iron isn't that good to begin with: it's a bit to thin, so it was already pretty bended and unusable in a plane. I kind of doesn't care about it much.