My first attempt was with adhesive backed cork sheeting. It was 1.6mm (0.065") thick and didn’t quite get through. The cork isn’t a great material, it seems to want to tear the little chunks out instead of cleanly cutting. My suggestion would be to cut things a little thinner and more homogeneous. I’ll keep tinkering.
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For reference: https://donektools.com/ Wow! Expensive.
I gotta believe something much more economical can be achieved.
Not sure if these need to be spring loaded, or even need bearings. Don’t the routers/spindles turn freely when not under power? (My 1971 Skil router does)
X-Acto makes some pretty heavy craft blades that should work, and even cheaper than utility knife blades. I also imagine depth & offset could be adjustable to eliminate multiple models.
I worked up a 3D printed drag knife ages ago which could probably be adapted to be machined, and there have been a couple of designs which have shown up on eBay. I don’t think the router bearings turn as easily as is necessary for such a device to work well.
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1st stab at using the heavier X-Acto hobby blades, #19 or #24.
I think we could change out the top set screw for a slightly larger, centered, UNF-thread with a 1/4 shaft to fit 1/4" router.
My router turns pretty freely. I chucked up an X-Acto knife handle & dragged it across my work bench & it turned easily. Not sure how the spindles would handle it.
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By an individual, yes. But for a company, you have $16.35 in material cost, a company would mark that up. The company I work at marks the materials up by 40%. So now we’re at $22.89. What about labor costs?
Relying on the spindle bearings, and the drag of the brushes, would be to much of a variable from one customer to another.
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Indeed. I didn’t mean to suggest a retail price, only show the cost with one manufactured part & 5 relatively inexpensive purchased parts. I’m sure cost would go down a bunch buying higher quantities.
Still something one could retail for a lot less than the example I posted ($270). Perhaps in the $50 - $75 range?
Thingiverse has quite few dragknife models, if you have a 3d printer. I seen one with what appeared to use a 1/4" metal rod for chucking it up in a spindle.
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