3D Printing 3D printed parametric tube cutter

[Jon Fox]

A parametric tube cutter I designed as part of my rocket project. Fits the specified tube size. Takes a standard construction utility blade (the trapezoid kind), and M3 hardware. The smaller sleeve clamps onto the tube, and the cutter rests upon the sleeve, and spins around the tube to cut it.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[ShadowSpire48]

I actually like it. Does the blade just poke a hole and start cutting?

 

[Jon Fox]

I actually like it. Does the blade just poke a hole and start cutting?

Yup. Twist WITH the blade, but AGAINST the wrap of the tube to minimize unraveling. Usually doesn't happen on high quality tubes but if you're using secondhand/recycled/mailers/whatever, it's best to go against the wrap.

 

[ShadowSpire48]

Yup. Twist WITH the blade, but AGAINST the wrap of the tube to minimize unraveling. Usually doesn't happen on high quality tubes but if you're using secondhand/recycled/mailers/whatever, it's best to go against the wrap.

I have some BT60 tubes I’d like to give it a shot on. How stable is it? Is it fairly easy to keep in a straight line?

 

[Jon Fox]

I have some BT60 tubes I’d like to give it a shot on. How stable is it? Is it fairly easy to keep in a straight line?

As long as you clamp the sleeve on first, and then keep the cutter against the sleeve, it cuts straight as an arrow.

It's an OpenSCAD project, so you'd have to install that..

 

[Lotronex]

Very cool idea. Only suggestion I would add would be to emboss the BT size or OD on the ring so you can quickly tell which size it is (say BT60 vs a BT60 coupler). Not sure how easy that is to do in OpenSCAD though.

 

[neil_w]

That's pretty neat. Would be interesting to see if it could work by spring-loading the blade, so you don't have to manually adjust it as you go.

 

[BDB]

I like this. I was just dreaming yesterday about having a power version of this to cut 8" fiberglass tubes.

 

[Jon Fox]

Very cool idea. Only suggestion I would add would be to emboss the BT size or OD on the ring so you can quickly tell which size it is (say BT60 vs a BT60 coupler). Not sure how easy that is to do in OpenSCAD though.

Pretty easy. I also need to put an arrow on it to indicate the cutting direction

 

[Jon Fox]

That's pretty neat. Would be interesting to see if it could work by spring-loading the blade, so you don't have to manually adjust it as you go.

It usually needs no adjustment unless you're cutting very thick or stubborn tubes. But I'm also trying to keep it simple - it's only lately that I added the M3 hardware

I like this. I was just dreaming yesterday about having a power version of this to cut 8" fiberglass tubes.

Once I figure out a mount for a powered cutter (dremel cut-off wheel maybe) I'll let you know