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Plug cutter design

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ChinaVoodoo

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My meat slicer broke down because it's cheap and can't really handle tobacco. Knife doesn't work past a certain thickness. I've been keeping my eye open for an antique, but they're either too feebly built, worn out, or too expensive. I'd like to see or hear about some good proposals for how one could build their own.
 

Smokin Harley

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I had bought one on ebay a month ago. Its a vintage cast iron lever action guillotine style plug cutter . The blade was dull and rusty so I had the bright idea of taking it apart and cleaning up the blade ...to use . well, as luck would have it I got it apart just fine and had the blade sharp as it needed to be . However when I went to put it back together it didn't quite go so smoothly and while coaxing it together I chipped off a chunk of cast iron from the frame and then the wedge split in two. So...its now basically useless except for a shelf display dust collector I paid $50 for. I wish I knew someone that could braze it back to usefulness.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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I had bought one on ebay a month ago. Its a vintage cast iron lever action guillotine style plug cutter . The blade was dull and rusty so I had the bright idea of taking it apart and cleaning up the blade ...to use . well, as luck would have it I got it apart just fine and had the blade sharp as it needed to be . However when I went to put it back together it didn't quite go so smoothly and while coaxing it together I chipped off a chunk of cast iron from the frame and then the wedge split in two. So...its now basically useless except for a shelf display dust collector I paid $50 for. I wish I knew someone that could braze it back to usefulness.

I dropped into a heavy duty mechanic in the middle of the night once to see if he could charge my battery. He brazed my manifold while he was at it, just 'cause. I have worked in welding shops for almost 20 years, and that's the only time I ever saw legit brazing.
 

riverstone

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Cast iron can be stick (arc) welded as well as brazed. Maybe one of the local colleges or night classes would do it as a project. Quite easy with the right rod.
 

riverstone

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DSCF0799.jpgDSCF0800.jpgDSCF0803.jpgDSCF0804.jpgThis is the cutter I made. It is steel channel and the blade is a piece of band saw blade. It is slow but I can do a pound an hour with a .6-.8mm shred. Make up blocks in a wooden press. I use it for hand rolling cigarette tobacco. Cost nil. The wooden knob is off the old bathroom door.:cool:
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Cast iron can be stick (arc) welded as well as brazed. Maybe one of the local colleges or night classes would do it as a project. Quite easy with the right rod.

That's really dependent on the grade of cast iron. Most are too high of carbon, period, while others need to go through a stress relieving heat treatment to weld.

Edit: Oh crap. I see you're a welder and have already proven me wrong. I am guessing this depends on how much penetration and how much stress would be involved. For a home project I guess it's cool. Maybe not for code work.
 

ChinaVoodoo

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MarcL

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View attachment 19942View attachment 19943This is the cutter I made. It is steel channel and the blade is a piece of band saw blade. It is slow but I can do a pound an hour with a .6-.8mm shred. Make up blocks in a wooden press. I use it for hand rolling cigarette tobacco. Cost nil. The wooden knob is off the old bathroom door.:cool:

This is really nice.
 

Smokin Harley

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Cast iron can be stick (arc) welded as well as brazed. Maybe one of the local colleges or night classes would do it as a project. Quite easy with the right rod.

Ive done it before. I probably used a 6013 or 7018 rod but I think I preheated it...been so long I dont remember but it tends to make the surrounding area more brittle . Maybe it'll be ok ,its just cutting tobacco and not much pressure.
 
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