Need a tool to cut plastic hand cream tubes, like a pipe cutter??

[squale]

I need to be able to cut a 1" wide section out of a UNSEALED plastic tube such as a hand cream tube, tube paste tube, etc. I need the cut to be very straight and leave no rounded edges. So something with a razor blade would probably give the best cut. I need it to cut a strip about 1" wide out of the tube, so basically something like a pipe cutter where you can cut a piece of pipe off... only problem with plastic tubes are they are very soft and pliable so you can't clamp anything onto the O.D. of the tube to cut it.

 

[Screwmachine]

A friend of mine made something like this for a hospital to cut plastic tubing. One version rotated the tubing in a bushing as a box cutter-like blade came down in a slicing motion; another was to cut the end at an angle and it supported the tubing in a bushing as the blade sliced through a slit that acted as a guide. These had to be clean cuts, and they worked great.

 

[RAS]

Try a good quality paper cutter. Of course, if the tube must remain perfectly round while cutting, this won't work...

RAS

 

[Limy Sami]

''Like a pipe cutter ??''

A sphincter muscle?

 

[jackalope]

''Like a pipe cutter ??''

A sphincter muscle?

I think you mean a razor lined sphincter.....I am sure your employer has this very thing tucked in his britches if he is having you go through what you are going through!

 

[Metalo]

You might have luck by making something similar to a shotgun shell hull trimmer. It shortens hulls by cutting a certain width off. Looks like it is a mandrel that the hull slips over which is than rotated against a blade.


Here is an example

Trim Doctor-Ballistic Products

 

[Marcosmadness]

Would a flat ribbon cable cutter work? The blades are replaceable and we used them to cut flat ribbon cable and shrink tubing. I would think they would do the job and they are readily available and durable. Of course, you would have to make two cuts. You could possibly use the replacement blades to create your own tool where it would do the job in one operation.

 

[squale]

those cutters are a good idea but problem is, the tube diameter is always different.. anywhere from .25" up to 3" in O.D. plus I can NOT crease the tube when cutting it. I need to cut a strip of tube while it's round.. If I flatten the tube and say cut it with a paper cutter, etc. then I will have creases in the tube which would be no good.

 

[delTool]

Tubing cutter

How about a PEX tubing cutter Link

 

[squale]

not a bad idea but problem is you have to clamp down on the material to cut and with a plastic tube like a hand cream tube, if you clamp down on it you will make it flat and then get creases at the edges where it's folded. I need to cut it without making it go flat and crease.

How about a PEX tubing cutter Link

 

[delTool]

How about inserting some tubing with a close fit for backing and shear them both together?

 

[9100]

There is a type of cutter used in leather work that has two disks on parallel shafts geared together and turned by a crank. I have no idea what they are called and could not find one by Googling. Probably the best thing would to go to a saddle shop and ask to see theirs. The disks are sharpened and overlap so the action is like scissors that are continuous. The ones used by saddle makers are larger than you need, so it would be best to make your own, but it would be an easy project. By making the lower disk smaller than the tube, you could start at the open end and cut in a spiral down to the part you want to save, then go around in a straight cut. Repeat from the other end.

Bill

Edit: If you made the top disk moveable so you could raise it, slide the tube over the lower one, and close it down to start the cut, you could do it without having to cut the other end open first.

 

[RAS]

I believe I have fould a source for both of the tools you require, at www.unobtanium.com. Their GigaWidget is doubtless the finest combination Gaging and Cutting Device known to man, with numerous other applications and benefits.

RAS

 

[USMCPOP]

I'd make some close-fitting tapered wooden mandrels, stick the tube over it and use a razor blade to cut it while spinning.

 

[jackalope]

I believe I have fould a source for both of the tools you require, at www.unobtanium.com. Their GigaWidget is doubtless the finest combination Gaging and Cutting Device known to man, with numerous other applications and benefits.

RAS

I have a Chinese engineer I work with sometimes and this gigawidget source is just the place I will send him.

 

[Nami]

What Pops says, and glue/bolt two razor blades together separated by 1" of whatever.

For more permanent setup, mandrel in drill press, 2 knife cutter on pivoting jig on table. Keeps everything square. Use these blades...

Fiskars - Rotary Standard Blade Value Pack 45mm 5/Pkg

Have used these for plastic tubing and wood veneers. They work great for both because they don't "pull" on the material, but rather "push" through (think mortising with chisel vs. cutting with saw).

You could easily mount two of them on an axle that kept them the correct distance apart, then mount that on a pivoting arm on the drill press table that acted against the tubing and mandrel.

Would be similar to Metalo's, 9100's, and Pop's ideas all rolled into one.

Burt

 

[Gary E]

Seems obvious that you were never a Boy Scout.. "Be Prepaired" doncha know?
Use your KNIFE,,,, and ifin ya want it cut faster ....a Hatchet...

 

[Limy Sami]

Seems obvious that you were never a Boy Scout.. "Be Prepaired" doncha know?
Use your KNIFE,,,, and ifin ya want it cut faster ....a Hatchet...

MMMMMM?......... yeah,....... but Gary, I really think that's more of a billhook job, (Kentish pattern for preference)............ do you have those over there.

- - Green Dragon Woodland Project -

 

[Gary E]

Not familiar with that name so I looked at your site and....

WOW...this one is really nice....

 

[67Cuda]

I need to be able to cut a 1" wide section out of a UNSEALED plastic tube such as a hand cream tube, tube paste tube, etc. I need the cut to be very straight and leave no rounded edges. So something with a razor blade would probably give the best cut. I need it to cut a strip about 1" wide out of the tube, so basically something like a pipe cutter where you can cut a piece of pipe off... only problem with plastic tubes are they are very soft and pliable so you can't clamp anything onto the O.D. of the tube to cut it.

I hope where your working their not paying you very much because you are certainly not worth shit when it comes to figuring things out.

Tom