3D printed film cutter

OeT · Oct 26, 2016

I just bought myself a 16mm subminiature camera and need to cur some 135-film down to fit it.
I've been working on a film slitter to print in my 3d printer and thought some people here might be interested.

A 3d render

and a first prototype

This first version vill give two film strips, one 16mm and one 9,2mm.
Are there any other film sizes that we need a cutter for?

Kevin Caulfield · Oct 26, 2016

Wow, that looks great.

AgX · Oct 26, 2016

When starting cutting you have to pull the film at an angle, to have it rest on the points of the blade befor these cut-in.
It seems benefitial to have a lateral guide in that situation too, thus making the guides higher.
Or to set down the blades.

Consider also the risk of scratching the film.

OeT · Oct 26, 2016

I can move down the blades for the final version.
I was planning on lining the surfaces with velvet to reduce the risk of scratching the film.

Here is the first test

The 16mm is 15,7mm and the 9,2mm is 9,9mm so some adjusting is still needed.

AgX · Oct 26, 2016

Two of the three cuts are serrated.

Is the location of the blades due to the casting of the block or are they held in place by adjustable nuts?

OeT · Oct 26, 2016

Noticed the serration to, I tested it with some very old and brittle film I found in a camera bag from the flea market hopefully it works better with newer properly stored film.
I just happen to put the bledes where they are now, it is very easy to change.
Was thinking of making them adjustable to with two slots instead of holes.

BAC1967 · Oct 26, 2016

OeT said:
Are there any other film sizes that we need a cutter for?

120 to 127

choiliefan · Oct 26, 2016

+1 on the 120 to 127

shutterfinger · Oct 26, 2016

You may need to change to a shear type cutter to get a smoother cut edge.

Bill Burk · Oct 27, 2016

A pair of 8mm for Minox?

Bill Burk · Oct 27, 2016

Haa that's the image. The film's 9.2 mm

AgX · Oct 27, 2016

Whicht means, just adding a third slot.

paul ron · Oct 27, 2016

beautiful! perhaps sharper cutters n an angle change will give a smoother slit. once the cuts are started they only need to be chased.

can a take up spool be added to the design some how?

i love technology!

vdonovan · Oct 27, 2016

Damn dude, you are awesome.

Cholentpot · Oct 27, 2016

paul ron said:
beautiful! perhaps sharper cutters n an angle change will give a smoother slit. once the cuts are started they only need to be chased.

can a take up spool be added to the design some how?

i love technology!

Take up spool with a crank. It would make it far easier to manage.

AgX · Oct 27, 2016

That would be the slitter from Asanuma, from the better days of Minox:

https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8327/8127803541_146574baaa_c.jpg

GRHazelton · Oct 27, 2016

Another vote for a 127 cutter! I have a Komaflex S which needs work to use. With the cost of 127 film and the few emulsions available I hesitate to undertake the expense of a CLA.

Brian Schmidt · Oct 27, 2016

Make one to slit Double 8mm movie film down the middle. That would be great as those haven't been made for years. It is 16mm wide and 0.005" thick.

Brian

OeT · Oct 27, 2016

Thanks for all the feedback.
If you have any design suggestions to I'm all ears

davidmasek · Oct 28, 2016

For me, 2x16mm for unperforated film (happen to have some) would great.

AgX · Oct 28, 2016

As that slitter is designed for type 135, that would mean you would have to cut a lenght of your unperforated 35mm film, roll it and store the wrap in that cassette compartment. Maybe even use a type 135 spindle.

Brian Schmidt · Oct 28, 2016

I made a slitter for standard (or super I guess) double 8mm with two offset rollers that shears the film as it goes through. The problem I have had is locating the film as it wants to wander. I am thinking of a long slot like you have but leading up to the two rollers. When they are sharp it cuts the film cleanly but when it is dull it sort of smears and becomes ragged on that edge. Also it seems to work best if the rollers barely overlap as opposed to meet at a wide angle.

The problem currently is also that I didn't think to put a crank of any sort on it and I would need to retrofit something. I can spin the little rollers manually but that gets to be quite a pain when we are talking of 33 feet of film... I think a redesign is warranted anyway.

My inspiration came from a slitter on eBay (I think?) to cut 120 down to 127.

I will have to get pictures some time.

-Brian

MartinP · Oct 30, 2016

I'm pleased to see that you have the alignment channel in the same part as the blades. With the common(-ish) design of home-made cutter the alignment and cutter functions were usually in two separate parts, leading to wobbles along the length of the film.

My own fortune-making, 3D-printed, film-slitter is still at the conceptual stage . . . after two years of thinking about it, I am still thinking about it. Oops.

OeT · Nov 10, 2016

I've updated the design a bit to hold the filmcan a little better.
I also changed tha angle of the blades slightly.

AgX · Nov 10, 2016

So, the three blades are resting at those "feet".

3D printed film cutter

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