Zonker cutter - pic heavy!

[StumpHunter]

I know most have seen the guy on you-tube make a cutter but with all the blades out in the open no way was I going to make one to use.. So got to thinking about one that was safe to use. Pulled out some 22 gage sheet medal to make a box the blades could slide into. The box is 2'' long x 1 1/2 wide x 1 1/2 deep, there is a top piece of sheet medal and all were duck-taped together at this time but I will go back and weld it but seems to work great with the tape. I used 2'' long all-threads in size 8 because the the size 8 nuts are 1/8 wide so it set the blades just right for cutting 1/8 zonkers. I slotted the sides of the box so I could turn the blades over and will be able to use all four corners of the blades without having to take the blades apart.
Built a board 11''x18''so I could hold the skins while cutting the zonkers with an 3/4'' clearance between the cutting board and skin. Made the bottom holder adjustable to fit the different skins.
Everything works great but there is a big difference in skins! The dark skin is a craft skin ($6) and the white is from Tandy Leather ($14). The dark skin hair would come off the zonkers once cut but still were able to have about 50% of what I cut usable. The white skin also had places in the hide where the hair would come off once cut but nowhere near as much as the dark skin.
Plan to try some other skins later but this is a safe way to cut zonkers!!

 

[SaltyBuckster]

I guess that you are the rabbit man now.Very cool tool that you built there.

 

[CrappieHappy]

nice work Ronnie!!

 

[ScottV]

That's a nice cutter Ronnie. If I had a place to get good hides with thick hair I'd be making one of those. Good job!

 

[Fatman]

Nice cutter Stump. You know it works on Zonker strips you gonna try some crosscuts now????

 

[Radtexan]

I guess that you are the rabbit man now.Very cool tool that you built there.

I agree,very cool work,and a great tutorial Ronnie...Ive not had much luck catching them on the bunnies,but after all this Im gonna keep tying...

I think we might need a new nick-name for ya... !

 

[StumpHunter]

Thanks guys. I enjoyed working on the cutter until it came to the blades! I did try the crosscut but that is a lot different trying not to cut deep into the hair. Think I'm going to spread the blades out another 1/16 and see how it works.
And no I'm not going by the name bunny!!LOL

 

[Fatman]

Nice try on em but as far as the name how bout??????? Stumpbunny!!!!!!!! or Bunnystump LOL

 

[Radtexan]

Ive been working on something along the lines of brier stump,or brier hunter...................although in the original wriitings it was brer.......just doesnt look right to me..

I'll get back to ya !

 

[yellowjacket]

ELMER STUMP

 

[Radtexan]

ELMER STUMP

I like

Where is that wascally wabbitt !!!!!

 

[StumpHunter]

Now where did I put the other wabbit!!!

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Very cool idea, it turned out great. I bought a couple whole uncut skins and butchered them. I could have a tool like that and probably still mess it up.

 

[StumpHunter]

Jim the first cut I made on the skin looked like I had run the hair through a blender... I now have a couple of bags of rabbit dubbing. There is an art to cutting the zonkers, I just got to learn it or there will be some odd looking jigs around here

 

[AtticaFish]

Cool set-up..... realy like the board as well to hold them. There is a huge difference between skins but personally think it is that EVERY skin is different. Have gotten pre-cut zonks from flyfishing places that was horrible.

I've cut quite a few strips just with a single blade and seems like it all comes down to finding the right pressure to cut. My best looking strips come from when it almost cuts completely through the skin and i have to go back and seperate each strip by hand (or by razor point) away from the board. It takes time, but in this hobby - what doesn't?

Never tried cutting my own cross-cuts.

 

[Fatman]

I know the guys who cut their own on the fly boards recommend keeping the skin off the board so you don't cut so much of the hair. But I gotta agree with Stump - I worry about them razor blades LOL

 

[StumpHunter]

I have 3/4" clearance between the board and skin but you still will cut the hair. I didn't have a chance to try cutting more today. I did spread the blades another 1/16" so maybe it will give enough space for more hair to be on the leather.