The NutCrusher Mk1

M

mattthemuppet2

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #1

Christmas present for the wife, as all we have right now is a hammer. I'll have to buy her a bag of nuts to go with it

Original inspiration


Original CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) model based on the picture - didn't work


4th version



collection of possible materials


bunch of stuff cut to size, some axles (one fewer than needed I realised today, doh!) and the top and bottom parts bandsawed to size


bushings made from that valve like thing with o-rings in the picture above


more to come, clock is ticking!

 

W

Winegrower

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #2

What’s the mechanical leverage factor with your design?

 

eugene13

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #3

I like your CAD, have used it myself.

 

B

benmychree

John York

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #4

Nice design and build! I'd think about a wood handle --- and maybe a return spring.

 

M

mattthemuppet2

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #5

winegrower - absolutely no idea. Should be enough for walnuts, will have to see about Brazil nuts, though that's a good excuse to go buy some

eugene13 - thanks! It's a quick and easy way to figure out where you've screwed up before you spend anytime making it

benmychree - thanks also! I'm hoping to put a 3-4" wooden handle on the end of the stainless shaft, to make it easier on the hands. I have some random hardwood (mesquite maybe) from a neighbours tree that I've been burning in the firepit so I'll give that a shot. Got to be better than pine. Interesting idea on the return spring. I'll have to see how it works in practice first, but it's worth keeping in mind. A neat accident of design is that the lever stops just over center, so no need for a hard stop.

 

Janderso

Jeff Anderson

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #6

I love it.
That’s the way I design things!
CAD/Fusion 360 has left me in the dust.

 

M

mattthemuppet2

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #7

oh man, it would take me longer to learn Fusion 360 than it would to make this

 

Braeden P

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• Dec 6, 2020

• #8

If you have a arbor press you can put it on the table to crack open the nuts to!

 

homebrewed

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• Dec 7, 2020

• #9

Ghetto nutcracker: we use a locking jaw pair of pliers like this. Adjust the jaws so they close down just enough to crack the shell but not mash the contents. Not near as much fun as what you're making though!

 

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mattthemuppet2

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• Dec 7, 2020

• #10

my arbor press is bolted to my garage wall and I nearly popped a disk getting it up onto it's stand

I used to use a pliers type nutcracker growing up and remember getting sore hands after going through a bag of assorted nuts. Who wouldn't want better for their children?