# Hopper chop



## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Catching up with some post pav orders -

Cutting down polycarbonate hoppers has always been problematic - in the past ive tried both -

Using a Dremil with their crappy cutting disks - (result a wobbly line and a long long time)

Using a bandsaw (kinda works but problematic having a 8" blade showing and a circular item that wants to rotate)

So my thought was to hold a vibra cutter (its a real thing looks it up, actually dont) - anyway fitted with a half round fine blade and clamped to a paint pot at the right height on the bench with gaffer tape and one hand while rotating the hopper -looks very Heath Robinson, what could go wrong - actually nothing needed to rotate the hopper about 10 times but it was a lot easier and quicker than the other methods and the result was a clean cut - you of course get the melted plastic swarf but that cleans off with a chisel then a quick sand on the sanding disk or by hand if you don't have one - everyone has one don't they? - and a perfect chopped hopper - I did buff the edge a bit as well just to get rid of any sharp edges.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

The mythos hopper is tricky to cut down to a reasonable size as its got a curved top , however ive found a way to keep it level and just tried cutting it down using the paint pot vibra cutter method above and its worked a treat with a very level cut all the way round, I had a piece of Elm left which i stained down with walnut, the results quite pleasing, I now have a reliable way cut these down, takes me about 4-5 hours to make one and the wood varies by price depending on type if anyone is still keen to get theirs chopped.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Really nice wooden lid , love it


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Haha, love this Multi-cutter/tape/paint pot setup - looks very much like I would've done it! Did it take you long to come up with that?

I find me wandering about the workshop for hours ...until I believe to have solved the riddle of how I could compensate for not having a CNC milling machine, this time.









There must be a reason why they always make tools as un-clampable as possible...


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

As for the result, it is terrific!

Wood adds so much warmth to a machine









May I ask... what are the benefits of a hopper chop? Is it about fitting it underneath some wall cupboard; making it more accessible/easier to quick-clean; does a wooden lid have vibration/noise reducing functionailty, does it seal better, or take up odours?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Hasi said:


> Haha, love this Multi-cutter/tape/paint pot setup - looks very much like I would've done it! Did it take you long to come up with that?
> 
> I find me wandering about the workshop for hours ...until I believe to have solved the riddle of how I could compensate for not having a CNC milling machine, this time.
> 
> ...


to be fair to Bosh pro cutters have a flat surface under them- think i need to make a tool for the tool as it isn't going to be available off the shelf -haha


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Hasi said:


> As for the result, it is terrific!
> 
> Wood adds so much warmth to a machine
> 
> ...


They tame a commercial machine, and for many it will enable them to fit under the cupboard.

The wood does reduce noise, -well abit. because they do seal better than the plastic lids

vibration - i suppose they do help a little.

As for the aesthetic - they look and fit better than the cheap plastic lids, there is something about the combination of wood and metal that lends a quality to the machine.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> to be fair to Bosh pro cutters have a flat surface under them- think i need to make a tool for the tool as it isn't going to be available off the shelf -haha




















I have one of those - stupid enough, to the rear the battery sticks out underneath and the power switch is located above... no holy grail of cutters here. So either way, one may end up using the tool to make a tool for the tool







couldn't be any simpler than that!


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Hasi said:


> As for the result, it is terrific!
> 
> Wood adds so much warmth to a machine
> 
> ...


They simply make the mythos look fab


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