Guide by dooiy
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Plastic bottle cutter
Making strong rope out of used plastic bottles
| Done in | 20 minutes |
|---|---|
| Skill level | basic |
Plastic bottles are always available, but strong, lasting rope for multiple purposes is not. We have found a way to create metres of rope from bottles with just a simple, quick and cheap hack. With the plastic bottle cutter you can create rope that can be used for washing lines, fencing, seats for chairs and many other things. We even towed a car with it!
What you need
- A Piece of Scrap Wood rough size about 5x15cm
- 4x Crosshead Screws small, same-size
- 1 snap-off knife blade
- Crosshead Screwdriver
- Wood saw
- Marker or Pen
- Measuring Lint optional
As you will work with sharp knives please make sure you are very careful.
How you make it
Optional: Cut your wood to the right size
Take your piece of wood and use the measuring lint to make it out to be around 5cm broad and 15cm long. Make sure the knife plus the screws can be attached to it. Take the saw and cut the wood on the previously measured distances. You now have a small block of wood.
Make a slit in the middle of the wood
Make the first slit in the middle of the piece of wood using the saw.. It doesn’t have to be precise. Make sure you measure it out to be around 1cm deep.
Make two extra slits in the wood
Make two more slits on around 2cm from each side of the first slit. Make one slit a little deeper than the first one, and make the other slit a little bit less deep than the first. It should look like the picture above! The depths of the slits determine how broad your plastic rope will be in the end.
Mark where to attach the blade
Put the blade in the middle of the piece of wood, so that it lays over the slits with the sharp side of the blade to any side. Mark the four sides of the blade.
Screw the blade in by using the screwdriver
Attach the screws on four sides of the blade, two above the slits and two below, to make sure the blade cannot move.
How you use it
Cut off the bottom part of your plastic bottle.
Cut the bottle as straight as possible.
Press the cut off part of the bottle into the slit you would like to use
Twist it until a little piece of rope can be grabbed and slowly pull it to create your rope.
Your rope is ready
If all went well, you should be able to make around 6 metres of rope by using one bottle!
OPTIONAL: Attach the bottle cutter to your house or to any other not moving object
Then the bottle cutter will work easier because you can pull harder.
Notes
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What is dooiy?
On dooiy you find fun and easy hacks that make life easier. Just follow our simple step-by-step guides and create something for your home or community with little materials and tools. Want to start a business? dooiy might be the perfect starting point for you.
from dooiy
You don‘ t have to be an expert to start making with dooiy. Just choose an easy hack and get going. After you made a few, I am sure that you will come up with your own ideas.
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