How to make a feather chopper?

[bjordnolf]

I know some of you guys make your own feather chopping jigs and was wondering if you could explain how to make one of these things?    
thanks

[Oregon Okie]

yeah, me too.

[Mo. Huntin]

Hey guys if you do a search for feather chopper you will see the thread called Adcock Fletch-the turbulator one.  There is a picture of a home made jig on the first page 2nd reply down by Jeremy.  It looks very simple just 2 peices of wood a couple hinges and a metal tape from a tape measure for a blade pretty easy to figure out or you can PM him. Good luck fellers

[Jeremy]

Close, I use a hacksaw blade with the back half sharpened for the blade.  

 

That one took less than an hour to make and chopped around 10 doz feathers before the scrap pine board split.  The second chopper I made had some "improvements" that worked well and some I'd recommend against    

Use a 2x6 for the base and don't put any groove other than the one for the base of the quill.  That was one mistake I made on the one shown.  The second had a cork pad, which worked well, but a plain wood block works better.

Make the upper piece out of a hardwood or another 2x6.  My first was just a scrap piece of 3/4" pine that eventually split from use.  The blade is sunk into the top block.  I drew the shape I wanted, used a knife to score , then the hacksaw blade to clean out the groove.  No glue is needed, just press the blade in and give it a wack on the base to seat it good.

You can make a feather clamp or two out of a paper clip to keep your fingers away from the blade.  Just shape them and put one end in the base.  Insert your feather into the groove, move the clamps over and chop.

It doesn't take long to make these and the work just as well as the ones you buy.

[bjordnolf]

Thanks for the help

[KSdan]

Jeremy- what do you mean "the back half sharpened for the blade"???

[Mo. Huntin]

I aint jeremy but I think he means sharpen the side without the teeth so it will cut your feathers.

[Jeremy]

Yup, what Mo.Huntin said.  I sharpened the side opposite the teeth with a single bevel.  The teeth are sunk into the groove in the top block with a pressure fit so you can remove it to sharpen (note: that same blade is still being used on a chopper and hasn't been touched up yet.)

[archenemy]

Thanks for sharing.  I've been taping and cutting with sissors.  This will save me some time.

Arhcenemy

[Bear]

I sold my choppers and use a burner only now. Seems to me a burner would be easier to make than a chopper.

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Bear:
Seems to me a burner would be easier to make than a chopper.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  Sorry.  :D
A few years back someone tried making their own burner and after many failed attempts gave up on it.  Do a search for "feather burner" and you'll get a a good laugh.  I'll see if I can find the thread.

A basic chopper is made in under an hour with scrap materials found in almost every home shop.  No special tools or parts to buy.

[Jeremy]

Here it is

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=39;t=000147

[chrisg]

dont laugh I made one for meself at age 12 from old transformer of model car race track and the heating element from a radiant bar heater! It worked a treat. At the time I had never seen a 'real one' and worked it out on my own!
chrisg