Parafilm Splitter

This is a very rough and slightly dangerous print to use. I recommend using cut-resistant gloves while assembling and using. You will need to save the cardboard tube from an empty roll of Parafilm. You will also need a roughly 12" long 3/8" dia piece of all thread and a couple large 3/8" wingnuts.

The cutter (blade mount) can be used to split a 4" roll into either 4 or 5 mini rolls depending on how many #22 scalpels you use.

Assembly and use instructions:

1) Carefully place scalpels into the "blade mount" and hold them in position using lab tape.

2) Place the "blade mount" onto the "box base" to ensure the blades are facing the correct direction toward the "box base" and cover any blade portion that will not be cutting the parafilm in the gap for added safety.

3) Remove the "blade box" and set aside for the next step

4) Open parafilm box and pull out around 12" and feed through gap in "box base" such that the paper is down and the parafilm is up.

5) Press the scalpels in the "blade box" through the parafilm and into the slots below.

6)Tape the "blade box" and the Parafilm box to the "box base" and tape the whole unit to a bench.

7) Assemble the receiver unit by placing the "spool ends" over the cardboard tube you saved from your last box of parafilm, and stick the threaded rod through the spool and tighten the ends to the rod using the wingnuts.

8) Tape the parafilm to the tube such that the parafilm is facing the tube and the paper is facing out.

9) Place the threaded rod into a drill and keeping the spool aligned with the parafilm box, begin to pull the parafilm through the cutter by spinning the drill. Begin slow and increase speed as you become comfortable. If done right, you should be able to clean cut the entire roll in one go. If your strips are bunching up and/or breaking around the blades, you may need new sharp blades (I get ~10 boxes of parafilm to a set of blades before I notice them getting dull) or you need ensure you are staying more aligned with the box while running the drill. Parafilm comes glued to the original tube so when you get the the end of the roll, your drill will pull quickly to the box.

10) Cut the last little bit of parafilm from the original tube.

11) Now, remove the cardboard spool from the threaded rod and place over something like a broom handle laying across a gap between a couple of chairs or benches.

12) Assemble the little "rolls" over the threaded rod with the "large spacers" before and after each "roll" such that you have this: Drill||Threaded_rod|Wingnut|spacer|roll|spacer|roll|spacer|roll|spacer|roll|spacer|Wingnut|rod

13) Tape the parafilm to each roll, parafilm side down ensuring that each parafilm end is lined up with each other.

14) As before, keep the drill aligned and slowly transfer the parafilm from the big roll to the little rolls.

15) I overwind the little spools to tighten the parafilm onto the rolls then tape them for storage.

16) Slide the spindle into the roll you wish to use and place into the tape dispenser.

Skipping the intermediate roll and trying cut directly to the little rolls when cutting results in poor quality cut margins due to how these little rolls spread out to fit the little rolls.

Lots of room to improve this print. At some point I may make a short video showing how to assemble and use.