Make a Spiral Slicer

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Now, grind the 1-1/2" section of threaded rod flat on one side and file the opposite side, just at its ends, enough to form 1/4"-square platforms at the tips. . . which you can then pierce with 5/64" holes prior to mounting the piece—threaded side up—in your previously channeled block, using small brass brads. Once this step is completed, glue the 1/4" dowel into the hole in the smooth side of the block, lock it in place with another brad, and sand the opposite end of the thin peg lightly so that it can slide in and out of the small opening in the base without binding.

The cutter's stainless steel blade can be fabricated by trimming a centered 5/32" X 1/2" slot in one end and drilling a 5/32" hole—also centered—3/8 inch from its opposite (lower) end. Hold the strip at the bottom and twist its righthand edge toward you about 5°. Then sharpen the back side of that edge above the bend . . . screw the blade to the carved post with the bevel facing the wood, as shown ... and drive your 1/8" steel pin into the dowel, through the slot above the mounting screw.

Next, glue all three posts in position (making sure the top holes and pin are in line) and secure them from the side with brads. Once that's done, all that's left is to work up the handle and crank mechanism . . . which is simply a matter of threading the flat bar (1/4-20 at one end and 5/16-18 at the other), rounding its sharp edges, centerboring the wooden crank handle so it will accept the 1/4" bolt, and locking the parts together with the hex nuts.

Finally, assemble the whole gadget by slipping the spring over the 1/4" dowel, placing the entire half-nut/carrier unit between the two closest pegs and into the hole in the base, and—while pushing down on the sprung component-sliding the long threaded rod through the guideposts and twisting it into the "fingered" block. At this point, you can, for the sake of cleaning convenience, coat all the tool's wooden parts with polyurethane.

To use the slicer, merely clamp it to the corner of a table and—pushing down on the spring-loaded carrier—pull the screw assembly out far enough to accommodate the length of your to-be-cut potato. Next, push the spud onto the steel pin, slide the fingered block against its opposite end, and start cranking. The threaded rod will feed the tuber at just the right rate to create spirals of perfectly even thickness . . . thus beating the "by guess and by golly" handslicing method all hollow.

You will probably find, as I did, that cranking out spuds and deep-frying them—skin and all—will turn out tasty family treats . . . and you won't be disappointed at what your gadget can do (perhaps with the help of a stronger spring) with carrots and turnips come saladmaking time!

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print