/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.1371291]

So I got a new job where I often used a guillotine cutter, but to cut really thin sheet metal. I also need to know the count of how many pieces I make.

I want to buy a tally counter and add it onto the cutter to make my life easier. How can I accomplish this?

Pic related, pretty sure that is the exact model of cutter at work(except the one at work is like 20 years old and super beat up, but I digress). I want a tally counter with a minus button too cus sometimes you gotta give the thing a extra chop or two to complete the cut.

Also where can I get a decent tally counter? I looked on Amazon and its all cheap Chinese garbage. A quick google search and this popped up https://www.sercal-testequipmentsales.co.uk/atp-instrumentation-atld-2-updown-count-digital-tally-counter-2782-p.asp but I'm not in the UK so shipping would be stupid expensive and it would take forever to show up.

I figured I could use a small spring or other soft-ish material to press the button, but where is the best place to attach the tally counter to the cutter? How should I setup the button pressing spring?

[Anonymous No.1371292]

>>1371291
Tape a step counter to it

[Anonymous No.1371296]

>>1371292
>>1371292
Hmmmm, maybe. I'm worried about false counts though.

[Anonymous No.1371323]

>>1371291
Arduino mini + microswitch + 3-digit 7-seg display? That or run 3 shift registers, 3 BCD counters, and 3 BCD-to-7seg decoders in a row, though I don't necessarily recommend that since it will actually cost you more.

[Anonymous No.1371331]

What is a piece of paper and a pencil.

[Anonymous No.1371350]

>>1371331
He wants to count them automatically so he can save time on counting them manually, not take more time making a fucking tally chart.

[Anonymous No.1371354]

Cut 20 pieces then weigh on scale
Lets pretend they weigh 1 lb.
Cut tons of pieces and they weigh 6 lbs.
120 pieces.

[Anonymous No.1371357]

>>1371291
there is no way anything you do will be easier or more accurate than just counting. how many can you possibly be cutting at a time anyway?

[Anonymous No.1371361]

A vague example but it could be refined to the nuts

[Anonymous No.1371421]

How about something like this?
metal sheets go into a bin, this actuates a spoke that turns an analogue dial like this

http://www.directindustry.com/prod/gamm/product-18032-1106349.html

[Anonymous No.1371498]

>>1371323
Way too complicated.

>>1371350
Yes, this.

>>1371354
There is enough variance in the size that I wouldn't get an accurate count.

>>1371357
I have ADD and lose count very easily. :(

>>1371361
>>1371421
Thanks for the ideas and good effort on the diagrams, but wouldn't work. The pieces are super thin and light, and the edges usually curl inconsistently from the cutter.
So here is what I thought about last night, thoughts?

[Anonymous No.1371500]

>>1371498
For some reason it left on the text I put to go with my pic.

Anyway that was the idea I had last night, thoughts?

[Anonymous No.1371505]

>>1371500
if you had a 3d printer, it would be ezpz

[Anonymous No.1371506]

>>1371500

I use manual counters that have an arm that tally for an unrelated purpose. Put the spoke or w/e on the cutting arm itself.

[Anonymous No.1371511]

>>1371506
Can you give me a link to what you use?

[Anonymous No.1371519]

>>1371498
I would probably put what ever trigger I was using on the opposite corner, next to where my hand was. Sort of looking at your cutter as a knife switch, where closing it (completing your cut) is what advances your count. <pic related>

Probably the easier thing to do would be just to mount a button trigger under your grip on the table that you tap with your grip hand (with your knuckle or pointer finger) every time you complete your cut.
...or even easier than that would be to use a counter hooked up to a foot switch that you tap with your foot every time you complete the cut.
"easier" b/c you're not modifying a piece of equipment that your employer owns.

[Anonymous No.1371521]

>>1371498
If its too light for something mechanical to work
how about an optical interrupt set to a rising edge detector. hooking that up to a digital counter shouldn't be too hard and could be done with a cheap micro-controller like the ATtiny.

[Anonymous No.1371538]

[Anonymous No.1371541]

>>1371521
Too complicated, I'm not a super technical savvy guy. Also I cant really place a container for them to fall into the way its set up.

[Anonymous No.1371548]

>>1371291
Maybe better to get a set of scales instead.
find out how much X amount of chopped material weighs then you have a target. no faffing about with false cuts.

[Anonymous No.1371726]

>>1371498
>Way too complicated.
Well in that case get one of those counters for 5 times the price of the arduino, and solder a long-lever microswitch to the counter's button contacts on its PCB, at the end of 20cm of wire. Then screw the microswitch onto the body of your cutter (probably at the front under the handle) such that it triggers every down-stroke. You can still trigger it manually or press the (-) button. I can't find any other counters that do (+) and (-) for less than about $9, though
>https://www.aliexpress.com/item/cyka-blyat/32846996755.html
should have some pretty easy built-in connectors that you can plug an up or down switch/button to, no soldering required.

[Anonymous No.1371749]

pics or its bait kneegrow

[Anonymous No.1371806]

>>1371291
Extend the button to come in contact with your hand or the lever each time.

[Anonymous No.1371818]

[Anonymous No.1371924]

>>1371806
Yea I was thinking something like this could be zip tied into place and some kinda springy but stiff piece of metal to press the button.

[Anonymous No.1372340]

>>1371291
Simplest way is using a reed switch and a cheap calculator. Mount the switch to the base and its magnet to the blade. Do some minor surgery to the calculator case and connect the switch to the equals button.
>hit clear
>make first cut
>enter 1+1
>proceed to make cuts
For multiple pieces just change from 1 to whatever. More details here, just used on a guitar pickup winder.
http://mojoshout.com/technical/diy-guitar-pickup-winder-counter/