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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Dear Jason<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>A common enough machine with the right blade support is a sheet metal treadle operate notcher. This machine is normally manually operated even in large workshops.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Here is one<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><img width=163 height=236 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01CF16B2.DD3FCF10"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>From <a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=treadle+notcher+sheet+metal&qpvt=treadle+notcher+sheet+metal&FORM=IGRE#a">http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=treadle+notcher+sheet+metal&qpvt=treadle+notcher+sheet+metal&FORM=IGRE#a</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Doug: I am really interested to know if the angle at which you hold the wood makes much of a difference to the required shearing force.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I understand from the photos you sent that holding the wood to the side is ‘on an angle’ but I was thinking of it being held up so the blade cut into the fibres more like someone whittling wood with a penknife slanted downwards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Assuming the feed-in side is well supported (not sure about the offcut side) is there a reduction in force needed when the blade is diagonally as see from the side? At some angle the wood would tend to split into 2 or more pieces as the cut continued. That might be helpful to some.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Crispin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Doug,<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>would your design objective make it feasible to make that cutter foot operated with a return spring? <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Closest thing I can find with a short search is a foot operated grommet press. <a href="http://navyaviation.tpub.com/14218/css/14218_230.htm">http://navyaviation.tpub.com/14218/css/14218_230.htm</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Jason<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>