Precision Arrow Cutter for Dremel / Pipe Cutter

Story:

I designed this arrow cutter for my dad because he is a passionate archer and builds his own arrows — not only for himself, but also for some friends.

One problem always annoyed him:
Getting perfectly repeatable arrow lengths and a true 90° cut.

So I decided to design a proper solution.

This project took me a long time to develop. I went through many different prototypes until everything worked exactly the way I wanted:
smooth, precise, stable, and easy to use.

I printed the model in PETG to make it strong and durable, but all of the prototypes were printed in PLA, and they worked well too.

The cutter is also perfect for cutting pipes, rods and screws!

About the Construction

This model was originally designed for the Dremel 395 Type 5.
However, the newer Dremel 3000 and the Parkside rotary tool also fit the M20x2,5 thread.

Maybe somebody can let me know if the model works well with the Parkside and Dremel 3000, or if there are any issues.

The cutter consists of two main parts:
the main body and the rail system.

The main body and the rail system both feature a V-groove design, so the arrow automatically centers itself perfectly during cutting.

Main Body

The main body has a spindle which holds and guides the Dremel.

To achieve smooth and precise movement, I used two 608ZZ bearings for the spindle where the Dremel is mounted.
The bearings allow the Dremel to move almost resistance-free and also ensure that the cutting wheel stays perfectly aligned at a true 90° angle to the arrow shaft — with excellent repeatability.

The arrow cutter also includes a small suction nozzle which can be mounted to the main base, with an easy dovetail connection. 
The nozzle is exchangeable, so future hose diameters can be adapted without needing to reprint the entire arrow cutter. At the moment, the suction nozzle is designed for 36 mm vacuum hoses.
If you need other dimensions, let me know and I will add them to my todo list ;)
 

The spindle mount also features small rear stoppers, allowing the Dremel to safely rest in the air while not cutting.

WARNING:

Please use the suction nozzle and your vakuumer when cutting carbon arrows, because carbon dust is harmful to your health.
I also recommend wearing safety glasses and a dust mask while cutting.

Rail System

The rail system, which is used to set the desired arrow length, includes an adjustable stopper that can easily be fixed by hand using a screw.
This mechanism works extremely smoothly and precisely.

The rail also has a small groove, allowing you to cut already-fletched arrows as well. Simply place the fletching inside the groove.

The stopper also has a small extension that allows you to mark your arrow lengths directly onto the wooden baseboard.
This way, you can always reproduce exactly the same arrow length every single time.

You can also glue a measuring tape to the front of the wooden board to directly read the arrow length.

Mounting

Everything is mounted on one wooden board.
I used a board with approximately:

• 1 meter length
• 25 mm thickness
• about 11 cm width

I hope the photos above are enough as a mounting guide. If not, do not hesitate to ask! :)

 

My goal was to make the model:

• easy to print
• easy to assemble
• easy to use

• highly precise

   

Materials Needed

• 2x 608ZZ bearings
• 6x wood screws (4 mm × length of your choice)
• 1x wooden board

…everything else is fully printable.

I specifically designed this model so you do not need half of the hardware store to build it :)
 

If you like this model, please leave a like — it was a huge amount of work ;)

And if you want to support future updates and improvements, feel free to give it a boost and an give me a follow, so you wont miss future updates for the projekt!