Made me a new carpet tool

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highup

highup

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I had a restretch job today in a lawyers office. It was a pretty nice quality level loop carpet in a 5 foot by 40 foot hallway. The carpet looks like new, tho it was probably installed in '04.
I pulled the carpet loose along the walls between doorways so that I could cut open three, 5 foot wide seams, stretch each section, then re-cut and remake the seams. Turned out looking really nice. (pats self on head) ;)
I was able to cut one side of each seam down a row, but the other side needed my newest creation. I introduce to you, the Trace Cutter 2000. :D


Yes, it looks just like my double cutter for vinyl floors............... but I think you need to buy this one too. Buy them both and I will throw in a free box of Band-Aids, at absolutely no cost to you. :D

You recall this vinyl cutter I made a couple weeks ago? Well, it worked fantastic today as a trace cutter on this commercial carpet. To keep from cutting the padding, I slipped a couple pieces of Formica under the carpet for a firm surface to cut against, and adjusted he blade depth accordingly. Excellent stability, and it doesn't damage the new seam edge that you cut against. I'm a really happy camper today.
I sealed up the seam edges with Orcon seam sealer and dried the sealer with a hair dryer instead of my usual hot glue method.
I'm definitely going to put a comfortable handle on this tool instead of leaving the edges raw. This thing works much better than a regular cushion back cutter.
Wonder what use I will find for it next?

DSC00964carpet trace cutter 2000.jpg
 
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Why couldn't you follow the row on both sides? OK, I guess the stretching wasn't consistent enough. Now, for the real question. Why wouldn't you just use an actual trace (top) cutter or your carpet knife? For a 5' door seam I'd usually use the top cutter but on shorter doors like 3-4' I may just use the carpet knife. I really can't see where that tool is going to improve any aspect of the process.

BTW the Nora rubber class I went to two weeks ago gave us their version of your tool made out of PLASTIC.
http://www.nora.com/us/installation-maintenance/how-to-videos/installation-videos/
It's to trace cut or double cut through their sheet goods and tile and they were very insistent that we used their tool during the test. You should have seen all the guys there whispering how they use a glass cutter, freehand doublecut or whatever. Their tool works just fine but it's not nearly as sleek as yours. What you need is some kind of stamp------makers mark on it.

Talk to your lawyers to make sure you're not infringing on this patent:
http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=7861
 
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Incognito said:
Why couldn't you follow the row on both sides? OK, I guess the stretching wasn't consistent enough. Now, for the real question. Why wouldn't you just use an actual trace (top) cutter or your carpet knife? For a 5' door seam I'd usually use the top cutter but on shorter doors like 3-4' I may just use the carpet knife. I really can't see where that tool is going to improve any aspect of the process.

BTW the Nora rubber class I went to two weeks ago gave us their version of your tool made out of PLASTIC.
http://www.nora.com/us/installation-maintenance/how-to-videos/installation-videos/
It's to trace cut or double cut through their sheet goods and tile and they were very insistent that we used their tool during the test. You should have seen all the guys there whispering how they use a glass cutter, freehand doublecut or whatever. Their tool works just fine but it's not nearly as sleek as yours. What you need is some kind of stamp------makers mark on it.

Talk to your lawyers to make sure you're not infringing on this patent:
http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=7861
Click to expand...
I was able to part the rows on one side using my 6 inch drywall spreader, but you were correct about the seam consistency and not being parallel enough. The installation is about 10 years old, and over time, the walked on portions of the carpet seem to "weave" the rows together, making row cutting a real challenge.
It was a 5 foot wide, 45 foot long hallway. I re did two seams in the center and one at a doorway on the far end, removing a total of 4 inches of material.
This tool is easy to do accurate adjustments for depth, cutting only as deep as you want it to go. I guess you'd have to try it. I have never used the glass cutter and don't own a top cutter. I have a Roberts row cutter, and that's it. It's an extremely rare day when I touch a piece of commercial goods.

My makers mark is right here in a photograph and my purchase receipts are dated. Couldn't afford a patent attorney and since there are tools made similar to this one, I doubt I have anything new. I'd bet there are a couple hundred variations on file at the patent office.
 
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highup said:
This tool is easy to do accurate adjustments for depth, cutting only as deep as you want it to go. I guess you'd have to try it. I have never used the glass cutter and don't own a top cutter. I have a Roberts row cutter, and that's it. It's an extremely rare day when I touch a piece of commercial goods.
.
Click to expand...


Top cutter = row cutter = trace cutter as far as I know-----in my lingo

When you're initially trimming the selvedge the "row cutter" follows the rows for a good seam edge. When you can't really follow rows and butt----the ideal seam------you can either double cut or row cut the TOP piece with the ROW cutter then overlap and TRACE cut that top edge off the bottom piece.

I know we call the same tools a few different names. This is the tool I'm talking about as a top cutter/trace cutter/row cutter:

http://www.tools4flooring.com/rober...gclid=CJL0rvf9lb4CFciGfgodMYEAFg#.U2glElehFhc

The glass cutter, as far as I know is designed ONLY to double cut. I got one off Ebay where a guy evidently scabbed a guide on the side so it can be used on hard surface as a selvedge trimmer. It needs a little further work. I think I paid $28 for it. Worse case scenario is it works fine as a doublecutter for Tandus (C&A) peel and stick which my shop is always doing somewheres.

The Nora seam cutter is most like your tool but it's designed to either double cut or trace cut with a slight adjustment. Critical to both of those tasks is the accurate depth of the blade.

The old Armstrong lino seam cutter was designed as a trace cutter but I believe you have to do it "dry" and then shift the 2nd cut piece over tight.

Another tool designed to "trace cut" vinyl, lino or rubber to a sheet already glued down and straight edged or selvedge trimmed is the Wolf Linocut.

http://www.tools4flooring.com/wolff-linocut-seam-cutter.html#.U2gp1FehFhc
 
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Yup, the "loopy"
Since I don't really do commercial work unless it's really small, I've never really needed to trace cut. I Row cut, but this seam just wasn't going to row cut on both sides. Now, having used the tool on these seams, it's sure a clean and quick way out of a situation like this.
I'll name it the OBM cutter. (Once in a Blue Moon) :D
 

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