christmas wrapping paper cutting jig

[Woodshark]

Even if you don't have a letter opener, one of those cheap utility knifes with the snap off blades should work fine.

[ragswl4]

OK, this is not a super killer project or anything, its a 10 minute project that solve a problem and I'm secretly very satisfied with it. Maybe you'll find it useful.

Problem: You got these rolls of wrapping paper 24-36" wide and can't cut them straight.

Solution:
You get these inexpensive envelope openers for free with advertising, trade-shows etc. they have a slot to direct the flap/paper and at the base of the slot a small cutter to slice the paper, very safe etc. By themselves they won't cut straight, but with a straight guide slot, they'll cut straight lines.

So the jig is to get a 36" piece of scrap lumber like 1/2 to 3/4" thick, 3-6 inches wide and cut a small dado groove down the center wide wide enough to pass the bottom of the opener (about .175") and deep enough to place the slot opening at the top of the jig (about .2" deep); basically cut and fit. You want the wood heavy enough to stay in place.

It was two or three passes with the thin kerf blade to get it where is passed easily, no need to break out the dado blade. The slot can be pretty sloppy, 1/32th oversize is probably desireable. Like the pic below, so it will stand up and lean slightly if placed there. Rip fence microadjuster is perfect accessory to use here.

So now I can put the tip of the opener in the slot and zip a crosscut in the wrapping paper on a perfetctly straight line without even trying.
You just have to place a finger or two on the paper pressing it against the wood, to get the cut started with your other hand.

Pic below:

Brillian idea! You should have been an engineer. Off to the shop to make one for the wife, I don't do wrapping except in a paper grocery bag then stapled shut. I just put the name of who it is for cause they all know who its from by the wrapping.

[iceman61]

Here's what I did. I took a 42" piece of 1x4 and nailed an equal length of an old fine-toothed bandsaw blade to it, so that the toothed edge just protrudes past the edge of the board (like on a roll of tin foil). Now I just lay it on top of the rolled-out paper, and rip whatever length I need.

LOL That's exactly what I was thinking!

[Wood_workur]

How about a clamp to hold the paper in place as you cut it? another piece of wood, and 2 offset cams and you will have a nice clamp to go with it.

[LCHIEN]

How about a clamp to hold the paper in place as you cut it? another piece of wood, and 2 offset cams and you will have a nice clamp to go with it.

I thought about such a clamp, I also thought about fastening a binder clip to the wood to hold the edge of the paper.

But it really only takes a light hold to get it started. Even lighter to hold it as you cut. No need for a complex clamp mechanism. My wife mastered it in 2 seconds. (and it took her 25 years to learn how to program the VCR).