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My search for the ultimate filter cutter

AN23

Well Known Member
I think I've tried almost every cutter available thru the usual aviation outlets. They are all expensive and some worked marginally well but most just made a mess and left lots of paint chips, metal slivers and junk on the outside (hopefully) of the filter. Eventually, every one of them got violently thrown against my hangar wall. I decided there has the be a better way. So, I bought a Jeg's oil filter cutter that is very robust. A buddy that owns a machine shop milled out a center slot to allow both the male and the female type filters. He then welded a block to the bottom so I can secure it in my vise. The plan is to place the filter in the cutter (mounted in the vise) and then turn the filter using a 1" wrench while slowly increasing the cutter pressure. Tomorrow, it gets a coat of flat black paint and a trial run. Report to follow.
 

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I have that exact unit. Works great, but even better if you pull out the rubber seal from the filter 1st!

Instead of putting the cutter in the vise, put the hex of the filter in the vise with the filter vertical and the cutter on top, rotating the cutter like a wrench. Other benefit of doing it like that is much less mess.
 
+ 1 with Rocketbob

Switched to the cleanable filter 2 years ago. Now in free filter territory.
 
I bought this cutter on Amazon for about $60 and drilled a hole for the male style filters used in a Lycoming. A slot would be better to accommodate smaller filter sizes but for now this works.
 

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I have that exact unit. Works great, but even better if you pull out the rubber seal from the filter 1st!

Instead of putting the cutter in the vise, put the hex of the filter in the vise with the filter vertical and the cutter on top, rotating the cutter like a wrench. Other benefit of doing it like that is much less mess.

+1 I just drilled a hole in mine. This is exactly the procedure and results yielded.

I won't claim it is the best, but it does work. I got mine at Speedway motors. My knob was plastic but one drop and it shattered, I epoxied it, the new ones have a cast aluminum knob. Be sure that is the one you get.

I have one almost exactly like this one with a Caterpillar part number. Originally, it had a longer handle behind the rollers. It was made that way to allow leverage to apply torque and not a side force to a filter clamped into a vice. No wobble, as the Cat recommended method was to clamp the formed end into the vice. It gets crushed a little but holds nicely. Their filters are a lot taller than ours.
 
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Switched to the cleanable filter 2 years ago. Now in free filter territory.

Maybe we need a thread on this filter system. What is the downside? Seems cheaper over time, easier to use with lower oil temps. Thinking about ordering one today but there must be something I am missing.
 
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I bought this cutter on Amazon for about $60 and drilled a hole for the male style filters used in a Lycoming. A slot would be better to accommodate smaller filter sizes but for now this works.

I did that exact modification with that particular cutter. It works great!
 
I've been using this one from Tempest:

https://tempestplus.com/shop/can-cutter/

I've been using it several times a year for the past 13 years. It's pricey, but it has worked very well for me. I don't remember how much it was when I purchased it, but I doubt it was anywhere near it's current price.
 
Filter cutter

Yes, I too had the wobbly filter syndrome when putting the hex in a vise and that's why I decided to place the cutter in the vise and rotate the filter with a wrench. As for the mess, my vise is mounted on the edge of my worktable. With the cutter vise mounting block mounted where it is, I can just place the bucket of drained oil under the cutter, place the filter in the cutter, and cut it at my leisure after it has drained. It should be a very nice, stable platform. Didn't get to the hangar today.......will try it out later.
 
Best way to cut filter media?

I've used this one for years: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/oilfiltercutteraviation.php

Using a bench mounted vise to hold the filter (CH48110-1), I've not noticed much of a wobble problem.

I'm interested in better/easier ways to cut the filter media out of the filter core. I use a box cutter, which I find takes at least a couple of cutting passes around the top and bottom edge of the core. Then I can remove the media, lay the media flat, and inspect for metal.
 
Reference cutting the filter paper media, the best I've found is a cheap serrated bread knife from Walmart.
 

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Ditto on this unit. Put the base in the vice and slowly cut it up.

Funny...I put the nut of the oil filter in the vice and slowly turn the cutter around the filter. I guess there is more than one way to skin the cat.
 
I think that's what Turbo meant.

I've used the Airwolf cutter for many years & probably have opened well over a hundred filters with it. As mentioned above, gradual cutting pressure & about 3 revolutions produces a nice clean cut.
 
It's not as pretty as the others, but it works. I clamp the filter in a holder in a vise and turn the cutter and the oil stays in the canister.
 

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Filter cutter

I just wanted to give an update. We changed the oil in an RV-8 this weekend. I drained the oil in a 5 gallon bucket that had a cheap Wal-Mart colander attached to the side by a small clamp. Once the filter was removed, it went into the colander to drain while we went to lunch. When we returned, I placed my new cutter (see photo in thread #1) in the vise, placed the filter in it and turned it with a ratchet and a 1 inch socket. Exactly three revolutions and it was completely cut, no metal anywhere and just a drop or two of oil on the cutter. Best cutter I've ever used and it will last a lifetime. Cutter was $43 and I paid my machinist buddy $20 to mill a slot in it and weld the vise block onto it.
 
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Well, I am the “Tom”, behind this cutter. The idea came to me while I was combining soybeans one fall day. It is a boring job and the mind tends to wander...
I had not really found a cutter that I liked and really wanted something simple that would cut different sizes of oil filters.
I am more of a idea guy than a marketing type so Vince and Blake took over the tool and I am very pleased that it is being promoted and used!
 
Well, I am the “Tom”, behind this cutter. The idea came to me while I was combining soybeans one fall day. It is a boring job and the mind tends to wander...
I had not really found a cutter that I liked and really wanted something simple that would cut different sizes of oil filters.
I am more of a idea guy than a marketing type so Vince and Blake took over the tool and I am very pleased that it is being promoted and used!

I bought one. It works great.
 
Tom,

I've got one and just never could get it to work. The side of the handle rubs against the filter and won't let the cutter go deep enough. Any idea what I'm doing wrong???
 
Thanks but I have never used any automotive filters.....only Champion or Tempest. I'm certain it's just me, others seem to really like it.
 
Tried the "Tom" tool, but

found it to be hard to use and could not get good cuts. I finally bit the $ bullet and bought the Airwolf. I recommend that one!

Ron
 
I cut a filter once a month on average. I had to cut the nipple to accommodate the red cutter. Then a good friend of mine gave me his old never used Avery tool. Love it! Bob made great tools back in the days.

oil_filter_cutters_-_1.jpeg
 
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