Plan for Cabbage Shredder

[<marierdj]

I am looking at making a cabbage shredder or mandoline. Could someone tell me where to go to get a plan or idea on how to make one. TIA

[zap]

A Cabbage shredder -- I take it that you have never even seen one, and I know that if you had ever used one that you would not have to ask the question.

So here goes.

you have a two part base of wood, and a sharp thin blade. the in part of the base is smooth and is about 3/4 the length of the entire cutter assembly, and wide enough to take the largest cabbage. then a THIN sharp blade is mounted just slightly higher than the in base board at the inside end of the base, and goes from side to side. Set the height of the blade to the hight to give you the thickness of cut that you want, and it will be fixed in place and will not be changed after the unit is built. then mount an output base board even with the top of your cutter blade for the cabbage to slide on after going through the cutter. With two low side pieces to hold the base boards and blade together and to keep the cabbage from sliding off the base sides.

To use, set the cabbage slicer over a pan or bucket, and start pushing the head of cabbage back and forth across the cutting blade. It works fast but watch out that you do not slice your fingers. You could also make a push block with very short teeth on the bottom by which you would hold the cabbage down as you push it through.

Belive me, it will do a head of cabbage faster than you ever thought.

How it works? picture the top of a jointer. the input side is set lower than the output side. I would suggest that you cut the cabbages in half before starting to shred them. If the blade is held in with small screws, then the blade can be removed for sharpening.

Have fun.

Zap

[e-mail] wrote:

[<marierdj]

Thanks for taking the time to explain how the shredder works. I was thinking of using some discarded surface (131/2") planer blades. Then I realize that I still have an old good working 6"jointer entirely build with aluminums. I do not use it anymore because its too light. Maybe I should try to shred a cabbage on it, just joking! By relating it to how a jointer works you have given me a good picture. Now I have to figure out how to secure the cutting blades. Thanks again

[Wilson]

Good grief:

[Bruce Barnett]

You need thin blades.

Alternately - You can buy a mandoline from Amazon for $30

* Multi-task mandoline for slicing firm fruits and vegetables * Composite nylon-fiberglass body; stainless-steel blade housing * 3 blade sizes for julienne, waffle, and knife cuts; surgical-grade, stainless steel construction * Holder protects fingers; mandoline legs fold in for compact storage * Measures 15-1/2 by 7-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches; weighs 4 pounds

And if you really insist on wood, buy it and throw away everything but the blades. :-)

[<marierdj]

I appreciate every bit of information I get. Buying an already made slicer is not my problem. My challenge is to make my own. At the end It may be costing me more to make my own then buying one already made. As for the thickness of the blades I thought about using discarded bread slicing machine blades.

>> * Multi-task mandoline for slicing firm fruits and vegetables

[Lew Hodgett]

RE: Subject

It's called a mandolin.

Unless you plan to do at least 8-10 heads of cabbage at a time a mandolin is a complete waste of time that will inflict some cuts in you fingers as part of the process.

Give me my 10", Henkels Chef's knife and a poly cutting board.

Can trim, quarter, core and slice a head of cabbage in less than 5 minutes, and I'm not a chef, don't even play one on TV.

Lew

[<marierdj]

I tend to agree with you. However it is for the challenge of making my own. BTW I do have an Henckels Chef's knife. I wonder why you are using a poly cutting board instead of wood? The problem I have is to slice the cabbage very thin like shavings. Anyway I have asked my wife to get me some commercially made sauerkrauts for this week or until I can make my own slicer.

[Lew Hodgett]

It's cheap, fast and FDA approved.

Make sure your knife has just had a meeting with your sharpening steel.

Work with a 1/4 head at a time.

Are 1/4" ribbons OK or do you want 1/8"?

Tell her to get the stuff in the plastic bags that is kept in the refrigerated section along with the pickles and cheese.

The stuff in the cans belongs at harbor Freight, not a grocery store, IMHO.

Assume you have some smoked ham hocks for that kraut along with some Granny Smith apples?

Lew

[<marierdj]

Thanks Lew,

I usually try to slice the cabbage to 1/8" ribb>

[J. Clarke]

Just a suggestion, but try to find a place that has a Brun mandoline in stock and take a good look at it--a properly designed and equipped mandoline is more than a cabbage slicer, it's kind of a neander Cuisinart.