This is my second Circular Cutter. I have been fascinated with these type of cutters ever since I watched a video of some Hobbyist using the original red DSPIAE, which worked seamlessly. However, at that time, the price for such a unit costs too much and in the end, after a few years more, I got the cheaper MS-075 which was the next best thing. Unfortunately, getting a good circle was more of a trial and error, which caused some great distress. Not only did I waste a lot of tape but getting a nice perfect ring is close to impossible.
And so, out of desperation, I bought the first Circular Cutter I laid my eyes on, which is the Hobby Mio’s 3D Cutter. Unlike the former cutter which can cut to a maximum of 25mm, the Hobby Mio allows up to 45mm.
Although the Circular Cutter is made from 3D printed parts, it has quite a heft
I am not sure if the lines are intentional or part of the design but it does make the casing look unique
I could not locate the cutting needle at first and was worried I had dropped it when I was opening the cutter’s box. After taking a closer look, it was stuck to this area, which has a neodymium magnet underneath.
Cutter dimension as lifted from one of the Chinese sites
After translating the texts, I followed the instructions as best as I could because I do not have a pair of black long nose pliers. Basically, you insert the cutting needle into the middle of the a hole where another shaped magnet will hold it in place (hopefully). But because the end of the cutting needle is not flat, there is minimal surface area for the magnet to work, so do not drop it.
Using the cutter’s measuring ruler, I find it so much more accurate than my first MS-075 cutter, which was usually a trial and error for every sized circles. As for the white spindle thingy, because the spring is working well, there is no need to adjust the cutting needle’s depth. Or rather, it was confusingly impossible for me to get to the depth I need.
Everything is 3D printed and so, most of the parts actually fit perfectly but I try not to force them since 3D material can be brittle at some unforseen times. Having bought this, and it being exposed to Malaysian weather, it would be a matter of time before I revert back to the first circular cutter or, get the damn DSPIAE version.
Here is the result of a 20mm circle. It does look off due to the camera angle but I can assure you, it is 90% accurate. I mean, the circle was about 20.4mm
The hefty 3D circular cutter (left) vs the MS-075 (right)
When not in use, both cutters needs to be placed upside-down. Or maybe, I should place a small soft material like cloth or polystyrene underneath them.
