We are offering you the plan of wooden nut cracker which is a simple tool consisting of rounded body and handle with threaded axle.

The pressure on the nut in the shell is made by twisting the handle manually. The nut has to be put into the body part and the woody shell is being slowly cracked – pieces of shell then remain inside the nut cracker body and the meat remain whole.  

The nut cracker is a kitchen device used for cracking nuts. Nut crackers can have different design styles and they are usually made out of wood or metal. Since nuts are usually used in relatively small amounts in our diets, people often keep them in shelves and crack the wanted amount just before the use. That is why this gadget can be found in almost any home. Cracking nuts right before the use provides us fresh nuts, because the pre-shelled nuts go rancid much faster than the ones left in shells. Long time ago people discovered that nuts are excellent food source. Even the cavemen used nuts in their diet and cracked nutshells with the stone. The oldest known metal nutcracker originated in the 4th Century B.C. and the first carved wooden nut crackers appeared in the 15th century.

 

Rounded wooden nut cracker plan
Project difficulty
Simple, requires experience
Skill level
for advanced beginners
Level of workshop equipment
Lathe
Applied woodworking joints
Round mortise and tenon joint
Dimensions

W 118mm (4.66'') x L 64mm (2.5mm) x H 141mm (5.57'') - Variable

 

Nuts are rich in oils, carbohydrates and vitamins and they are an important source of nutrients and energy. As a food we use raw nuts, cooked, sprouted or roasted nuts. They can be eaten separately as a snack, or as ingredients in numerous dishes and desserts. The human diet includes many types of nuts. In culinary, nuts are considered to be any large, hard walled, edible oily kernel. Biological definition of nuts is much more precise, and many types of seeds that are described as nuts in culinary, biologically aren’t nuts. From a practical point of view, it is important to know that a nut shell does not open to release the seed, so to prepare them for our meal we need to use some proper tool to break the woody shell and get edible kernel.  

 

Exploded view and parts list
Rounded wooden nut cracker - Parts list
Assembly drawing
Rounded wooden nut cracker - Assembly drawing

 

Cut the body from single piece of wood by woodturning technique. Manufacture out of single piece of wood ensures the maximal strength that is required because of the constant pressure while using this tool. We recommend you to use some type of wood that does not split easily. Basswood is one of the types of wood that has all the necessary qualities for manual manufacturing of wood carving objects, and this is at the same time the most frequently used wood for nut crackers manufacture. Basswood is well responsive to treatment but it does not require to be treated, which is another good feature, knowing that this is a type of kitchen utensil that will be in direct contact with food. Outer surface of nut cracker can be coated with some transparent wood finishing or it can be painted.  

Maintain a nut cracker only by wiping it with a damp cloth. If necessary, you can hand-wash it in warm water with mild detergent and then you should dry it thoroughly. You should never wash it in the dishwasher, because wood will crack. Keep it in a dry place.

 

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Submitted by Ceh Jan