Price: $249 – ($299 as reviewed)
Manufacturer: Chompshop
Link: chompshop.com
Sure, the ChompSaw — the kid-safe, desktop power tool for cutting cardboard — looks amazing in the ads flooding social media. As an adult who designs educational handmade paper inventions and simple robot projects, I was itching to see if the ChompSaw could help me bring power tools to my books, videos, and classes.
But a kid’s-eye view was clearly needed, so I carted my sample ChompSaw and accessories down to my local library. Within minutes, 4-year-olds (with parents standing by) mastered the straight cut and moved on to curved designs of their own making. A ninth grader wondering how it would work on other materials tested it out on a plastic folder. The ChompSaw handled it all. It was cool to see preschoolers and library staff alike fall into a meditative state as they steadily pushed cardboard toward the cutting head.
Best of all? No Band-Aids required. The ChompSaw works like a high-speed precision hole puncher, nibbling small bites out of the cardboard you feed it. Fingers cannot reach the cutting mechanism, and it is safety-certified for ages 3 and up. The machine comes assembled and has a solid feel. The plastic base stores the power cord and the slide-out dust collection drawer. The heavy metal lid flips between inch and centimeter marks. And the chunky on/off toggle switch is good for small hands. The accessories are equally well thought out, with hand tools for punching holes and scoring folds, and an alternate metal lid that helps you cut circles or line up an angle.
Photography by Chompshop.
Chompsaw was created by Kausi Raman as a Master’s program project to teach design-thinking skills to younger children, and it shows. A separate Inventor’s Workbook takes you through the design process with real-world examples and personalities (including her own). The writing and illustrations are clear, and vocabulary terms are defined as you go. On learn.chompshop.com you can find free illustrated instructions, videos, and printables, including projects, badge goals, and K-8 lesson plans. Add-on monthly subscription kits come with paper templates and supplies like rubber bands and marbles.
The only flaw I noticed was the dusting of chomped cardboard that collected around the cutting head. I shook it out at regular intervals. The Chompshop site also suggests ways to prevent the machine from sliding around when cutting extra-thick cardboard. But all in all, I think ChompSaw lives up to the hype. It’s a gateway power tool for designers of any age.
This review appeared in Make: Volume 98.
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