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Tube Notching for dumb dumbs

L

Lincoln

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Alright boys and girls, I'm going to start a real thread. Might not belong here so I'll let one of the 5 1/2 mods for these no post boards decide where it belongs.

Let's talk about notching tubing. Hinkley, you better come out of your cave and contribute. :)

I'm looking for some tips on improving my ablility on notches in the middle of bends. Coming together with one straight piece I'm getting better, but notching a curved piece gives me grief. Seems like I'll fawk it all up four times before I get it right and then usually the length is wrong and I'll have to go at it again.

I though about buying some of those fancy tube fitting tools but they wouldn't help much when fitting a bent piece. So far my skills consist of bend it, hack it, then weld the crap out of it. Me eyeballing with a marker is a very bad idea too.
 
Lincoln said:
Alright boys and girls, I'm going to start a real thread. Might not belong here so I'll let one of the 5 1/2 mods for these no post boards decide where it belongs.

Let's talk about notching tubing. Hinkley, you better come out of your cave and contribute. :)

I'm looking for some tips on improving my ablility on notches in the middle of bends. Coming together with one straight piece I'm getting better, but notching a curved piece gives me grief. Seems like I'll fawk it all up four times before I get it right and then usually the length is wrong and I'll have to go at it again.

I though about buying some of those fancy tube fitting tools but they wouldn't help much when fitting a bent piece. So far my skills consist of bend it, hack it, then weld the crap out of it. Me eyeballing with a marker is a very bad idea too.
Click to expand...

What kinda knotcher are you using?
Billy
 
It sounds to me like you're just cutting/grinding your notches without an actual tube notcher. If that is the case, have you seen the little programs that you punch in the tube sizes and angle of intersection and it gives you a stencil to print out and cut out, then trace that pattern on the tube and grind away?

here's a link: http://metalgeek.com/static/cope2.pcgi

and in case it goes dead, another: http://geek.casaforge.com/code/newform_m2.php
 
Lincoln said:
Let's talk about notching tubing. Hinkley, you better come out of your cave and contribute. :)

I'm looking for some tips on improving my ablility on notches in the middle of bends. Coming together with one straight piece I'm getting better, but notching a curved piece gives me grief. Seems like I'll fawk it all up four times before I get it right and then usually the length is wrong and I'll have to go at it again.

I though about buying some of those fancy tube fitting tools but they wouldn't help much when fitting a bent piece. So far my skills consist of bend it, hack it, then weld the crap out of it. Me eyeballing with a marker is a very bad idea too.
Click to expand...

Nothing another 100 IQ points wouldn't solve. Can't help you there......

:moon:




Mark carefully, and grind slowly.
 
Most tube notchers don't work for notching in a bend so what I do is measure twice and then add 1/4" or so for error. A lot easier to grind away then wind up with a gap and start over. Or if the other end of the tube is a straight piece, then I deal with the bent end first and then the straight end last which makes it a lot easier. I did make a tube notcher guide for my plasma cutter but only for 90 and 45 degree notching. Works slick for those 1 out of 100 situations where a standard notcher won't work.
 
I do use a notcher but like AJ said mine won't work on a bent piece. Same with the traceable patterns.

Let's see that guide AJ.

Goaty, HF says IQ points are on back order.
 
Lincoln said:
Goaty, HF says IQ points are on back order.
Click to expand...

Actually points for your model have been discountinued...

The trick for notching in the middle of bends is to not do it.:wave:


Seriously, it all comes down to visualization. Cutoff wheel, grinder, & some practice. You'll get better at it after you're done building your junk...
 
FarmerMatt said:
Actually points for your model have been discountinued...

The trick for notching in the middle of bends is to not do it.:wave:


Seriously, it all comes down to visualization. Cutoff wheel, grinder, & some practice. You'll get better at it after you're done building your junk...
Click to expand...


Matt is toooo right on this. It just takes practice.

I started my cage/buggy before I helped build his CAT and am just now finishing mine. It is DISGUSTING what i did before compared to now. You just have to learn and do it.
 
But damnit I hate practice. I'm perfect in every other thing but this. I think maybe I've been slapped in the head to much and my eyeballs are crooked. :D

I think I should buy one of those belt grinder or mill style notchers. Chuck it up, set the angle, and feed away.

We'll see how mine goes. I got permission to buy steel under the company account and I'm hoping that leaves some room for more bling bling stuff.

Gots to get a few more trips in though.
 
My camera is dead so I'll try and explain it till I borrow one. Took a piece of ABS pipe that was big enough to slip over the tube I use. Then cut a notch in it that took into consideration the plasma tip...basically come out the same as my tube notcher. Then I cut the ABS pipe down a bit so there was only like 1/4" of material left at the deepest part of the notch, drilled out and put in 3 sheetmetal screws to work as a set screw. Basically you just mark where you need the notch, slide the guide over in place, snug up the screws and cut. Worked pretty good since it would go around most curves and notches came out excellent.

But like what was already said, once you get in enough practice you get to the point where you just visualize it and cut it, done deal.
 
AJsArmor said:
My camera is dead so I'll try and explain it till I borrow one. Took a piece of ABS pipe that was big enough to slip over the tube I use. Then cut a notch in it that took into consideration the plasma tip...basically come out the same as my tube notcher. Then I cut the ABS pipe down a bit so there was only like 1/4" of material left at the deepest part of the notch, drilled out and put in 3 sheetmetal screws to work as a set screw. Basically you just mark where you need the notch, slide the guide over in place, snug up the screws and cut. Worked pretty good since it would go around most curves and notches came out excellent.

But like what was already said, once you get in enough practice you get to the point where you just visualize it and cut it, done deal.
Click to expand...

Don't worry about the pic. I understand what you did. :thumbup:
 
I just use a portable hand held band saw. Two angled cuts and you have a nice, already Veed for welding, fit.
Doesn't get much easier than that.
 
It's ok, as long as your welds look like pizza, Chicago style :chef:

... and you never go turtle
 
Mark Hinkley said:
Cut it off straight and fill with weld!

:rolleyes:


hinkley
Click to expand...

you say that like the "Heat and Beat" fabrication school of thought is a Bad Thing, Mark... ;)
 
Mark Hinkley said:
Just take some welding lessons from THE OWL!

hinkley
Click to expand...

More like photoshop lessons.

I guess I'll be boiled in oil for suggesting that all coping on a radius is easiest on a Brigdeport.

Unless you have a Hitachi Seki :D

--ron
 
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