tube joint preperation

[zachary kling]

since others were asking an non welding related question, I though to give it a try. what do you guys think is the best way to notch tubing,
for chasies, this would be used only ocsasionaly, but I am tired of trying to use a grinder to TRY to notch the tubing and never getting the same results. I have a pretty good small shop but would not like to spend a fortune on a system to notch tubing, and if this helps, I mostly use 1" dia. tubing.

zach kling

[jeffscarstrucks]

If you have to weld it to finish it then it must be a welding question! There are some really good drill press mounted notchers out there. There is also a notcher that Harbour Freight carries that will do OK for about fifty bucks and will keep you busy unless you are trying to make a living with it. I'm not a big fan of knock off tools but sometimes you can justify a "once in a while" tool without a huge investment. Just make sure you do use a top quality saw on it. Good Luck, JEFF.....PS what kind of chassis work are you doing?

[tackit]

I checked into hole saw tube notchers and there is a difference in how they are made.

Some are made with a solid bearing block that holds two needle bearings to guide the shaft. The bearings are sealed and can be lubricated, when they show signs of wear it's just a matter of pushing out the old bearings and installing new ones.

The other type uses a bushing that some say wears more because of dirt getting down into the bushing.


The way they hold tubing is also different, one manufacturer claims it's clamp is designed to hold the tubbing much tighter than the other style clamp used by other manufacturers, which makes for a more accurate cut.

In the end I bought the TN 100 $179, I like the clamp, needle bearings and the way the degrees are stamped into the frame instead of a decal being used for degrees.

The guy at Vansant Enterprise where I bought mine said of all the hole saws he has used over the years Sioux bi metal were the best for notching tubbing. I never used it yet, got side tracked and never got to the project, hope to get back on track this summer, no guarantees though.

[Paul Seaman]

Zach:
The advice given is great, my take would be how much will you be using it. If an occasional chassis repair or rebody of a dirt car then a cheap one will do fine but remember 3-4 years down the road it will probably give you trouble. Quality is not something I regret so I buy the best I can afford. We bought ours from Jegs or Summit can't remember for sure but they sell nearly identical products so pick one, as I remember it cost around $190.

Good luck,

[H80N]

Zach
as has been said the inexpensive tube notchers work pretty well for occasional use with a good quality bimetal blade... on any of the hole saw type notchers keep your rpm down as low as you can get with your drill press... and keep the blade and bearings wet with a spray lube like wd40... that will give you better cuts with a sharp blade.. and extend blade and bearing life...the spray is as much for cooling as lube... I have a HF notcher that I bought on sale a few years ago for $29.95... and it is still going strong... have intended to convert an old drill press to low rpm (150) and dedicate it to the notcher.. but just need to get a roundtuit to complete that project..
take care
Heiti

[MAC702]

Just a general caution about spraying bearings with WD-40. Once you start this practice, you can't stop. WD-40 will displace the grease that was normally on the bearing surfaces, but it won't last very long, and they will never work the same again unless they are repacked with grease.

[H80N]

Mac
good point on the lube... my cheapie has no bearings or bushings.. just a shaft fitted to a machined block of steel... and in my application the bearings in the drill press take up the major portion of the shaft loading... had I been using that thing with a hand drill... spect it would have worn out some time ago..
take care
Heiti

[Paul Seaman]

I use thread cutting oil for the blade and grease gun in a can for the bearings[bushings]. This is split duty is for the differences in requirements liquid for the blade and thicker grease for the non-sling lubrication of the shaft.