Cutting and Notching, angles. Need some help

[ryanjones2150]

I don't have the compensating issues you have.

[Olivero]

That's a really small notcher, I can barely see it....

[ryanjones2150]

Here's the little notcher that I have. Pulled it out just for your immigrant arse....

[Olivero]

I've tried to use these print ones but I can't seem to get it right.... I don't even know which section I am supposed to be in, being foreign and all I lack some of the lingo. IF I am doing a piece at an angle, from one piece to another say, a 60* angle on both ends, then I have to notch it to fit snug. I can get the pieces to fit up pretty flat but its the notching that gets me as I can't get it to sit close to the pipe on all sides.

[griff01]

I have an old 1/2" drill motor I use on mine. I have never tried to cut black iron pope with it though, just steel and chromoly tubing for roll cages. It's probably thinner than what you're cutting. <br />
<br />
I remember hearing about a website you could go to, plug in the parameters (diameter, angle, wall thickness, etc) and it would generate a printable template in a .PDF format. Provided you print it at the correct scale, supposed to be spot on. I've never used it. Too impatient for that.

Here is one: http://www.pipesaddlelayout.com/

Griff

[ryanjones2150]

I have an old 1/2" drill motor I use on mine. I have never tried to cut black iron pope with it though, just steel and chromoly tubing for roll cages. It's probably thinner than what you're cutting. <br />
<br />
I remember hearing about a website you could go to, plug in the parameters (diameter, angle, wall thickness, etc) and it would generate a printable template in a .PDF format. Provided you print it at the correct scale, supposed to be spot on. I've never used it. Too impatient for that.

[Olivero]

So you could run this HF one off an electric drill?

Went back last night, spent 2 hours just welding up gaps, then figured out it was much easier to weld gaps flat instead of vertical uphill

Finding pieces of scrap and using them as spacers, taking the mig over and filling the holes with it, then taking the stick over and doing a real weld.............................. So time consuming...

Got a different fitter though, he was trying to figure out how to cut the angles and notches properly, I turn around and he's cutting up a piece of paper, I go over there "what's that?" "oh, yeah, I made a wrap around to cut out the 60* angle" Huh...... There might be hope of a proper fit-up now

They want this whole thing done in 2 days.................... No time for buying any tools, just need a guy that can think and figure it out and I can just worry about making it all stay together.

I will order one of those notchers though, especially if they work with like a dewalt drill gun, then we're talking.

[Forced_Firebird]

I have a small tubing notcher like what you guys are talking about, works well, I like it. Think I got it from JEGS. Especially good for repeating multiple identical cuts. When I'm fitting bits on a roll cage, I can notch it with my grinder way faster than setting up the jig each time. I'm impatient you see.

I would like to see that! My buddy and I did a complete cage from start to finish in ~14hr one weekend when pressed for time. I use an old Bridgeport vice and set it on a cart, clamp the notching jig with a hand drill motor hanging off it - go about it that way. By the tine you are done cutting off the end of the tube, I have a feeling the hole saw will be through the pipe and have the notch there already

If you click the instagram link in link in my sig, there's a few shots of cages we built. Haven't been posting there much lately, though.

[ryanjones2150]

I have a small tubing notcher like what you guys are talking about, works well, I like it. Think I got it from JEGS. Especially good for repeating multiple identical cuts. When I'm fitting bits on a roll cage, I can notch it with my grinder way faster than setting up the jig each time. I'm impatient you see.

[Forced_Firebird]

I have had great luck with the Lenox brand. I can usually get at least 2 full roll cages out of one saw (1.75"x.120" wall DOM).

[Metjunkie]

I bought the HF tubing notcher this year when I was building my chain link fence gates. I didn't have a lot of patience for the cut, grind, check fit, grind again process with grinders and portabands. I read on some forum to use the next size smaller holesaw than what was needed for a good fit. I found that info to be wrong. What Firebird said, the holesaw diameter matches the tubing diameter. Notcher and Morse bimetal holesaws worked great Granted, it was on 16 ga. tubing. If you only use the notcher periodically, it should serve you well .

[Forced_Firebird]

Yes, the hole saw would match your tubing.

[Olivero]

Not a bad idea.... Not a bad idea at all

It says it can do 2" but I guess I would need 2" bi-metal hole saw as well?

[Forced_Firebird]

I use a tubing notcher. I ahve used the ones from Harbor Freight, and they work, just don't expect them to last.

http://www.harborfreight.com/pipe-tubing-notcher-42324.html

Don't need a "steel" hole saw. Any saw that is labeled "bi-metal" will work on ferrous steel. Just go slow and use lots of oil.

Do you have a drill press? With a welder, grinder and chop saw, you surely can make a jig.

Sorry, I am used to having or making tools. I made my own sheet metal brake from scraps in the "usable drops" at the supply house - just gotta get ingenious at times.

The only other way I have done it, it hold the pipe up where it needs to be, cut slightly longer. By eye, mark the center of the frame tube down your "horizontal-ish" tube. Cut that with the angle grinder. Then you can "vee" with the angle grinder to get close and "skim" it in to fit.

Tell your boss, if he spends a few dollars on a hole saw and jig, you can build it in a couple hours - OR - he can pay you to all day to grind and fit...as a bonus the nothing jig will still be in the shop for future projects hehe.

[Olivero]

Forced Firebird,

Thank you for the explanation, let me see if I got this right,

All of the pipe 2" schd 40. Black steel.

So I get the string, that's pretty genius, but There is an existing tire rack in the space, I am copying it, I decided to build it in their shop so its much easier for me as I can cut and compare to the other one. So I don't need to refigure my angles as I have a sliding digital protractor so I can copy existing angles. My only problem is getting it to fit up.

Like you can see on the drawing, back piece is straight, front piece is sloped so the angles are ever changing. I managed to get everything to fit up and from 10 feet away it looks fantastic, get closer, well.... you can see the holes as they aren't welded in yet with a lot more welding and a lot more grinding and a whole lot more welding, it will look good.

So here is my question, how do you determine the proper notch? I have a plasma cutter over there that I could probably use but I am limited to very basic tools like a chop saw that can only go 45*, one way and not the other and my angle grinder and 3 different welders

No fancy work tables or lathes or anything that I could actually use............. I don't even think there is a steel hole saw out there

I see that notching both sides on the same end of the pipe is necessary to get it to fit in properly but that's where my trouble is, I can't seem to get it right so it just snugs up.