Pipe/Tube Notcher

[Ol'fogasaurus]

After having troubles with trying to notch the ends of tubes so I could join them together I was given this as a potential option. It is a HF unit and was on sale so after their not having one on display I took a chance and bought one.

Note, I do not recommend this as I have not tried to use it yet but the un-boxing was confusing to say the least so I took pix as I figured it out. There are no real instructions other than a don't fix it... let a pro do it but no pro's given and if you modify you assume responsibility for anything. Scary!

This is very important to use: https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go ... 2F50639%2F

The box is smaller than the pix looks so that was a WTF!

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This is it all put together but not installed on a mount or my drill press.

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This is the mount base for the tool. I haven't measured the spacing between the two arcs but I suspect that it will fit offset under most drill press so the shaft will sit square under the chuck.

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This is how the drive shaft comes... upside down in it's mounting area.

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Pull the pin after you take off the adapter nut and washer. then turn upside down, put the pin in and put the washer and adapter back on the shaft.

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This is where I felt like an idiot after I figured it out. The loop has a top piece which the threaded shaft goes through. Don't try to take it off so you can rotate the "U" shaped piece as that will jam things up. Just rotate it so the Tee-handle faces up. It is upside down only for packaging

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This shows a cutter in place but...

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... the threaded cutter is the only style you can use. There is no head to use the other style of cutter. I am pretty sure the pilot doodie won't work here.

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This shows the pivot that allows vertical, horizontal or any angle in-between to be used. The drive shaft (spindle) will fit in a hand drill or the chuck that can handle 1/2 to a 5/8th shaft.

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The top pix shows clamp a horizontal setup while the bottom one shows the indexing allowing the cut to be at 0° - 60° angles.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

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A better picture of the adapter for 5/8' tool adapter from the 1/2" spindle

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I decided to make my own setup for cutting the ends of tube or pipe or even drilling holes in the round stuff.

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This is being made from scrap laying around; what you see is some of the scrap, having been cut, placed where I think it will be.

If it works I will say so and if it doesn't I will tell you that also.

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So I can mount it in the cross-slide I am using some 3" X 1" 10 gauge (I think) rectangular tube end pieces. The total length of the pieces adds up to a bit over 6". I will be using some angle iron on the underneath side of the mounts plate to ensure it will be a strong mount to the mounts that will be clamped into the cross-slide. One thing I found out when trying to cut the ends of tube another way is that the hole cutting saws can be brutal when and if the teeth dig in. This was usually on the top part of the tube's arc.

If it works I will say so and if it doesn't I will tell you that also.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

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First cut! I was going to go with a 2" hole in the center but dripped it down to 1 1/2"'

The mounting panel is from 4" wide by 10 gage stock and is 7 1/4" long. Why that length... don't know but that is what things worked out at. I think it had to do with the 2 rectangular stock total length.

I did bevel the edges of the 2 rectangular tubes today for welding but haven't don't that yet.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

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First cut! I was going to go with a 2" hole in the center but dripped it down to 1 1/2"'

The mounting panel is from 4" wide by 10 gage stock and is 7 1/4" long. Why that length... don't know but that is what things worked out at. I think it had to do with the 2 rectangular stock total length.

I did bevel the edges of the 2 rectangular tubes today for welding but haven't don't that yet.

Lee

At each end of the centerline I, using the bandsaw, made a small cut so I would not lose the centerline location and could correctly mark it up again.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Boy, have I leaned a lot in the last 24 hours.

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I always thought that the hole was for when you were drilling and you suddenly blew through what you were cutting then the hole was a space allowance before you could stop. Probably is to some what but I think there are other reasons married to that.

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=adjustable+ ... 9012E575A3

If you have ever used one of these you are aware of the movement it makes to your hand or the drill as the cutter moved around. When digging out the hole for in the flat mounting plate I felt something kind of like that. At first I thought it was my drill press but now I don't think so, I think that the hole saw has a leading/cutting edge on one side then the other teeth follow and do some clean up. I have never seen so much/many cutting chips in my life. Anyway, maybe that is why I was having so much trouble with the teeth digging in when cutting the top arc of a smaller dia. (1") tube.

I go thinking about the guide mounts and how high off the mounting plate also and how much height before the drill would hit the mounting plate if you weren't careful so:

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The is putting the two supporting angle with one leg joining then putting the working area of the angle sitting fully on top. The dimension to the bottom of the "V" was 0.034

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This shows the working area of the "V" on the mounting plate with the other two angles supporting it. The dimension was 0.026: again, smaller distance than I thought it would be.

Granted most tubes will not be at the bottom but still...

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I will be cutting the three "V" shaped tube at the edge of the hole in the mounting plate.

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Which brought up another quandary: What about the 3" high mounting tube. It has the hole in the top that I could fill but then the work area would fill up with chips real quick and could be a problem (thinking ahead). If I left the hole as it then I couldn't close off the ends as there would be no real way of getting rid of the chips. I could do a 1" wide notch in the same area to match the mounting plate which would allow dumping but since the wall thickness of the tube is so think I wouldn't really gain anything.

Got to go outside and help the wife as another storm front might be moving in later today.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Been busy with other things but last night and today I did get some time on the tube notcher.

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I did get the two pieces of rectangular tube welded together last night so this morning I ground the welds flat ( ?). One radius was off and I don't know how I did it but I did.

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I then figured the lengths of the 4 pieces of mounting angle iron so it misses the 1 1/2" hole notch in the mounting tube. Shown here they are clamped to the rectangular tube after I ensured that it was standing at 90°. Tonight or tomorrow I will tack/weld them to the rectangular tube so the top piece can be welded in place.

This might be on holed for about a week as we are heading to the dunes at the end of the week so I am helping my wife to get the yard and all that stuff ready for the vacation.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

This AM I welded the legs to the rectangular tube then centered the mounting plate on the new assy then headed to semi-finish off the notcher.

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I cleaned the bluing off the mounting plate then redrew the centerline on the mounting plate.

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I then started to install the angle iron a piece at a time. I clamped the angle in place and tacked one end but somehow, during the tacking the angle iron moved so cut away the tack, re-align the angle but this time no clamp. For some reason it stayed in place.

The two lines I forgot to do (I drew them in when I was editing the pix)... they are back cutting lines. I was in a hurry this AM but in order to assure that the assy in straight and centered I did not cut the center out (or two short pieces equaling one long piece minus the hole size) or back cut where the to be removed section of angle would have been. When I had finished it was a "Aw $#it" event when I discovered I had to cut the whole area away down to the mount (you can see the marks in the next photo).

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This is where I am now. Now it is how to add the holding/clamping the tube in place.

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Got a couple of ideas but I might try to build something like the other unit had; a combination of a hoop with a V-shaped piece for the bottom (kind of like an old style muffler clamp for example but with a V-shaped bottom vs. the arc shaped one). The clamp in this photo is upside down.

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With a drill chuck in place. The tube is 7/8 dia. and it's end is up against the saws pilot drill.

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A longer piece of tube set so that one hole can end up being two pieces for mockup using thumb screws.

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An inch and a half tube which is about what the limit is with this setup.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I've been thinking about how to hold the tube/pipe in place and keep it from rotating since I came in from the garage.

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Then, just before the wife said food is just about done I ran out to the garage, grabbed a piece of cardboard and cut this out. The piece is 3" long and it is too short. The cut is 45° and looks OK for the 7/8th round stock but what about larger dia.?

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This is some scrap cardboard 1 X 4 inches with a 45° and a 30° cut for a mockup.

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7/8th tube with the 45° notch.

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7/8 tube with the 30° notch.

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1 1/5 tube with the 45° notch.

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1 1/2 tube with the 30° notch. Not sure if I will try another angle.

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This is what piece of scrap think I will use. It is roughly 4" long and it a 1" X 3" thinner stock material but that could change.

I won't post on this for about 10 days or so.

Lee

[Leatherneck]

What a great write up Lee, not to many people realize the time and effort that it takes to put that info out. Very good info!

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Thanks Leather. Kind of like when I was still working drawing up plans for things.

When I get back from the dunes I will try to finish this up quickly.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

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The notch here is at 36° or about half way between the other two notches above. I think this is where I am going on the clamps. Got a couple more tricks to try before done.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I was sitting thinking about my next move after I had marked up a trial piece when it suddenly dawned on me that I was trying to use the wrong dimension for cutting to length and depth screwing up the dimensions for drilling holes the bolt holes for mounting .

I found some thicker material and have blued the stock so I can start with the mounting holes then, when they are done cut to length and depth then cut the "V". Felt like an idiot for a while but catching and fixing the mistake before it was done does make me feel better. I might slot the mounting holes a bit... maybe!

We'll see how much work the wife has for me tomorrow so I'll know when I can get back to making the parts.

I'll also have to double check the angle on the clamp for the bandsaw to make sure it is set at 90 degrees.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Leather, the same thing again. It blew everything away and I can't clean it up!

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Been busy with other things and kind of got burnt out on this. Also I can't get the bolts I wan't close by so it will be a 15 mile or so round trip to the fastener store.

I did play with what I have tonight though...

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I tried to cut the front of a tube twice: since I can't get the proper length bolts I need I tried to see if I could hold the tube in place and notch the tube W/O clamping it in place. Didn't work as the long teeth on the hole cutting dug into the tube and ripped it out of my hand and flung it several feet away. Don't try it... I got lucky as I was standing up higher than the drill press and platen.

I then, still holding it in the stand, drilled a pilot hole then put the hole saw in place with the centering drill in the pilot hole. Cut the tube 99% through with leaving only a small stub/notch on the bottom of the cut.

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I cleaned up the cut to get rid of the stump and maybe over did it but as is it is very close to a 90° fit. Am happy! Need to go for a ride to get the bolts and other components so I can get on with what I am trying to do.

Lee