Pipe/Tube Notcher

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I've been busy helping my wife with her gardens and doing some work on my black buggy. I have made the clamps (4 of them) for the tube notcher then I saw something on my drill press that I have forgotten about. Also I found another thing the "notcher" could be used for (eat your hearts out ). I'll try to get pix of both.

Been too hot to spend time outside especially after yesterday's work fixing a mistake I accidently made. The wife and I had to dig a ~6' long trench about 6' deep through one edge of the flower bed. I was cutting some roots from a tree I had removed last year but the roots were still alive and trying to grow another tree. The reason the roots were above ground in that area (actually there was another root that I had removed but got a way with it) was that they went over the tubes for the sprinkler system (3 tubes stacked on top of each other) and I nicked the top two tubes with a cutoff saw so we had to cut out the bad sections and fix the watering system. The weather here is close to the 90° and the humidity is high... even in the garage.

I did get the bolts for the tool a few days ago. I wanted to use 1/4" dia. bolts but 3/16" looks like a better choice. I also couldn't get 3 3/4" or 3 1/2 length bolts that were fully threaded. All the bolts I could find close by had "shanks" on them that could cause clamping limitations. I finally drove up to the next town and got what I wanted. Now I have to locate then drill all 8 holes in the sides of the main tool then weld the heads of the bolts in place... from the underside as there is literally no room on the top of the tool to accommodate the head of the bolt.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

IMG_2369 copy.jpg

I got the bolts roughed in place but there is some interference on one side because of the angle iron so I have some notching and moving of welds to get things to stand up correctly. Also I need to open up the holes on the clamps and maybe slot a couple to allow for miss-alignment (I am not a machinist as much as I want to ).

The tube shown is part of a BJ front beam and it is about as large of a tube I can deal with and is one of the reasons for the slots (I hope anyway).

I put 4 clamps on the tube for several reasons but mainly it allows me to do several things I may not be able to do with with other tube aids.

Dustymohave posted a formal sketch on how to join tubes (which I can't find right now but I will add it here when I do) with an inner liner for strength of the joint. This tool, up to a point will allow that to be done. Again, (tube) size and length are the mitigating limitations.

IMG_2370 copy.jpg

This is the other thing I indirectly alluded to. Since the platen (I had forgotten about this) can be tilted and the platen can also be rotated then, within limitations, I should also be able to notch for joining another tube at other than at right angles. Again, the access hole is the limitation... maybe!

Lee

sleeving joint for tube copy.jpg

I found it! This is for a cage but the same idea is for adding strength in tube joins.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Still working on it but I have to notch several places so the bolts can sit upright. Right now too many other "Honey-Doos" on the list but I am still thinking about it at night and every time I walk by it.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

In engineering when you design something and before the parts are made and assembled there is a "planner" who sets the sequence of when things are done. In this build I started in what I thought was a proper sequence but it looks like I went about it a bit backwards it seems. There is too much interference from the angle iron top and bottom.

The holes in the upper plate, for the bolts that the clamps will use, need to be done prior to any other work done on the top piece. The angle iron that connect the the rectangular tube that is used for mounting in a vice needs to be mounted but the one leg of the angle iron that is welded to the top piece needs to be shortened as they are (in my case) too close to the heads of the bolts that are on the underside of the top piece that are welded in place. I think one could nut them in place to make them removable when not in use but you would need small outside dia. washers (or modified to fit). I think I would go one (bolt) size under on the washer(s) too to keep things tight. It is a common practice to pick one washer size smaller size of the bolt just make sure that the radius on the underside of the head of the bolt to the threaded shaft as that is what the "Box Stores" usually stock.

As far as the angle that connects the rectangular top to the top piece could be 3/4" X 3/4" instead of the 1" X 1" I used. The leg that welds to the top piece ends up being awful close to the heads of the bolts. The 1" X 1" angle iron could be notched as needed as an option.

The same thing with the two pieces of angle iron that the top piece of angle iron welds to... awful close to the bolts especially if you use a nut and washer for clamping on top. Two 3/4" angle iron supports could be used instead of the two pieces 1" X 1" angle iron but the 1" X 1" piece of angle iron is still the preferred option.

The hole in the top plate is still OK and the notching of the rectangular tube still seems to be OK.

I still like the idea I was going with but I try to be honest with things I do.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pi ... BasicHover

I was looking to see if there were other options to what I am trying to do (got too many other things going on right now to get back to work on it) and here are a few of what seems to be out there. The one with is a chain on it is interesting! After having the hole saw tear a smaller dia. tube out of my hands and throw it 5 or 6 feet away from me (and that was after bouncing/slamming off me) I doubled up on things by adding a second clamp on each side of the hole.

Keeping my and your options open.

Lee