Small tubing cutting advice needed

By TimGary (****)

Date 01-11-2004 01:30

How about an abrasive Chop Saw?
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Tim

By dee

Date 01-11-2004 04:17

Kevin,
When I try to cut anything with a bandsaw I consider myself lucky to have the cut pointing towards the proper compass direction. Abrasive blades are a little better (I'm exagerating somewhat... but consistant precision around .03 is for practical purposes unattainable)

Plumbers are happy with pipe cutters they use. Power models exist.

The service parts (cutting wheels etc) are not terribly expensive. Although the process distorts (bevels) the cut end a bit, the profile is uniform and can be allowed for when determining your mark.
I suspect the tools would be effective on anything you can cut with a hacksaw. I dont know just how far you can go with them, but I'd try to use one on your 4130 if I wanted accuracy; overall it may save time. It certainly is cleaner and easier on the ears.

Regards,
d

By billvanderhoof (****)

Date 01-11-2004 06:10

For small numbers try a tubing cutter. If the little flange it leaves inside the pipe is a bother you can use a tapered reamer to remove it or make a swage to drive into the end to restore the id.

For larger numbers, a lathe, especially one with a collet setup.

For gigantic numbers, a screw machine (a sort of automatic lathe).

Bill

By kb

Date 01-16-2004 22:41

Thanks for the advice. I should have given a little more info. I need something production oriented. I need to cut 75-100 pieces at a time and anything hand related just wont do. I've thought about an abrasive saw but it's too loud and too dirty and the cut would need to be cleaned up quite a bit.. A powered tubing cutter might be too slow (and spendy) as I need to set up stops for all the individual lengths. I also need 3 of the pieces I'm cutting to be square.

Thanks again for the replys.

Kevin

By dee

Date 01-17-2004 01:13

KB,
Sorry, I didn't really register that you were satisfied with the bandsaw cut but that blade life was the issue.
I cannot assist much beyond the obvious observation that longer bands run cooler and last longer (a better bandsaw?)
Are you using bulk band stock you weld to size yourself?

I guess I thought those power tubing cutters could be had for less than you can find them for; I was actually thinking rental as an alternative but you are suggesting there is some continuity to the project. As for jig-stops, I don't see them as a problem for the tool, configured as I envision.

I've gotten impressively clean cuts with oxyacetylene that only want a light touch-up with a grinder to bring to weldable fit-up... with a fixture or jig to guide the torch tip you might be able to work square tube or flat easily enough, but round tube that small has always been a challenge for me to cut accurately. If you could hold the torch stationary and turn the tube accurately without great expense or Rube Goldberg contraptions, pigs would have wings.

Beyond those aforesaid ideas, Kevin, I'm not much help. To directly answer the first part of your original question, I have no experience with any small cold saw on steel tube.

Regards,
d

By bzzzzzzzzzz (**)

Date 01-17-2004 03:33

Why not a chopsaw? You could bolt/clamp it in place on a good long table using a stop on one end as a length guide. Put a spacer in between the stop and the stock, then pull it out after you clamp the stock. This will allow the cut to be made without a dangerous bind with the blade after the the end of cut. You'll be keeping he unclamped piece with this method. Set it up so it falls away from the blade when cut is done. You might even rig something to more automatically pull the spacer out of the way as the cut is made. Perhaps something spring-loaded, that drops out of the way when the cut is made, but resetable after the cut. (Maybe somehow rigged to work with the sawblade downward motion?) This works best for lots of cuts the same size. It does a good job of keeping them all identical. I'd think this could be adapted to a carbide chopsaw too. Or just call some machinery Co. and tell them what you need$$$$$$