Tubing Notcher

[sniffles]

hey bm1, what type of tool are you using to grind the ends and fit um together? if anyone else knows could you also tell me? thanks

[bm1]

Sniff,
I used a milling machine but you can use a couple other ways to do it.
There is a tool called a "Joint Jigger"(there are clones available that are cheaper and do just as good a job) They have a clamp where you clamp the tube in and use a hole saw to miter the end.
There are tubing notchers(William's Low Buck Tools) that will cut a notch in the end depending on the size of die you use. This tool does OK, but usually needs a little clean up with a file. When using these, you notch one side then rotate it 180 degrees and notch again. I always make a referance mark so you will get the notches straight with each other. If you use ERW welded seam tubing(which I recommend) you can use the seam as a referance. Then there is the hand grinder and file to miter tubing. This is time consuming, and if you're no careful, you can junk some tubing. The Joint Jigger clones are pretty cheap. I have seen them for around $39.00. Check out Eastwood Tools,and William's Low Buck Tools. Also I have seen them at Harbor Freight. I am thinking of selling a stool frame kit that you can weld together yourself with the tubes already notched and fit. Just weld them up. I'll post more on this later. If you have any questions or assistance, you can PM me or e-mail me.
hmccall@columbus.rr.com

[sniffles]

hey cool thanks. can you give me a rundown of how the joint jigger works? does it only miter the ends or make um curved? heres the one i think i might get
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tubing-Notcher-Joint-Jigger-SCCA-NASCAR-IMSA-0-to-60-DG_W0QQitemZ7572696611QQcategoryZ31484QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
tell me if you see anything wrong with this

[bm1]

That one is about the same as I have in the shop. That's what it does....it notches the end of the tube for welding. It can be set at different angles which comes in handy. The key thing to remember when using this tool is to run the hole saw slow. A drill that is variable speed works nice. Somewhere around 600-650 RPM and use some cutting oil. If you run it fast, you will dull the hole saw and take a chance on it breaking. Just apply enough press to let the saw cut, don't force it. You will get a nice job with it. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!!!

[sniffles]

hey bm1, does it accept 1 1/4" bi-metal hole saws? it says it only takes 1/2" and 5/8" but can it take larger?

[bm1]

Maybe they are talking about the thread size in the hole saw itself. I have used mine on 1 1/4" material, and some 1 3/8" on a sprint car chassis I just repaired. If you have access to a drill press, you can just chuck up your hole saw and use it to cut your tubing. I'm pretty busy in the shop but if I get a chance this week, I will post some pics of some different tools I have made to cut tubing and other stuff that might be helpful here for everyone. They are simple to make, and help a lot in building stuff from tubing.

[Voodoo Barstool Racers]

hey! guys check out williams lowbuck tools, website.That is where i get most of my fab. tools.They have a tubing notcher that doesn't use hole saw's.Check it out. Voodoo barstool racers.

[elvergon]

Hey guys I am interested in making one as the lowbuck notcher. Would someone mind if they took some good pics of it??

Especially from the dies cause I dont know how they work. I could only find 2 pics of it and cant really understand how it works.

Mind if some of you guys take some pics of the notchers and/or dies?

[bm1]

I will take some pics of my notcher and post them(or get Mike to. I'm still having trouble with that area). It's a William's Low Buck. It would be easy to clone.

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BM1,
I have attached the photos you sent me to this and your next post in this thread.
Mike Bean
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[bm1]

Elvergon,
I am sending pics to Mike so he can post them. I'm still having trouble.
There are pics of the tubing notcher, plus a tool that I made for bending tubing. It's a piece of aluminum with 2 holes bored in it to accept 1 1/4" and 1 1/8" tubing. After you put your tubing in the bender to bend, attach this tool and secure with a set screw. Now you can use a level or protractor to keep your work straight or at any angle you want. Nothing more frustrating than to bend a piece and have it crooked. It's a pain in the butt to try and straighten without kinking it or marking it up. Hope this helps.

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[Ironfist104]

if you use round tubing you can use a good high quality bi-metal hole saw with the lowest rpm on your drill press make sure you use tow wooden blocks on each side of you pipe before ya start drilling this will give ya room for the hole saw to go beyond the width of the pipe just a bit without damiging you drill press vise....

[Mike Bean]

BM1,

Quick question... I noticed you have to notch one side at a time with that notcher. Now how do you notch both ends so they are the same depth and placement on each side?

Thanks,
Mike Bean

[bm1]

Mike,
With the Williams Low Buck Notcher in order to get the notches "lined up", you can put a reference mark on the tube with a sharpie, or, if you are using ERW welded seam tubing you can use the seam as a reference. Or, you can make a tool like I use for my bender using a small level.(as pictured in my previous post)
As for getting both notches the same depth, it just takes practice, and you will have to touch up the notch with some sort of grinder or file. It's not perfect, but it gets you started. After all, the name does say, "Low Buck"!

[Terry Skinner]

The best notcher I have ever seen is:
759
These are used by the bicycle frame builders and will work on square to round, aluminum, carbon fiber and any thing else you can come up with just by changing belts. The roller that the belt runs over comes in a multitude of sizes from 1/2" and up. HTH..........Terry

[Terry Skinner]

This tube notcher is based on the KMG1 grinder pictured at:
http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/kmg-pl.html
and can be seen working on:
http://homepage.mac.com/i/hpti/1/wimg/Shared/SlideShow/SlideShow.html?lang=en
HTH.............Terry

[Mike Bean]

Terry,

Where can we purcahse that tube notcher? It's a great way to use a belt sander.

Mike

[Terry Skinner]

Terry,Where can we purcahse that tube notcher? It's a great way to use a belt sander. Mike

Beaumont Metal Works, Ltd.
1473 Showcase Dr. Columbus, Ohio 43212
Phone:(614) 291-8876

PS An't cheep

[Terry Skinner]

If you have access to a lathe this is another way to notch the tubes:
760
HTH.......Terry

[moto1fast]

Hello, I built my own notcher out of a belt sander and pipe vise. The only draw backs on it is that I can not change the rollersize to use different size pipe or tubing but it gets it close enough to get a good weld! I mounted the belt sander on a flat 1/4" steel plate and then mounted the vise on another and made it to swivel and clamp down to get my angles also the vise is adjustable up and down and has a screw adjustment to get depth of cut! It is also somewhat Slow! But it works and did not cost much to biuld do to finding the sander and pipe vise at yard sales! Where theres a will there is a Cheaper way!!!!LOL:hot:

[Voodoo Barstool Racers]

Hey! how does that tubing notcher work? could not see the video.Iam interested in the thing if i can see how it works first. Voodoo barstool racers

[dtb69]

i do not know how to open his attachment photo,not to good with computer can someone tell me how ?
thanks dtb:dizzy:

[Woodchuckscustoms.com]

A buddy of mine uses a 4.5" hand grinder to notch tubing, He has been doing it that way for 20 years and I must say they do look good I will try to get a pic of a pcs. that was notched this way.:cheers:

[RUBICON]

very cool tools...and the way professionals do it....I have used the shear notcher for speed in getting the job done...also a round hob mill in a lathe...as well as a joint-jigger.....all work well....but...but...I can remember doing it the old way.......hacksaw a 45 slice off both sides of the end and dress it with a half round bastard file....this is the roots of fabrication...making do with what you have.....practice....practice is a lost phase in learning...everyone wants to buy a tool that will make the job easy.....my 2 cents

[ROADFIXER1]

Back when I was tight on money and was building racecars I use to find a 6 to 8 inch box tubing that the round tubing would fit inside of then taking a hole saw in a drill press make a hole in the middle of the box tubing. Then by sliding the tubing inside of the box tubing you run the hole saw in the opening you made in the box tubing thus notching the tubing inside..
I also would weld a nut to one end of the box so that you can run a bolt down to hold the round tubing in place...
This will only make 90* cuts but it cheap....

PS to hold it in place on the drill press weld the box to a plate that you can then bolt down to the drill press and if you dont have a drill press you can clamp it in a vice....

[ROADFIXER1]

Went out in the shop and found a couple of my old notchers these are about 30 years old and they have built alot of race cars hope these pix help...

[RUBICON]

Cool stuff...home made tools....my kinda stuff....I can't count the number of gearboxes and cases I have pulled bearinga and shafts with a scrap of plate and a couple of bolts....it use to be called "usin your head"......

[altrego30]

Is there a bit you can put in a drill press to knotch the pipe, not a hole saw bit but somthing that will take the metal off like the sanding one?

[Mike Bean]

Is there a bit you can put in a drill press to knotch the pipe, not a hole saw bit but somthing that will take the metal off like the sanding one?

I think you mean one of the milling bits they use on lathes. I am not sure if you can use it in a drill press. You usually have to have a way to hold the pipe when notching otherwise your notch will be messed up.

I used the cheapie notcher from Harbor Freight and did some real nice notched on some 1 5/8" tubing.

Mike

[Woodchuckscustoms.com]

I think you mean one of the milling bits they use on lathes. I am not sure if you can use it in a drill press. You usually have to have a way to hold the pipe when notching otherwise your notch will be messed up.

I used the cheapie notcher from Harbor Freight and did some real nice notched on some 1 5/8" tubing.

Mike


I have the same notcher Mike and it does work good for what it is:thumb:

[Woodchuckscustoms.com]

Hear is a pic of the notcher I use.:wave:

[Canadiankid]

is that from harbor freight? or were did you get it?

[sniffles]

yah thats from harbor freight. keep in mind, sometimes the hole saw is not exactly centered and you will have overhang. you can clean it up by chopping the overhang off and use a wheel grinder to grind it to fit. great price but if you dont want to clean it up go with something else. works great for what i am doing but you may want something different to fit your needs.

[DGE Motorsports]

Just an FYI for anyone interested. Here are a couple of sites that I have purchased from.

http://www.pro-tools.com/
http://www.jd2.com/catalog/index.php

I purchased the Model 3 bender from JD2 and the HSN-501I notcher from pro tools which allows you to notch off center of the tubing which comes in handy sometimes.