A Chop Saw Works Great For Cutting Cardboard Body Tube

[lakeroadster]

For years I cut body tubes with a hobby knife. In May of 2022 @eugenefl stated he used his chop saw to cut a 3" body tube. Ever since then I've been using our chop saw for body tubes.

I've cut everything from BT-3 tubes to 4-1/4" shipping tubes. I like to miter the ends of my 3/8" launch lugs... works great for that too.

Super clean cuts that only require a quick hand sanding with 400 grit on the I.D. and O.D.

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[ONAWHIM]

What type of blade are you using?

 

[Raythain]

Are you doing anything special to prevent crushing? Speed control, special blade, interior reinforcement?

 

[lakeroadster]

What type of blade are you using?

Diablo 12-inch x 100 Tooth Carbide Tipped Ultimate Polished Finish Mitre Saw Blade for Wood Cutting​

Are you doing anything special to prevent crushing? Speed control, special blade, interior reinforcement?

Nope... just set the tube on the table, and cut it. I do leave the saw in the down position and let the blade stop spinning before removing the tube pieces.​

 

[Sandy H.]

Diablo 12-inch x 100 Tooth Carbide Tipped Ultimate Polished Finish Mitre Saw Blade for Wood Cutting​

Nope... just set the tube on the table, and cut it. I do leave the saw in the down position and let the blade stop spinning before removing the tube pieces.​

IMO, the blade choice is a huge variable and I do like Diablo and Freud blades. Tooth count and how well you've maintained the blade are also a big deal. While I didn't learn these things based on cutting rocket body tubes, I imagine it applies. I would say for most home/consumer tools, spend money on the best blades you can and make sure they are the right pitch for the work you're doing. Not cheap, but well worth the cost.

 

[Huxter]

Never thought about cutting carboard tubes on the chop saw!? I will now have to experiment!

 

[Tractionengines]

Works for fiberglass tubes too. BUT in that case use an OLD BLADE. It will be dull after the first couple cuts, but will keep cutting fiberglass for a long time, just don't expect good cuts on anything else.

 

[teepot]

I use a compound miter saw. Fine finish blade. That's the only way I have cut tubes and coupler stock for years. And as @lakeroadster said. I just keep the blade down until it stops. I have cut up to 4" BT's and couplers. Works great on Blue Tube.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Curtis at Composite Warehouse uses a blade for cutting fiberglass tubing that has no teeth and says it cuts like butter and usually requires no sanding, and gets about 1K cuts out of a blade.

 

[OzHybrid]

For years I cut body tubes with a hobby knife. In May of 2022 @eugenefl stated he used his chop saw to cut a 3" body tube. Ever since then I've been using our chop saw for body tubes.

I've cut everything from BT-3 tubes to 4-1/4" shipping tubes. I like to miter the ends of my 3/8" launch lugs... works great for that too.

Super clean cuts that only require a quick hand sanding with 400 grit on the I.D. and O.D.

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Get a square and make sure the blade is vertically at 90 deg(head tilt) and horizontally at 90. Takes 2 secs to check and saves having to fix it afterward.
To check you need to drop the head down like you were cutting so the carbide teeth are below the bed and the square can get to the flat section of the blade. Power unplugged....

 

[JimByrne]

Has anyone tried it on a radial saw?

 

[lakeroadster]

Has anyone tried it on a radial saw?

I have... that works too.

 

[ep29030]

I've cut cardboard and phenolic tubes for years on my chop saw. A little sanding, then thin CA and final sanding and the tubes are good to go. My saw is a 7.5" (non-sliding) chop saw with a 40-tooth carbide blade. I don't have a plywood blade in the shop, but it would be wroth a try for this purpose--lots of fine teeth. Also, a Glue-line rip saw blade might work well for cardboard tubes.

 

[Huxter]

Why have you guys kept this a secret for so many years? I've been on this board since 2005 too! It has not been on the "Tips of the day" thread either.

Geez, what else are you guys holding out on?

 

[OzHybrid]

You can use a table saw with the blade set just up above the material thickness as an alternative. Rotate the tube against the cross-slide fence. Works well for larger diameter tubes. The correct blade choice is the really important thing.

 

[Donnager]

I love my miter saw. I kind of run out of gas after a 4" diameter tube, and have to get creative for bigger cuts (5.5" and up).

I keep about three blades, one for fiberglass (~50tooth) , one for cardboard (~80 tooth), and I have another to actually cut wood.

Echo comments on using a used blade for FG, and NOT using that blade again with wood or paper if you want to cut it cleanly.

 

[DaHabes]

I cut my plywood fins with my miter saw as well. I cut all three or four at the same time, using the Rocksim fin template printout taped to the top board. I cut the fin tabs out with a Dremel Moto-Saw as a set as well, just have to go slow. The I sand the edges as a set as well so they are all uniform.

 

[rharshberger]

Why have you guys kept this a secret for so many years? I've been on this board since 2005 too! It has not been on the "Tips of the day" thread either.

Geez, what else are you guys holding out on?

Its come up MANY times, you probably just didn't read all of the thread it was in.

 

[afadeev]

I use a compound miter saw. Fine finish blade. That's the only way I have cut tubes and coupler stock for years. And as @lakeroadster said. I just keep the blade down until it stops. I have cut up to 4" BT's and couplers. Works great on Blue Tube.

I've used compound miter saw (12" blade, forgot what brand and tooth count) for years as well, for anything from home projects with wood and plastic components, to cutting fiberglass / phenolic / carboard tubes.
I never used it for small diameter paper tubes, seamed like an overkill. But might give it a try the next time around.
For smaller paper tubes, I rely on a 2" Zona Tools hand saw, as pictured in this thread.

 

[OZRoc]

This for me;

Cheers

 

[Donnager]

It wasn't mentioned, but I also use my saw to cut fin slots. I usually build fin cans outside the rocket, and always with cardboard.

A couple of blocks of wood and a hold down, and you can cut perfectly straight slots, but, for cardboard, you will have to be careful not to oval the tube when restraining it. Not as big of a deal in the first cut as the last.

 

[lakeroadster]

It wasn't mentioned, but I also use my saw to cut fin slots. I usually build fin cans outside the rocket, and always with cardboard.

A couple of blocks of wood and a hold down, and you can cut perfectly straight slots, but, for cardboard, you will have to be careful not to oval the tube when restraining it. Not as big of a deal in the first cut as the last.

That sounds problematic... a video, or a step by step How-To would be great.

Cross cutting a tube, easy and safe. But strategically ripping specific sections out that have a fixed width?

Show us... let us learn from your experience.

 

[Donnager]

I'm not going to do a video, as I'm not cutting one now, but I can take a few pictures of how I set up. I may have a 5.5" coupler I can show. Have to look in the pile.

First, you have to make a jig.....or restraints that center the tube along the cut lines. I've used wood blocks or aluminum angle as guides for the tube. Just square them to the saw fence, clamp them, and rest the tube in the middle. A small strap will hold it still, although I usually augment this with my hand to keep any vibration from moving it as I cut. After you've made a cut, the tube will get more flexible and you will have to be more careful with the next cuts.

And then you have to be gentle, slow and precise. If you want to cut it like a 2x4 deck board, you will make a mess. If the tube isn't well centered the cut may try and "walk" a little. Slow, and a good blade will prevent this.

Normally, for cardboard rockets, I'm not concerned with 1/32"-1/16" error in the slot cuts, WHEN the fin can is square and straight with internal fillets (sometimes with fiberglass), so I am just using external fillets, and sometimes glass, to cover 1/32" boo-boos, if any.

You can make these as plunge cuts, but that takes a little more effort.

High performing fiberglass stuff is a different animal. I've lengthened and widened slots with a miter saw this way, but I'm not sure you won't get better results than fine control with a dremel or other cut-off tool.

 

[Donnager]

I'm not going to do a video, as I'm not cutting one now, but I can take a few pictures of how I set up. I may have a 5.5" coupler I can show. Have to look in the pile.

First, you have to make a jig.....or restraints that center the tube along the cut lines. I've used wood blocks or aluminum angle as guides for the tube. Just square them to the saw fence, clamp them, and rest the tube in the middle. A small strap will hold it still, although I usually augment this with my hand to keep any vibration from moving it as I cut. After you've made a cut, the tube will get more flexible and you will have to be more careful with the next cuts.

And then you have to be gentle, slow and precise. If you want to cut it like a 2x4 deck board, you will make a mess. If the tube isn't well centered the cut may try and "walk" a little. Slow, and a good blade will prevent this.

Normally, for cardboard rockets, I'm not concerned with 1/32"-1/16" error in the slot cuts, WHEN the fin can is square and straight with internal fillets (sometimes with fiberglass), so I am just using external fillets, and sometimes glass, to cover 1/32" boo-boos, if any.

You can make these as plunge cuts, but that takes a little more effort.

High performing fiberglass stuff is a different animal. I've lengthened and widened slots with a miter saw this way, but I'm not sure you won't get better results than fine control with a dremel or other cut-off tool.

One other thing....

The jig or braces need to extend well past the fin slots. The slotted area will get soft. It's best to brace on part of the tube that has no cuts. If you extend the stops (and if they are high enough at the business end), this is less of an issue.

 

[jahall4]

Did someone say carboard on a table saw? Been there done that!

 

[Chad]

I do this too, i inherited one of those Chicago Electric - Harbor Freight mitre saws and then got the cheapest fine cutting blade i could find on Amazon. For cardboard I wrap a layer of masking tape first and cut through that since it seems to help with the edges. For phenolic and bluetube I don't use any masking tape, seems to work just fine. The saw also works really well for cutting the ends off plastic nosecones, i like to mount ebays inside the nosecone.