dmlappert
Well-Known Member
Is there a best practice for cutting G12 tubes with a mitre saw? Best blade, i.e. 140 BT? Hoping to not splinter the tubes...
Cutting 4" G12 body tubes
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blackjack2564
Crazy Jim's Gone Banana's
Tile abrasive cutting blade is best.
For just a few cuts here & there a fine toothed carbide blade works well.
Feed tube slow, as not to splinter tube
For just a few cuts here & there a fine toothed carbide blade works well.
Feed tube slow, as not to splinter tube
If there is any minor splintering you can fix it with CA adhesive and then sand. My glue of choice is Loctite 401 or 406, but I am sure many others would be just as effective.
FYI I personally cut it in a lathe using a dental drill (over 400k rpm!) as a toolpost grinder.
FYI I personally cut it in a lathe using a dental drill (over 400k rpm!) as a toolpost grinder.
dmlappert
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Thanks... will pick up the blade.
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Best is to use a tile saw, because the running water carries away the hazardous dust. Failing that, as others have said a diamond blade in a table saw works well, but try to collect the dust with a vacuum at the cutting point as much as you can.
I agree with this and for fins or other flat sheets I use my tile saw. The depth of the blade doesn’t allow cutting a tube though, so I wrap the area to be cut with masking tape first and cut tubes with a fine toothed carbide blade in a power miter saw. I usually do it outdoors and the blade’s rotation pulls most of the dust away from me. I wear a respirator also.
If you make a stop for the other end of the tube you can rotate the tube on the cutting blade while holding it against the stop.
Using some masking tape tightly wound at the location of the cut will help minimize splintering, as will cutting slow and steady.
The dust is a real concern. I have excellent dust collection, and HEPA air filtration in my shop moving serious CFM.
The dust is a real concern. I have excellent dust collection, and HEPA air filtration in my shop moving serious CFM.
You’re right, and I remember a very nice tube cutting jig on John Coker‘s page that does exactly that.
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I use this jig on the table saw and an 80 tooth carbide-tipped blade. If you turn it real slow it minimizes the splinter. It used to not be a problem until the filament-wound tubes became the norm.
I don't mind touching up the ends with spot putty.
I don't mind touching up the ends with spot putty.
Nathan
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Is the "G12" name for filament wound fiberglass tubing something that exists outside of rocketry or is it something that Madcow just made up? Because when I search the web for G12 fiberglass there are no search results that are not related to rocketry.
dmlappert
Well-Known Member
Hawk Mountain, and others, also label their body tube material as G12.
dmlappert
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Gonna try a 12" diamond blade on my miter saw. Thanks everyone for your responses. BTW, has anyone tried cutting these tubes with the blade running in reverse?
No, but that works great for vinyl siding. I just use my miter box by feeding down real slow splinters less. The more teeth the better.
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wetting the diamond blade and the tube helps a lot when you are not using a tile saw. Be sure you have a stop to hold the tube securely against for a square cut without binding.
dmlappert
Well-Known Member
I bought a 100T Carbide Blade , put a wrap of tape around tube, and it cut through like butter. Zero splintering. So far, so good. Thanks again.
dmlappert
Well-Known Member
Used a clamp to hold tube in place.... cuts are square.
