lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Power tools deserve respect. I think I was maybe 5 years old when I was taught that.
Pretty much anytime a power tool is mentioned though on this site, folks seem to get all squeamish.
Straight Tube Cuts
- Thread starter smstachwick
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Pretty much anytime a power tool is mentioned though on this site, folks seem to get all squeamish.
Yes sir.... that is the idea. If the off end is not square, you can approach it two ways.....
1) Get some sort of "mandrel" fixed in the tube that DOES have a square end or...
2) Use a flat/true stop block that is LARGER than the diameter in both directions so that the "high spot" is what the tube indexes on ALL THE WAY AROUND.
3) Low friction is important to reduce risk of this RISKY cut.
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT recommend ANYONE but me use this technique. IF you mess up, you will possibly have a saw blade spinning NOT in the table slot, and a long piece of composite tube that may/will explode if it binds and kicks out. IF you hurt yourself or damage something.... it is entirely on you.
The saw will happily EAT YOU if you let it.
TONS of cautions.... But it works really well.
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Under NO circumstances should the operator straddle the saw blade on this cut (left hand on left side of blade and right hand on right side of blade).
Operator should keep ENTIRE body to the left of the blade (the KEEP side). No one cares about the cut side until the cut is complete.
The sketch is a sketch.... This requires experience and great caution to pull off effectively and safely (safer).
I mean.... it IS a 12" circular saw that moves....
Gotta make SURE you have the chop limit set/restricted properly.... IF you are rotating, it is likely safer to only have the blade barely break the inner tube surface to reduce potential kicks....
LOW friction is key.... I learned this the hard way a LONG time ago. That is why I line the table, fence, and stop block with PTFE sheet.
I've used these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324647345410
They are along the same idea as the Estes tube guides. They work quite well. Available in 29mm, BT-80, and Estes Pro II 2", 2 1/2", and 3".
(I've bought a number of items from this Ebay vendor, including rocket kits. His stuff is good quality.)
Hans.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324647345410
They are along the same idea as the Estes tube guides. They work quite well. Available in 29mm, BT-80, and Estes Pro II 2", 2 1/2", and 3".
(I've bought a number of items from this Ebay vendor, including rocket kits. His stuff is good quality.)
Hans.
I do something similar, but with my table saw and cross cut sled. The sled is very, very, square so the tube is also very square. I use a stop block on one end and raise the blade through the sled to about twice the wall thickness of the tube. Then slide the sled until blade cuts through the bottom of the tube and then rotate the tube until it is cut. You can do any size tubing that will fit on your cross cut sled.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Thanks for taking the time to explain this, much appreciated!
Thank you for the illustration.... Except for the stop block size, your setup is very similar to mine.... just upside down.... sorta.
Yep.... I basically do this on my sliding compound miter saw.... Why?
Because I have a crappy 25 year old, tiny, Craftman table saw.... Of course, I am about to modify it heavily to get precision runners so I can build a proper sled.
I NEED the sled to add the finger jointing jig to make parts for my avbay.
So, bottom line.... I will likely move my tube cutting to the table saw..... Safer and easier...
Thank you for bringing it to my attention!!
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Don't want to have to get anything cauterized, after all.
what gr
what grit paper do you use?
Indeed. Everything fine with the illustration other than the stop block should really be larger than the diameter of whatever tube you're cutting/squaring in case the other side isn't square - which it sometimes isn't for the 1st end.
TP
I found this small 5" disc sander on the web search. It might be perfect for the condo patio use.
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My 14-inch disc sander is one of the most useful tools I own. Have done a lot of good work with it.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
surely you meant 400, as you wouldn't have anything left of the cardboard tube using that rough of sandpaper
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
I do mean 40, and don't call me Shirley! lol
I use the 40 grit on the disc sander for lots of things, such as deburring steel and sharpening my wood lathe tools. But it makes squaring up the end of tubing quick and easy too.
FWIW: I use a 120 grit belt. The small round roller on the belt makes contouring parts, and de-burring the inside of larger body tubes easy peazy.
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I do mean 40, and don't call me Shirley! lol
I use the 40 grit on the disc sander for lots of things, such as deburring steel and sharpening my wood lathe tools. But it makes squaring up the end of tubing quick and easy too.
FWIW: I use a 120 grit belt. The small round roller on the belt makes contouring parts, and de-burring the inside of larger body tubes easy peazy.
View attachment 550871 View attachment 550872
I have a six inch Sander that is similar. Very useful.
do you use that aggressive of grit paper that lakeroadster does?
jdsmith39
Active Member
My method is dependent on having some kind of tube insert to make tube rigid, but I use a standard pipe cutter. So, for ~$40 you can cut anything up to ~2.125" to 2.5" (depends on the pipe cutter you get/have) diameter with perfectly straight cuts.
So, where do I get the tube inserts from? I'm glad you asked! I have a 3D printer so, I measure them out and print cutting inserts to make the tube rigid so the pipe cutter can do its thing.
Sorry about the lighting, used a flashlight to add light, flash on the camera made things too saturated.
Anyway, this is my pipe cutter. The tube has the insert in it that I 3D printed and both ends of the tube have been cut.
I do have another pipe cutter that cuts up to 3.5" diameter tubes, but it was pretty expensive, over $100. I wouldn't expect that to make sense more most people. I cut quite a few tubes, so it made sense to save time. I make rockets out of AT and CTI packaging tubes. 54mm packaging tubes were too big for the pipe cutter pictured above. I also make my own sugar motors and I use this same method for cutting liners/casting tubes.
Jeremy
So, where do I get the tube inserts from? I'm glad you asked! I have a 3D printer so, I measure them out and print cutting inserts to make the tube rigid so the pipe cutter can do its thing.
Sorry about the lighting, used a flashlight to add light, flash on the camera made things too saturated.
Anyway, this is my pipe cutter. The tube has the insert in it that I 3D printed and both ends of the tube have been cut.
I do have another pipe cutter that cuts up to 3.5" diameter tubes, but it was pretty expensive, over $100. I wouldn't expect that to make sense more most people. I cut quite a few tubes, so it made sense to save time. I make rockets out of AT and CTI packaging tubes. 54mm packaging tubes were too big for the pipe cutter pictured above. I also make my own sugar motors and I use this same method for cutting liners/casting tubes.
Jeremy
why do you have a vise grip plier holding the flap open?
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
It acts like a clutch and allows the belt to slip slightly.
For small tubes, I use the Estes cutting guides with an Exacto hobby razor saw. I can hold it flat against the guides and usually get a relatively clean square cut. I do have to sand off the frayed edges. For larger tubes, ACE hardware has a hose clamp kit, with various size hose clamps. Usually the adjusting apparatus does get in the way, and if one is careful, one can loosen it up and rotate it out of the way. It worked well for me the first couple of times, but I seem to have lost my touch. Now I wind up with a bump or a dip along the tube edge
.
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I tend to cut it a few mm long and sand to where I want it. Yes - Aggressive.
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This is the best accessory that I've ever bought for my table saw: https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-10-table-saw-sanding-disc-mounting-plate. I keep 40grit on one side and 120 on the other.I found this small 5" disc sander on the web search. It might be perfect for the condo patio use.
I have the exact same Ryobi sander, though mine ain’t so perty!
I had to sell my table saw when I had to quit renting the 1 car garage here at the condos because I couldn't afford it anymore.
Major downsizing and tool reduction.
https://www.amazon.com/Ryobi-Tabletop-Tile-Saw/dp/B06XWPR7XS
Just don't use water. Might fit in your shop.
Just don't use water. Might fit in your shop.
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I look at wet tile saws on Craigslist when I'm thinking about carbon tubes and fins.
I figured the rollers would make an indention in cardboard?
