I need to notch some tubing for welding...it's 1" OD, .083 wall thickness, 6061. THe hole saw method isn't working very well, and I don't have a mill. Any ideas? THanks.
- posted
16 years ago
Notching thin-walled aluminum tubing...
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- posted
16 years ago
Belt sander. Use a sander to bevel the end of the tube on 2 sides. It will end up being a bit more than a 45 degree bevel. More like 55 degree, so you have a 110 degree angle on the end of the tube. Then round off the 2 center points and then bevel the inside of those points until the tube nests well against the other tube.
With practice it is faster than any other method, but it is tricky to hit a specific length if notching both ends of the tube.
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16 years ago
"dan *5" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@s19g2000prg.googlegr oups.com:
Dan,
There are two free computer programs that make paper templates for cutting fishmouth notches on the ends of tubes:
Winmiter >
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Tubemiter >
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Each has it's advantage. Winmiter allows for centerline offset. Tubemiter includes wall thickness.
I just tape the paper around the tube and use a right angle grinder to grind away the metal (and paper) right to the printed line on the template. I even overlapped two templates to make a double fishmouth to attache a vertical tube to the cross point of an "X" base for an outdoors umbrella stand.
Ken