opinions on tube cutting?

Demonoid369

Demonoid369

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Salem, OR
forgive me for the lack of proper name but cant remember it lol

whats in your guy's opinion between using a miter saw(cant remember the actual name that uses the metal cutting blade) and a band saw to cut and notch tubing? Ive seen majority use band saws but want to get opinions about the circular saw one(still dont know the proper name lol)
 
Biggest draw backs to chop saw notching are the mess, noise, and sparks. The dust these things make can cause slip hazards if you've got smooth floors as well.

Many people get great results with this method, but I have a single car garage shop. I refuse to roll my welding table out to sweep, then dust off all my shelves, then deal with anything plastic or glass getting dust/sparks melted into them...

Works fine for 90's or 45's, or 22.5's but how many notches in a roll cage are at these angles? The chop saw is useless for offset notches, notches at a node, etc etc.

When you first get started it may be fine, then you want a hole saw notcher, then you want the 500$ notcher that can notch on the bend, etc etc.

Not all notches are the same, it depends on what you are making, how patient you are, etc etc


I sure as hell wouldn't BUY one to notch with, but if you've already got one, go for it. I've had one for years, and it hasn't been off the shelf in at least a year, I use a jd2 tn100, a portaband, grinders with flap wheels, and one of those pin dohickies for my notches.
 
Also don't forget to deburr the inside of the tubing of slag from the abrasive saw, the boogers will rattle loose, and you will hear them rattling around inside the tube after you weld it. Not to mention you really don't want this crap in your weld joints.

Patience and skill are more important than which tools you've got...
 
mako my day said:
Chop saw
Click to expand...
thats the word! lol its late and I'm tired lol


xcm said:
Patience and skill are more important than which tools you've got...
Click to expand...

which is why I'm asking, because I've worked with both but never really paid attention to pro and cons and what is better for these applications like bumpers, sliders, cage(when ever it gets to that point), etc.. because I have a chop saw but I've just been wondering if a band saw was is better, if I should save and look for one in the future.
 
I have never been able to pull off nice notches with a chop saw. I can use a bench grinder and get real close but a hole saw notcher is the way to go. It depends on what you are working on too. I wouldn't be using a chop saw if I was working with Dom or cro. Standard tubing for bs projects no problem. If you were to use a notcher you would definitely throw the chop saw or band saw out of the window. For cutting tubing a band saw set at a slow rate will give you a much straighter cut. Chop saws work but you have to use little pressure or you can see the blade bow half way through the cut and if you really look your cut will be angled. It's really all about how you want your project to turn out.
 
Bails brought up another reason chop saws suck.... The abrasive wheels deflect under load...: and it doesn't take much.

I'm gonna be a little more out spoken today, both of those are Terrible options for anything but building farm equipment...


Get a notcher...
 
These minor problems are easy to get around by just welding the gap, but that is a bad practice, and unacceptable in a professional shop... Get the right equipment, you will be happier, and your welds will be stronger....

As far as bandsaws, I'm of the opinion that a full size is nice, but overkill. I use a Milwaukee portaband mounted to a swag offroad table with a foot pedal, I was working in a hot rod shop for a while fabricating, and I found the portaband to be more than sufficient for 95% of daily tasks.... For a third the price, and a tenth the siZe, not to mention blades are available at your local Home Depot

I just don't have room... even for one of the smaller horiZontal units.
 
chop saws are awesome for straight cuts. and a quick notch here and there.

notchers are great, but slow.

not really sure how I would notch tube with a band saw...
 
rockclimber said:
chop saws are awesome for straight cuts. and a quick notch here and there.

notchers are great, but slow.

not really sure how I would notch tube with a band saw...
Click to expand...

I dissagree about speed, I'd love to race someone to build 5x 5" peices with a notch on both ends, jd2 tn100 vs chop saw.

There are
Definitely countless truely badass end mill, belt, etc driven notchers on the market, but I figure if the op is talking chop saw, those 2k$ notchers are out of the question...
 
ya 2k is definitely not going to happen lol the reason to ask between a chop saw and band saw was for building bumpers, sliders, cages, tire carriers, etc.. which all involve some sort of angle cut and precision fitting on some. I have a chop saw but wanted to know if I should just save and look for a small band saw to use instead. which from the comments it seem like the band saw is better
 
Bandsaws are very nice to have, and you won't regret buying one if you plan on doing different kinds of fabrication ..... They just don't notch round tubing very well.
 
plasma works. i just scarf till it fits. pretty quick. i used to use my mill till i figured that out.
 
I use the hell outta my JD2 Notchmaster. It's fun to find different applications for it as well. Drilling angled 1" holes through my frame for upper link bolt sleeves:

947398_10100157464082759_625928868_n.jpg


923117_10100161869349569_1913087534_n.jpg


Definitely a tool I wouldn't wanna do any fabbing without, if you're fitting a lot of tube joints.
 
I'm confused.

What is that metal thing all your suspension, drivetrain, and (presumably) body bolt to?
 
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