If you are notching spreader bars, how do you get both notches aligned perfect?? What's the trick to this?

I'm using a drill press and hole saw for notching.

Christof

I tried to use my drill press . . . bad idea. It was impossible to get everythig where I wanted it. I broke down and bought a notcher. I suggest you do the same.

J. J.

I have used my drill press for my entire cage, worked well for notching, sometimes had a groove of max 3mm but that's not so bad.

What is the real advantage off a tubing notcher over a drill press??? The only advantage i see is that you don't have to measure to finde the centerling of the tube and with a drillpress you have to measure to find it.

I don't see how a tube notcher would help me aligning two notches on the opposite side of a tube.

Christof

You can use one of those measuring tapes used for sewing (the fabric type ones). Wrap it around the circumference of the tube, figure where you're starting the notches and divide the distance by half for opposite side or divide by 4 if you need the notch to start at a 90* from the other notch.
Hope that makes sense........ it does is my head. :D :confused: :D

Christof,

Make your first notch. Flip the tube around, and HOLD a straight tube against the notch. Notice the straight tube is held straight up (aligned with the vertical axis of the drill press). Clamp down the tube to be notched and the two ends should be aligned. Proceed with the notching.

If you are using HREW, with a seam going down the side, you could use a "pointer" to the seam. Easiest is to just make a scribe mark on the sadle of the tube notching clamp. If you have the seem aligned straight up, just flip it to towards the inside of the cage when you weld everything up.

Tom :usa:

I've been using a tool for builders (don't know the word :D ) you know the string with the weigth on the end so they can see if the wall they are building is straight.

This way i can align the nothces perfectly but it takes some time to do this, i was just wondering how the pro's do it, there must be a more quicker way.

roundrocktom: the way you described seems faster, i'll give that a try, thanks for the advice!




Christof

Originally posted by Diesel_Cruiser
I've been using a tool for builders (don't know the word :D ) you know the string with the weigth on the end so they can see if the wall they are building is straight.


it's called a plumb bob.

My self I use the tube notcher and the tube with the seam, makes things real easy. What you can do if you are using DOM take a long piece of 1"x1" angle and put it on the side of the tube with the tube in the crotch of the angle and use the leg edge as the straite line to mark both ends for your centers. Short of that practice! Hope this helps.

I made two cuts with a chopsaw... in a / \

Originally posted by rokcrln
My self I use the tube notcher and the tube with the seam, makes things real easy. What you can do if you are using DOM take a long piece of 1"x1" angle and put it on the side of the tube with the tube in the crotch of the angle and use the leg edge as the straite line to mark both ends for your centers. Short of that practice! Hope this helps.

Great tip!! Thanks

Christof

http://www.deltaconne.com/centering_head_tool.htm
http://www.deltaconne.com/smallcenthead.htm
clamp down your tubing so it cant move, then use this to mark both ends. it will work every time.:flipoff2:

I misread your message. You're just trying to notch straight through a tube with a hole saw. A drill press doesn't work for anything with an angle very well, which is why I bought the notcher. Why don't you just block up the tube far enough to where the hole saw goes all the way through the first time and you don't have to turn it over? Or am I still misunderstanding the question?

If you're trying to match up one end of the tube to the other, then just use another piece of tube held against the already notched end, use an angle finder to get it to 90*, and then notch the other side.

J. J.

I use a tubing notcher and the second tubing trick. That is, I notch one side and then flip the tube around. In the notched side I put a piece of scrap tube in the notch and then use a level to make certain it is perfectly vertical. I have yet to have a problem with this method.

Even though I've never done it this should work, mark your center for the first notch then use a chalk line down to the other end to mark the center for the other notch.

To work on tubing I'd get the red mason's chalk not carpenter's blue.

Oh and BTW the the string with the weight thingy on the other end is called a "plumb bob".

For my spreaders I used a sawzall and a grinder to round out the cuts...worked good as long as I took my time.

lay big enough welds and you should not have a problem...then fillet your welds with a finish wheel...

www,off-road.com did a review on a notchiing jig for a hand-held drill. It is either in June or the May edition.

I use the tube notcher in the drill press. Better than sliced bread.


Also there is a device that you can purchase from race fab supplies, that its tube alingment device this allows you to draw the exact line on the tubing, SOOO you to cut it any way you wan't ,because all you have to do is cut to the line.

Thanks for all the advice! Any other tips that would make building my cage a bit easier??