Tube Joints Get Clean

Have you ever wondered how the pros make those perfect butt fitting tubes look so neat?

"No more gaps, no more filling holes with the mig! Simply notch the tube for a clean perfect fit that can be welded neatly for bar work that looks like a pro did it."

OK so who of us has used a angle grinder with a cutting blade to try and get two tubes to meet up neatly? Yes it might work on the rare occasion, but it’s not perfect and can get very frustrating.

There is a simple solution. The pros use a tube notcher. This great tool will not only offer you a professional finish, but will also save you time and make your mates drool at your quality result.

With people building custom trays, rock rails, wheel carriers, even complete rock crawler or offroad racer frames, investing a few hundred coins in a notcher makes sense. The only extra tool you will need is a drill press or a bench vice to mount the notcher to.

The notcher shown on the left, the JD2 may be mounted in a drill press or simply clamped in a vice and used with a 1/2" hand drill.

In this way the JD2 can be laid horizontal and when notching up to 50 degree angles the floor will not interfere with the tubing being notched. Also, since the hand drill is fed in horizontally, the drill's weight doesn't try to force the hole saw in too fast.

ADJUSTABLE TUBE CLAMP - The cradle assembly has been designed to be tough, accurate and easy to use. By CNC machining separate v-shaped pieces that are adjustable up or down, small diameter tubing can be notched offset. Machining the clamp mechanism from a solid block of steel eliminates the problem of tube walk in notchers that use a U-strap.

When you get a notcher with the capacity of up to 3" OD, capable of doing offset notches and adjustment of 0° to 50° for angled notches there is no excuse for not getting that pro finish. Using different size saws with the notcher can allow you to butt one size pipe onto another at different angles.

It's suggested that when you’re cutting through tube, that you use a cutting compound. This not only makes the job easier but will also help to maintain the longevity of your cutting tool. If a replacement is required, they are relatively inexpensive and are readily available from your local hardware store.

Next edition, watch this space as we take a look at tube benders that have some awesome power.