Cutting aluminium tubing and threaded bar?

[TimothyClaypole]

I'm working on something that i'm using 10mm aluminium tubing, 2mm wall and some threaded bar at 5mm.

I've assorted tools but could do with something to cut these two that's not massively noisy as I've no outside work place at the minute, probably not something that goes together cutting metal quietly.

I've a Dremel, Proxxon hobby plastic boxed saw table, a Clarke 10" saw table, 6 and 9" grinders, reciprocating saw, jigsaw, circular saw etc. but they are all a bit noisy for indoor use apart from the Proxxon which is
hopelessly underpowered.

I've been cutting them by hand with a junior hacksaw but each item needs around 18 bits of tubing and 8 pieces of bar...

Or just build a shed? :mrgreen:

 

[woodfarmer]

The small 4 1/2 inch clarke bandsaws are quiet.. for such small sizes use bands with small teeth say 20 or more tpi.
Mine has done quite a lot of work over the years.

 

[marcros]

I would get an plumbers adjustable pipe cutter for the tube and use a dremel and cutting disk on the 5mm bar.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My first thought was a pipe cutter, but it might not be the best - a 2mm wall will collapse inwards quite badly by the time it's cut, and the tube's only 10mm. It's possibly better to find a way of sawing it.

 

[RogerP]

Small bandsaw with metal cutting blade.

Ian at Tuffsaws ( http://www.tuffsaws.co.uk ) will advise as to best blade for your needs.

 

[spinks]

Swap the junior hacksaw for a full sixze one...through in seconds!

 

[Spindle]

Hi

In my experience a pipe cutter is the best thing for the tube - I use one to cut 10mm x 1mm wall aluminium up to 19mm x 1.5mm steel, I've also cut 2.5mm wall steel hydraulic tube. There is no tube distortion provided you take it easy and the ends are automatically square, (you will have to file off a burr around the inside wall of the tube but that takes seconds with a round file or the pipe cutter may have a de-burring function built in.

5mm threaded bar is best cut with a full size hacksaw fitted with something like a 24 TPI bi-metallic blade.

Regards Mick

 

[Harbo]

I've got a cheapo Warco powered hacksaw (which actually works like a bandsaw) - might be worth investing if it's an ongoing task?

Rod

 

[Hitch]

Agree with spinx, get yourself a proper hacksaw, not one of them pound shop special juniors :lol:

Get a quality blade, bahco/eclipse/ultra/starrett/lenox.... I think i'd choose a 24tpi blade for that task

Half a dozen strokes per cut.... bit of elbow grease saves a lot of ££ :mrgreen:

If its a regular job, may be worth making a jig to cut the bits all the same lengths...save marking the lengths off each time.

 

[AES]

Agree with most of the above but ......

Pipe cutter will work well, just make sure that you take it easy (1 turn of the tensioning knob per rotation of the tool) and the tube wall will not collapse;

If using a "proper" hacksaw, if possible get a 32 TPI blade (they are made but most stockists usually carry mainly the "general purpose"24 TPI blades. You need at least 2 (better 3) teeth in contact with the tube wall at all times as you cut. Again take it easy and no problems. With the blade brands already mentioned you won't even break into a sweat.

Unless there are many many such cuts to make personally I wouldn't bother with any sort of powered machine.

HTH
AES

 

[TimothyClaypole]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've done a few with my bigger hacksaw which is ok. I've ordered some Eclipse blades as well, then cut them very slightly over so I can sand the ends to size on my little Proxxon sander.

This is what they are for, just a work in progress so the perspex is orange (cheaper stuff for testing) rather than clear. The tubing will be polished like the one piece I've tried already and there will be a base underneath.

 

[TimothyClaypole]

 

[dickm]

Does someone eat a lot of eggs????

 

[SammyQ]

I f they eat enough to fill all those spaces, I'm staying upwind.... :-"

 

[TimothyClaypole]

No eggs I'm afraid, just paint:

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I like it from the front but I think the side is too "fussy"?

And I can't make the last support as my vice won't open far enough to press the rivet nut into the tubing, fiddlesticks. (hammer)

Maybe keep the small supports and replace all the bottom ones with a piece of acrylic in a stepped shape with holes drilled to take the threaded rod that's inside the ones above?

Or just fit another rivet nut into the acrylic and use a 50mm button head bolt all the way through?

 

[MMUK]

How about a base rail for each side from some 12mm alu square section polished up? The longer "stilts" could be fitted with rivet nuts in the bottoms and use a short piece of stud to screw them into the alu base. That would keep all the stilts evenly spaced and it'll be more stable

 

[TimothyClaypole]

The base would be acrylic i just hadn't cut it on the laser - used some mdf instead so they would be fastened at the bottoms as you mention.

I just think it looks cluttered from the side.

(The reason for this design is you can get this sort of thing with solid sides already so wanted to try a different style).

 

[TimothyClaypole]

The finished(ish) thing:





Before and after of the tubing:

 

[dickm]

looks good.