Hey guys me and my dad are working on our first cage and are having some troube figuring out how to notch properly. We are using a harbor freight notching tool. From what I have read you are supposed to get the angle of the tubes intersecting and set your notcher at that angle. Every time I do that it comes out wrong. So does anyone have any tips or know what I may be doing wrong? Thanks for any help
notching tube help
- Thread starter kawzx10
- Start date
Ok so I have been doing some more searching and thinking. I am tired so hopefuly this aint to far off the wall. I checked the angles on the tube I am trying to notch one side is 29 degrees and one side is 155. I found a notcher calculator you put in the id od and degrees and it comes up with 2 different degrees. It wont let you put in a degree higher than 90 so I am guessing I have to put in 29. Is that right? I also found a Notcher template program so what I am thinking is plugging those degree numbers into the template maker one for each side and scribing them and using a grinder. Will this work?
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
Getcha one of these, ya slide it over the tube ya wanna notch, and push down to the tube you want to fit it to, and then all the little needles come out and form-fit to the shape and angle of the notch you need, then trace that design back on the tube you want to notch.
It's really easier to do than it is to explain, it's called a pipemaster, they're a life saver.
It's really easier to do than it is to explain, it's called a pipemaster, they're a life saver.
Get two pieces of flat metal (mine is 1/8" thick by 3/4" wide), and bolt them together at one end. Make it tight enough to hold position, loose enough to move by hand. This is your "Angle-o-meter". :greg:
Forget the math. Hold the tube in approximate position, and set the angle-o-meter between the tube you're putting in, and the mating tube. Take it to your notcher, set the clamp at the same angle. (one leg of angle-o-meter is the notched tube, the other leg is the notcher's shaft) Notch away!
This doesn't take into account the rotation of the bend, just the angle itself--but it will give you a good start to getting used to notching. Also, don't trust the degree marks on that HF notcher anyway--even good notchers have suspect degree markings frequently, so the HF one should only be used for relative reference points.
Some pics stolen from the web:
And actually, the article where the first pic was posted is a really helpful one on bending tube. Read it if you haven't already: http://www.pirate4x4.com/articles2/tech/bendin_tube
Forget the math. Hold the tube in approximate position, and set the angle-o-meter between the tube you're putting in, and the mating tube. Take it to your notcher, set the clamp at the same angle. (one leg of angle-o-meter is the notched tube, the other leg is the notcher's shaft) Notch away!
This doesn't take into account the rotation of the bend, just the angle itself--but it will give you a good start to getting used to notching. Also, don't trust the degree marks on that HF notcher anyway--even good notchers have suspect degree markings frequently, so the HF one should only be used for relative reference points.
Some pics stolen from the web:
And actually, the article where the first pic was posted is a really helpful one on bending tube. Read it if you haven't already: http://www.pirate4x4.com/articles2/tech/bendin_tube
For angles, a transfer bevel is what we called them in the structural misc biz. Easy to make with some Aluminum bar and rivets. I really hate those needle pipe masters, definately for the beginner. After a while you will be able to go off of your eye. Also a good tube notcher is a MUST...
ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
your not going to be able to do every notch with a tube notcher either......I generally hold the tube in place where its gonna go and just freehand draw the shape on the tube. then grind it down to shape with a flapper disk on a grinder. Test and repeat.
The pipe masters are nice but you cant always use them either. Personally I dont think they are worth what they want. I think they have them in stock at Metal Mart in Lehi.
The biggest thing you can do is just practice. Good luck and tell your Dad hi!
The pipe masters are nice but you cant always use them either. Personally I dont think they are worth what they want. I think they have them in stock at Metal Mart in Lehi.
The biggest thing you can do is just practice. Good luck and tell your Dad hi!
I do the same thing as cheston when it comes to a difficult notch. I draw where it needs to be notched mock it up in the notcher make the notch a little bit shy of where it needs to go and clean it up the rest of the way with a flapper wheel of course anything about 60 degress or less of notch I throw it in there and just notch it
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
I'll let you in on a secret, you can make your own pipemaster. Go to Starbucks, buy a hot coffee, throw the coffe away but keep the little cardboard thing they slide over it to keep you from burning your hand. (jk, you don't have to buy coffee they'll probably give you one for free) cut it vertically, wrap it around your tube, (so your cardboard thingy is the same diameter as the tube you're working with now, and you can cut off the overlap) wrap it once with duct tape to hold it's shape round.
Step 2, go to a bbq where they are having shisckabobs and when everyone is done collect all the wood skewer sticks out of the trash (jk again, wal-mart sells them) and then run the skewers through the holes of the cardboard of the Starbucks cardboard thing.. (you can cut the skewers to like 8" or so to make it more maneagable.) Ta da, almost free pipemaster!
Like this but round and for tube:
One more, large scale:
Step 2, go to a bbq where they are having shisckabobs and when everyone is done collect all the wood skewer sticks out of the trash (jk again, wal-mart sells them) and then run the skewers through the holes of the cardboard of the Starbucks cardboard thing.. (you can cut the skewers to like 8" or so to make it more maneagable.) Ta da, almost free pipemaster!
Like this but round and for tube:
One more, large scale:
Last edited:
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
Oh and btw fwiw, I don't even own a notcher, I use a cutoff wheel on a 4.5" angle grinder first to get rid of the mass, then a flap wheel to fine-tune, and I'm perfectly fine with that, its tons easier in my opinion.
I saved up some paper towel cardboard tubes and used them as a practice tube for some of my joints I had a hard time to visualize. I also used a program called winmiter to enter in the geeky details and then print a page out that I could cut and roll up to make the right shape, from there I would transfer it to a tube. I also used an I-Lean style angle-o-meter to help me transfer the needed angle to my nothing tool.
In the end I found that an eyeball, and a grinder got me closer to where I needed to be with most of my joints.
In the end I found that an eyeball, and a grinder got me closer to where I needed to be with most of my joints.
I used to do mine this way as well, until I picked up a really good notcher. Now I hate to spend any more than a couple minutes on notches.
Good notchers are WELL worth the money as far as saving time goes.
Especially when all my notches now turn out like this: (straight notches are super super quick)
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
I have Bendtech Pro which prints out a template wrapper that you can just click on the joint of the project you designed and print out the given notch wrapper, wrap it on the tube and cut 'er out. Works well if you've made your project in the program.
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
What notcher do you have Herzog? To be honest the only one I've even fully considered is the Baleigh TN-250 but a $500 bill is not justified to me yet for a notcher until I get doing more tube work. I've also half considered the JMR TN-1000.
It's a JD2 Notch Master. Worth every red cent! The Baleigh notcher is pretty damn cool from the videos I've seen.
zukijames
Well-Known Member
- Location
- not moab anymore
im too poor for a real notcher.. i do the majority of the notch on my chop saw.. then finish with flapper wheel.. slow but faster than just grinding the whole thing.. not as pretty/strong of notches/joints as herzogs
STAG
On my grind
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
I would like to try one of those bamf belt sander notchers with the $$$ diamond blue belts. Get it roughed in with a cutoff wheel and then I hear they work pretty well.