Arbors and Hole Saws for Tube Notching?

[f350ca]

1/2 inch shank hole saw arbours are quite common. A 1 1/4 hole saw won't go through the tubing in one pass at an angle (may at 90 deg) you'll have to cut part way, then get rid of the top of the waste tube with a cut off saw or hack saw to finish the cut. It hangs up in the bottom of the saw. Best to tighten the hole saw on the arbour and not use the pins, Unless its tight against the arbour they wobble and cut oversize.

Greg

 

[Asm109]

I have used a lathe for tube notching. Hole saw in chuck. Replace tool holder with a block with a hole that holds your tubing at center height.
It should have a slot and pinch bolt to hold the tubing tight.
Use the compound to set the angle you want to cut.
Works a treat it does.

 

[RobertB]

That cutter would not work on tube as required, it is too shallow.

The cutter should be every bit of 1 3/4” long.

benmychree is correct, the hougen hole cutters are for sheet metal. They only have a depth of cut of about 1/8".

 

[Jason280]

I've used bimetal hole saws in my Induma with box tubing, and its worked out pretty well...

 

[machPete99]

If using a hole saw for this do not use an arbor that has the locking pins, or at least do not use the locking pins, as they allow the cutter to wobble around and it will cut oversize. You want an arbor that screws in tight.

Some of the commercial arbors have a relief groove that limits the thread engagement with the cutter. Using a washer here helps to keep it from stripping out.

 

[ErichKeane]

In my experience, hole saws do really poorly if they hit the material at an angle. I would expect any time you tilted the head that the side-load would mess up your cut.

 

[bob308]

check the racing magazines. there is a tool the is for notching tubing it uses a hole saw can be used in a drill press can set angles. I have one it works well I built many roll cages with it.

 

[RJSakowski]

Here is THE way to cut your tubing.

 

[ezduzit]

McMaster-Carr sells a very heavy duty hole saw arbor.

 

[eugene13]

We build a lot of things out of tubing in our shop; the black one is an IMCA modified, the naked one is a WISSOTA B-mod, we use the "Old Joint Jigger" for 99.9 of our copes, but sometimes we need to use the mill. I built these arbors out of 1" CRS of unknown pedigree, I turned them down to 7/8" to fit my largest collet and not fit the 3/4" drill press. I drill a hole and thread in a stud of the appropriate size. I run them at 40 RPM with .0015 feed regardless of size. A good hole will build two chassis and then some and it will give as good a fits as YOU are capable of making, and the most bang for your buck.
My argument for using hole saws; I 1/2" high quality hole saw, about $15.00. 1 1/2" rotobroach, about $150.00, I haven't used up 10 hole saws since I bought the Joint Jigger back in '96.
the last picture is of the driver's side door bar, it's a compound angle and a difficult as you need to nibble a little off each end to get your width and I do it in the mill.