dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
3870

UHF
All static, all day, Forever
MVM
join:2002-05-24

UHF

MVM

Cutting a slit into a pipe

I have a length of aluminum tubing, approx 1 3/16" OD. Not sure of the thickness, I think it's about 1/8".

I need to cut a slit lengthwise into this pipe, the entire length of the pipe. This is to make a "shield" for a magnetic antenna. The width of the gap isn't important, I figure I'll try for around 1/8" or whatever is easy to cut.

Any ideas? I asked the guy at the local welding shop that usually does any metal work I need done, and he said a plasma cutter is out, it'll either blow through both sides or leave a lot of splatter inside the tube. He recommended running it through a table saw with a plywood blade, but I think that would tend to rip it apart or launch it across the garage

Would a dremel bit be able to be used in a router table? Any other suggestions? I may have to dremel it by hand.

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

LazMan

Premium Member

Tablesaw would be my first thought; blade will be a write-off after though.

Freehand with a dremmel would be plan b...

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO

nunya to UHF

MVM

to UHF
An angle grinder and patience.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to UHF

MVM

to UHF
If your table saw can accept 7" blades, Pick up one of these at Home Depot: »www.homedepot.com/p/Avan ··· Z1z13133

HTH,

-Tursiops_G.

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO

nunya

MVM

It's aluminum pipe.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL

Tursiops_G

MVM

ah, missed that...

I wonder, though... With the 128 tooth count, wouldn't that work with Aluminum also, if cut slowly?

UHF
All static, all day, Forever
MVM
join:2002-05-24

UHF to nunya

MVM

to nunya
said by nunya:

An angle grinder and patience.

That might be the best way. The cut will be about 22" long. I guess I better find my angle grinder and hope I have some discs for it.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin to UHF

Mod

to UHF
Try an oscillating multi tool. May work better than a dremel but will still be slow. Only problem is the slit from a single kerf is quite narrow.

Cho Baka
MVM
join:2000-11-23
there

1 recommendation

Cho Baka to UHF

MVM

to UHF
Perhaps this?

»www.homedepot.com/p/DEWA ··· 9870-_-N

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

1 recommendation

Coma to UHF

Premium Member

to UHF

Just use a carbide tipped blade on a table saw set about 5/8" high, draw a line with a marker on the pipe opposite side from the cut for reference . . . and go slow.

Piece 0 caek

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell to Cho Baka

Premium Member

to Cho Baka
A cutoff blade like that would certainly work very well in a table saw assuming you can find one with the right Arbor size. I've actually used a conventional fine toothed blade in my tablesaw with great success cutting aluminum as mentioned by an earlier poster.

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO

nunya to UHF

MVM

to UHF
22"? Angle grinder and 4 minutes.

Cho Baka
MVM
join:2000-11-23
there

Cho Baka

MVM

Thanks. I misread as 22 feet.

Maxx2006
join:2013-02-02
Guelph, ON

Maxx2006 to UHF

Member

to UHF
Angle Grinder as mentioned with a zip blade.

UHF
All static, all day, Forever
MVM
join:2002-05-24

UHF

MVM

Ok, I'll head down to the garage and see how it goes with the angle grinder.
UHF

UHF

MVM

Sure isn't straight, but it worked. Probably should have used copper so I could solder to it, but I didn't have access to any copper that large so this will have to do. I'll drill it to connect a ground wire.

Thanks for the tips!!

generals
@50.138.50.x

generals to UHF

Anon

to UHF
just fyi, in general,

whatever you are cutting, the rule is to pick a blade with at least 3 teeth in the material, to prevent chattering etc.

for this your example, at 1/8", that would be a blade about 24 teeth per inch, or more.

--
myself, I use a diamond grit blade in a right angle grinder, and leave it on for everything. wood, copper, aluminum, steel, stainless, concrete, macadam, rock, etc. it cuts about half as fast as the carborundum blades, but lasts waaaaay longer. and it's noisier, shriller. grit is probly about 80, 80 per inch. pays for itself, about $15., in a month. plus don't have to stop to change carborundums several times per job.

tp0d
yabbazooie
Premium Member
join:2001-02-13
Bulger, PA

1 recommendation

tp0d to UHF

Premium Member

to UHF
said by UHF:

Sure isn't straight, but it worked. Probably should have used copper so I could solder to it, but I didn't have access to any copper that large so this will have to do. I'll drill it to connect a ground wire.

Thanks for the tips!!

I have 20ft of 1.5" M copper tubing in the shop if you're interested.. whatever my wholesale cost is per foot, plus ship..

have 2" as well

-j

Cho Baka
MVM
join:2000-11-23
there

1 recommendation

Cho Baka

MVM

I could sell him some of my 3" copper stack if he needs something bigger. It comes with a nice patina at no additional charge.

UHF
All static, all day, Forever
MVM
join:2002-05-24

UHF to tp0d

MVM

to tp0d
I should have some 1.25" around somewhere in the shop next time I'm in there.
public
join:2002-01-19
Santa Clara, CA

public to UHF

Member

to UHF
said by UHF:

The cut will be about 22" long.

Horizontal mill at your local machine shop.
Easy clean cut with a narrow blade tool.

Sundog
I'm an analog man in a digital world
Premium Member
join:2003-12-12
Tucson, AZ

Sundog to UHF

Premium Member

to UHF
I've used Dremel with a metal cutoff wheel many a time to do something similar. It's a little slow, but it will do the job. Just take your time and it will come out right. Wear eye protection.

edit: I can't believe your welding/metal guy can't do the job. That's a piece of cake.

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

Coma

Premium Member

said by Sundog:

I can't believe your welding/metal guy can't do the job. That's a piece of cake.


Their is no job that can not exceed the skill of the worker.

SparkChaser
Premium Member
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

SparkChaser to UHF

Premium Member

to UHF
We geeky people are wondering how you are using this.

UHF
All static, all day, Forever
MVM
join:2002-05-24

1 recommendation

UHF

MVM

It's an H-Field antenna for a lightning tracking station

See blitzortung.org
Liberty
Premium Member
join:2005-06-12
Arizona

1 recommendation

Liberty to UHF

Premium Member

to UHF
I know you have finished this project but you and others might like to know; there is nothing all that special about cutting thin aluminum.

I have built many aluminum screen enclosures and use my miter box with an ordinary fine tooth plywood blade to cut extruded aluminum.
I bought big tubes of wax packaged for cutting non ferrous metals, just tap the blade every few cuts keeps the teeth from jamming.

Some guys go with running fine tooth blade backwards but it leaves too big a burr for my taste.

In a pinch with no wax or candle etc, you can use bar soap but puts a soap flavored dust in air - my tongue & eyes don't like it.

Loud process....