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  #1  
Old 06-10-2017, 07:52 AM
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N804RV N804RV is offline
 
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Location: Mount Vernon, Wa
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Default Cutting thin wall aluminum tubing

Fabing up aileron control tubes on next day off. Wanted to insure I get good clean and square cuts. Has anyone used a TCG non-ferrous blade on a mitre/chop saw for this? Or, should I go buy something special?
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  #2  
Old 06-10-2017, 07:55 AM
Kyle Boatright Kyle Boatright is offline
 
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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Bandsaw or hacksaw works. Fine toothed is preferred.
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Old 06-10-2017, 09:15 AM
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N804RV N804RV is offline
 
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Yep. Looking to make a dead straight cut with minimum hassle. My band saw sucks and a hack-saw would wander without a tube jig. But, my chop saw is sitting there in my garage, ready to go. Just don't want to f- up and have to buy another length of tube stock.
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Old 06-10-2017, 09:38 AM
Tom Martin Tom Martin is offline
 
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A tubing cutter works well. You have to be careful to not take too big a bite each time. Many turns around is better then a few. Take a large half round file and clean out the slight burr and you are ready to go with a perfect perpendicular cut.
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Last edited by Tom Martin : 06-10-2017 at 04:06 PM.
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Old 06-10-2017, 10:31 AM
NYTOM NYTOM is offline
 
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Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
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Exactly what Tom Martin suggested. Take it slow with progressively tightening the cutting wheel till it pops then dress with a file. Takes a little ( very little) longer time than a hacksaw but you you end up with a nice clean square cut.
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  #6  
Old 06-10-2017, 11:03 AM
jibby212 jibby212 is offline
 
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Location: Sarasota Fl
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A Diablo or tenryu non ferrous blade will work beautifully, use a 100 tooth or possibly more if its a 12" blade, hold tube so it dont spin, no problem. It will also cut thick stock, hold material firmly and let blade stop before bringing up until you get experienced, most the problems are from bringing the blade up and small pieces, some line like we 40 will make the blade last a lot longer, I work with aluminum extrusion everyday and the best saw we could is the real sliding 12" mitre saw, very versatile and precise. Beware of the saws that have the blade farther away from the fence to cut taller material, these like to grab the metal and pull it up.
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Old 06-10-2017, 12:25 PM
Kyle Boatright Kyle Boatright is offline
 
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N804RV View Post
Yep. Looking to make a dead straight cut with minimum hassle. My band saw sucks and a hack-saw would wander without a tube jig. But, my chop saw is sitting there in my garage, ready to go. Just don't want to f- up and have to buy another length of tube stock.
Cut it a gazillionth long, then sand or file it back to a reference line on the tube.
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  #8  
Old 06-10-2017, 02:48 PM
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RV6_flyer RV6_flyer is offline
 
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Location: NC25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Martin View Post
A tubing cutter works well. You have to be careful to not take too big a bit each time. Many turns around is better then a few. Take a large half round file and clean out the slight burr and you are ready to go with a perfect perpendicular cut.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYTOM View Post
Exactly what Tom Martin suggested. Take it slow with progressively tightening the cutting wheel till it pops then dress with a file. Takes a little ( very little) longer time than a hacksaw but you you end up with a nice clean square cut.
I am the third with the same recommendation. I did the RV-8 just as described.
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Old 06-10-2017, 04:07 PM
rv7charlie rv7charlie is offline
 
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Default +4

Only downside to a tubing cutter is the 'shrunk' ID, which can be removed.

Never tried cutting thin tubing with a table saw, but a regular wood cutting carbide blade works fine on extrusions. Just wear gloves & eye (face) protection.
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  #10  
Old 06-10-2017, 04:34 PM
KatanaPilot KatanaPilot is offline
 
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Location: Locust Grove, GA
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Default Beautiful cuts

Quote:
Originally Posted by N804RV View Post
Fabing up aileron control tubes on next day off. Wanted to insure I get good clean and square cuts. Has anyone used a TCG non-ferrous blade on a mitre/chop saw for this? Or, should I go buy something special?
I had an extra Dewalt mitre saw and I bought a Forrest non-ferrous metal carbide tipped blade. Not a cheap blade, but it makes incredibly smooth cuts. I use V blocks when cutting round stock.

I'm a tool hound and I appreciate the accuracy of the chop saw. Like others said, wear really good safety googles as these blades create a lot of flying aluminum chips.
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