[johnbright]

Squaring aluminum tubing spacers with a vixen file and drill press.

Somewhat tedious but controllable because the file loads up every 0.002".

215 RPM, the slowest speed of my drill press.
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[rv8ch]

drill and scotchbrite wheel

I did something similar by spinning the tube in a hand drill and turning on the scotchbrite wheel - probably not quite as square as your idea, but pretty square.

 

[rv12iS-builder]

I’ve done something similar, too. First I use a tube cutter, then I finish up by putting the tube in the drill press with a sanding block in place of the vixen file.

 

[snopercod]

Great idea!

 

[RVDan]

If you have a cross vice for the drill press, you can clamp up a lathe tool and use it like in a lathe to cut the end of the tube to the correct dimension.

 

[DaleB]

I’ve also chucked a bushing in the drill press and dressed the end on some sandpaper. Easy to square it up, take off a thousandth or two, etc.

 

[TS Flightlines]

Lathe.

Tom

 

[johnbright]

lathe

Lathe.

Tom

Yea, I'm fixin' ta buy one!
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[lr172]

I’ve also chucked a bushing in the drill press and dressed the end on some sandpaper. Easy to square it up, take off a thousandth or two, etc.

This approach works well and how I did it before the lathe.

 

[rocketbob]

215 RPM, the slowest speed of my drill press.
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You actually need to go fast on aluminum, not slow.

 

[Laird]

I did something similar by spinning the tube in a hand drill and turning on the scotchbrite wheel - probably not quite as square as your idea, but pretty square.

+1, or alternately using a disk sander. Fast and easy way to get them the right length as well.

 

[219PB]

+1, or alternately using a disk sander. Fast and easy way to get them the right length as well.

That is the way I did mine.