Fish-mouthing tubing set-ups

[rick74304]

Anybody have pics of their set-ups to fish-mouth tubing? I've a couple ideas on how to go about it, like a hole saw mounted in a press, or a rounded wheel bench grinder. I suppose even a good jig-saw would do on mild steel.
What are you guys using?
Rick

 

[Boardtrack fan]

Lots of ways to do it. I use a Joint Jigger that works with a drill press or hammer drill. You can also just draw the desired shape on the tube and use a grinder to shape it. Somewhere I found a web site that will generate a pattern that you can print out and use as a guide. Of course you will have to enter the tube diameter and angles. If you have access to a milling machine just throw a hole saw in it, set up the desired angles and start cutting. I'm sure other methods are out there, but thats all I can think of at the moment.
Good luck.

 

[karfer67]

do yourself a favor and get a jig to make the holes. not only will it make a better joint you can set them at the angle you need so it will save you time and fustration later as well.

 

[12bcruzin]

If you have lots of tubes to notch, then the hole saw set up is ideal. Before these came out, I had built complete race cars using nothing more than a sawzall to get close and (2) 4" Makita grinders, one with a thin grinding disc and 1 with a wider coarse grinding disc. Once the majority of the material is cut away with the saw, use the coarse disc to get the shape close then use the thin disc to finish the fit. It takes a little practice but once you do a couple, you will be surprised at how fast you can cope tubes with the hand grinders...and we built several off road race cars with this method.

 

[Philphine]

not the best way i guess, but i've made my best guess at the angle i need, then taken a long 1/4" drill bit and drilled both sides of the tube where the bit should go in and out of it. then i put the long bit in the hole saw i'm using and stuck it in both holes and made my try at it. falls under the "better than nothing.... barely" method of doing it.