"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Ed wrote:
Just received my order of telescoping aluminum tubing rods from Texas
Towers. Sizes range from 1" OD to smaller and all 6 feet long. I
plan on using them as a collapsible verticle on the motor home.
Before I start hack-sawing away on the ends to cut slots around which
I will place my hose clamps, does anyone here have any particular
tips or techniques to do this? I figure I'd just cut two slots with
a hacksaw about 1" or so deep. If there's a better suggestion, I'd
like to hear it before wacking away on my expensive tubes.


Ed
Hello Ed:

You may find that the hand hack saw will be difficult to control and
keep the cut straight. I use a inexpensive Band Saw, and cut the slots
approx 1 1/2 inches long. Another consideration is the cut slot width
maybe to narrow to fully close the outer tubing down on the inner
tubing. So making a another saw blade width will not hurt. Use a round
or rat tail file to deburr the inside of the tubing. Chain Saw shaping
files work quit well for this and are cheap.

You will see cheap crapp hose clamps in the home improvement stores, I
have anyway. Find a auto parts store thats sell the Breeze brand hose
clamps.

Jay in the Mojave


I too vote for this mthod. Once manufactured a lot of antennas as a club
project and we made a jig that fit the band swa. Just stick the tube in the
hole and pull it out. Also tubing for the antenna was placed in a jig and
all the pieces were cutto length with one pass of a radial arm saw.

Jimmie

hi

I dremel will work nice but you may want to build a small
jig to keep things aligned.

I would drill a small dia. hole at the bottom of the
place where your cut will end so it will prevent the
slot from continuing on and splitting the tubing.

good luck

tom

I've used a small table saw with a finish (Trim) cutting blade. Wear
eye protection!