cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

plan on going a bit deeper than that. you have to cut a long enough slot so
that the hose clamp can easily clamp it down and provide enough surface area
to prevent slippage. i would plan on about double the tube diameter for the
length of the slot.

After you cut the slot use a round or half round file to take off the burrs
inside or they can get between the tubes and make it hard to get them apart.

"Ed" wrote in message
. 192.196...

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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

On 5 Aug, 11:51, "Dave" wrote:
plan on going a bit deeper than that. you have to cut a long enough slot so
that the hose clamp can easily clamp it down and provide enough surface area
to prevent slippage. i would plan on about double the tube diameter for the
length of the slot.

After you cut the slot use a round or half round file to take off the burrs
inside or they can get between the tubes and make it hard to get them apart.

"Ed" wrote in message

. 192.196...





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- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Circular saw with a thin wheel grinder/cutter.

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

Circular saw with a thin wheel grinder/cutter.



You mean like a small cutting disk on a Dremel Tool?

Ed

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

Ed wrote:


Circular saw with a thin wheel grinder/cutter.



You mean like a small cutting disk on a Dremel Tool?

Ed

That would be ok as long as the combined width of the slots will allow the
larger tubing to be clamped to the smaller tubing. I have always just used
a hacksaw, and made slots 90° apart, making the slot length about twice the
diameter of the tubing.
73.
Bryan WA7PRC

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

That would be ok as long as the combined width of the slots will allow
the larger tubing to be clamped to the smaller tubing. I have always
just used a hacksaw, and made slots 90° apart, making the slot length
about twice the diameter of the tubing.
73.
Bryan WA7PRC


I was figuring on making only one set of slots, 180 degrees opposite.
This tubing is quite close fitting ( a 9/1000 " difference between inside
and outside diamters ) and will require very little compression of the
slotted end to make a tight fit, I would think.


Ed K7AAT

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

Judging on my experience as a mechanic and many years with fitting exhaust
systems to cars, you need only one cut with the cut at least one and a half
times the diameter of the smaller tube diameter.
I am now retired and experimenting with antennas, I use a slitting saw in my
vertical mill, makes a beautiful cut!
VK2KCE


"Ed" wrote in message
. 192.196...
:
: 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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

On 5 Aug, 12:22, Ed wrote:
Circular saw with a thin wheel grinder/cutter.

You mean like a small cutting disk on a Dremel Tool?

Ed

No. I meant a normal 6 1/2 0r 7' power saw with a thin grinding blade
or steel cutting blade. The cut width will be better than a hack saw
which I have found often to be to narrow as well as difficult to
control
Art

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

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

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

Ed wrote:

That would be ok as long as the combined width of the slots will allow
the larger tubing to be clamped to the smaller tubing. I have always
just used a hacksaw, and made slots 90° apart, making the slot length
about twice the diameter of the tubing.
73.
Bryan WA7PRC


I was figuring on making only one set of slots, 180 degrees opposite.
This tubing is quite close fitting ( a 9/1000 " difference between
inside
and outside diamters ) and will require very little compression of the
slotted end to make a tight fit, I would think.


Ed K7AAT

If slots 180° apart clamps it fine, you're done. If not, more slots or
widening of the two slots are in order.
Bryan WA7PRC.

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
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

Yes - as I learned stainless steel worm-drive hose clamps are *the* way to
go. All have a SS band... the cheap ones have a steel screw... the better
ones have a SS screw. If you can't find 'em locally, McMaster-Carr
(http://www.mcmaster.com/) handles them in more variations than you can
think of! Hint: a dab of antiseize compound on the screw threads will keep
the screw from galling on the band (and ruining your day).
Bryan WA7PRC

cutting end slots in aluminum tubing
 

"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