Fitting pipe aka skinning cats

[wroughtn_harv]

An attorney friend was trying to explain patents to me. The way he put it was along the line of skinning cats. There are lots of ways to skin a cat. If you have a unique and innovative way it's patentable.

These are not patentable ways of fitting pipe. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have a Vogel pipe notcher that works wonderful. It just so happens to be mounted in a punch press sixty miles away. The pieces I need to cut are here.

Here's the finished joint I want.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's an example of what the Vogel does so well.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's the joint without a notch. Now some folks smash pipe to get more welding area. We don't say what we think about those people. It isn't polite. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is an alternative I use quite often. Let's say I've only got one joint to cut in or as in the case today, five or six joints, but the notcher is in use elsewhere.

If you look at the previous picture and follow me for a minute I'll explain.

I measure the space between the outside edged of the pipe joint when they are in that position.

Let's say it's five eighths like it is here. I take my Portaband and start a cut five eighths of an inch at an angle to cut down approximately one third of the cross section of the pipe.

I want it to look like this.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Did you notice how the vice slides into receiver hitch inserts welded into the corners of the bed? That's handier'n a pocket on a shirt.

I then roll the pipe over and make exactly, as close as possible the same cut on the opposite side of the pipe.

This can be done with a torch, a hacksaw, sawsall, chop saw, even a quick saw if you have a metal blade.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Just a brushing with an angle grinder and you have this fit. Even someone with Ray Charles' talent for welding can sew up this joint.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's another option. A small factory in Bonham, Texas is making some things that I've come up with. This one of those things.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It enables the faint of heart or those without the time or inclination for details to have a good fitted joint.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

There is an additional weld I know. But the two welds are usually eaiser to do than one poor joint can be. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's another shot of the two options.

Today I used the quickies because I had some on the truck and they are faster than the Portaband method.

There are lots of other ways to skin a cat or fit up a pipe joint.

BTW this procedure works on all sizes of pipe. Measure the distance, outside edges. Start a cut that measurement angling down to about on third of the pipe diameter. Turn the pipe over and do it all over again on the other side of the pipe. It works out usually that when you're done you'll have a third, a third, and a third, if you know what I mean.

Unless you're lucky or the pipe is small you will find you'll need to trim a bit with a hand grinder. This becomes more true as you venture up in pipe size.

It's the same process I use to cope or notch six inch pipe too.

 

[chim]

Harv, when I needed to make a couple joints like that, the method I used was perhaps a bit slower. I cut what would be your horizontal pipes to length with a holesaw the same size as the OD of what would be your vertical pipe. Just marked pilot bit locations on opposite sides of the pipe and drilled in from both sides. Probably wouldn't want to do a couple dozen like that, but the fit was great......................chim

 

[em14]

I remember back in the 60's when you could buy these short couples/pre-cut round tubes that the tubing fit into so that you didn't have a butt joint to weld and the notch was machine cut to fit the tubing you were jointing to. I like your method of cutting using the angles ... That is straight forward and simple ... I remember what a job it was for me to fit chrome moly. I just never was very good at it. The fit had to be right on the money.
Leo

 

[IDjunker]

I Have A jig and 1/2 " drill with hole saw's works good and portable.

 

[slowzuki]

You can do the porta band trick even faster with a chop saw! Pro-tools sell and really nice portable notching jig. Harbour freight (shudder) sell a cheap version too I hear but it chatters and shakes.

 

[GaryM]

Guys welding frams for homebuilt aircraft use a tool that takes a hole saw of the correct diameter and has a provision for setting the angle. Insert your tubing and cut the tubing with the hole saw. used for cluster welds where several tubes meet.

 

[GaryM]

Sometimes they weld FRAMES too!

 

[40Kchicks]

Harv
I’m glad you have been polite to those who have smashed the pipe.

I must confess I am a recovering pipe smasher. Last year I had a cow come down with pink eye. I got her in the barn put a loop around her neck, wrapped the rope around the manger stanchion and moved the cow back and forth. Each time the cow moved past the stanchion my wife would take the up the slack in the rope until finally the cow had no slack and I could medicate the eye. We realized we needed a cattle squeeze. The trouble is I also needed the $1500 that the farm store was asking for one. So I got some tubing and made one. On the main frame I coped the pipe but on the upper section I smashed the pipe ends and welded them up.

I learned some things in this project. One pipe is cheaper than seamless tubing and buy standard pipe and use a notcher. I learned these things two late but in my defense the cows have not complained about the smashed tubing ends at all and even paying to much for supplies I still saved a thousand bucks.

Eric