Notching tube with milling machine

[OutbackL130]

Im looking for the fastest and most precise way to make straight notches in round tubing for production. I have a jd2 notchmaster which works great for angles, but you have to use a 1/2" hand drill that occasionally whips violently when the hole saw snags. I've nearly broken my wrist with it. IMHO any notcher that uses a hand drill is a poor way to do production notches and will hurt you or someone else.

For straight notches I bought a williams notcher and converted it to hydraulic. This is a shear type notcher. It easily shears the tubing with a pull of one hand on the hydraulic controls. Notches come out clean with no burrs or grinding cleanup necessary. I would love this method if their tool actually notched precisely. The problem is it always notches at a slight angle making one side of the tubing long. It's impossible to get a straight notch with it. It notches square tubing perfectly straight though which is weird. I almost always use it for notching square tubing that has to join to round tubing.

The third method I use is a JD2 TN-100 mounted in a floor drill press dedicated to notching. This system works very well. It is also the safest and easiest way for the operator. If the hole saw snags, the drive belts slip and nothing will happen.


I probably should be content with my drill press setup, but I wonder why more people dont use a milling machine? Companies sell dedicated end mill notching machines for $4000, but for that price why would someone not just by a used bridge port and throw a hole saw in it?

 

[flyerdan]

A Bridgeport has way too much torque for a hole saw, when it grabs (and it will) the arbor will twist off in an instant. When I built huge gates, to notch 2.375" tube for the ends I had a modified drill press vice to hold it, and ran the belts loose enough in the press so that it would slip when it grabbed.

 

[LD1]

No need to use a hole saw in a mill. Just use the appropriate sized end mills. They may cost a little more, but will last longer (if used properly), and can be used for other things as well since you will have a mill.

And if you dont have to actually drill to get the notch, but rather can come in from the side of the end mill, roughing cutters work about 4x's faster than a 2 or 4 flute with less chatter and easier on the machine. But you have to come in from the side, cause most roughing cutters arent "center cutting", which means they cannot bore a hole.

 

[Shield Arc]

I've been known to use hole saws on my mill, along with a rotabroach.
When I built this boom, I used a hole saw to cut the radius in the square tube for the lacing.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I know there is a stigma on Harbor freight stuff but they have one that uses a hole saw in a drill press, up to 2". You provide the saws. I have one and works great for 90 degree saddles or end notches. Under $100 with the 25% coupon.

Ron

 

[Arc weld]

I think they also make tubing notchers that work like a belt grinder with different size rollers and an angle adjustment with a vice. Pretty sure I saw one on American chopper or a similar show about motorcycle building.

 

[jwmorris]

I use hole saws in my mills quite often, and yes they do notch tubing quite well. I also have a few of the 3/4" arbor style that I use in floor drill presses.

The best notches will be with a mill and roughing end mill the diameter of the notch.