cutting tubing STRAIGHT, whats the best way

[TooF]

take it down to yout local metal shop/machine shop and get them to clip it off on the cold cut off saw.
dont mess about ti hacksaws and grinders it will only cost a few bucks to get it cut neatly and straight.

[Rex_Kelway]

...find a piece of very thin plastic like a binding folder cover or something or even some high quality THIN! cardboard cut a strip....

Rex makes many coilovers/strut conversions and this is the method He uses, it is a tried and tested method.

But still relies on your ability to handle a hacksaw.

Many a catalogue/magazine cover have been used to mark His struts...

Rex has tried using a drop saw but the reality is that the strut is an odd gangly thing which takes time and trickiness to even lay/clamp it down straight.

Rex went back to the good ole' hacksaw.

["Z" UTE]

A good quality hose clamp secured to the strut, will give you a perfect template for cutting with either hacksaw, or angle grinder.

cheers Chuck

[TurboRA28]

I like that idea!

[Grega]

chicks hairtie or zip tie is also another good way
can mark around it too
good for doing angles this way

+rep to chuck. gold idea.

[roadsailing]

was going to suggest the hose clamp method,

i was considering using a pipe cutter, but just to mark the line to cut, strut tubes are f*cking thick!

further to joel's suggestion, if your line goes a bit wiggly, you can use a set square to check what bits need to be trimmed. i wouldnt dream of using a bandsaw, and the one at work doesnt cut steel anyway.

I ended up just using the cold saw at work (easiest way) but a mate used an abrasive dropsaw. he didnt even weld the strut together (as the lines were a bit wiggly) just welded the threaded sleeve to each side really well.

[merc-blue]

I think next time im doing struts i will go the hacksaw hose clamp,
Except use 2 hose clamps a few mill apart so they help as a guide

[Starfire]

Take it to an engineering firm and get them to throw it in a lathe. You will get a perfect cut in under 5 minutes for minimal cost.

[slide86]

wow there are some awesome suggestions here. im going to give the hose clamp the go. i can get heaps of them for nothing so there is no drama there.

cheers for all the input guys!

[DeftAnesthetik]

essentially we cut tube for a living and often on site we need to make a dead accurite cut to join a length of stainless tube handrail or something

heres how to do it

find a piece of very thin plastic like a binding folder cover or something or even some high quality THIN! cardboard cut a strip about 20cm long and 4-5cm wide making sure you leave one dead straight edge and wrap this around the strut and overlap it tightly with the straight edge all perfectly in line where it overlaps and mark with a 0.4mm ink mapping pen $4 from a news agent (sand all the paint off first it will be easier to see the pen marks)

now get a 1.5mm thickness cut off wheel for your grinder from a welding supply or hardware and carefully cut around the wast side of your marked line

you will have a perfectly straight cut if its done carfully and neatly, i would mark both cuts b4 cutting if your shortening them

i would have to agree this is the best method. used to work in oilfield as a pipe fitter and we did this in a very similar fashion, on diff is that you can actually buy pipe wraps and thats what we used... cannot remember the actual name for it. you can make your own as suggested or try some industrial supply stores.

[hypo23]

yeah agreed with that too thats the its done and if your worried about cutting it straight with the grinder center pop the marked line to make it easier too if your not too confident with the grinder, that way if you dont cut it straight you can grind it back to the center pops

[ra65]

Rex makes many coilovers/strut conversions and this is the method He uses, it is a tried and tested method.

But still relies on your ability to handle a hacksaw.

Many a catalogue/magazine cover have been used to mark His struts...

Rex has tried using a drop saw but the reality is that the strut is an odd gangly thing which takes time and trickiness to even lay/clamp it down straight.

Rex went back to the good ole' hacksaw.

Why does rex talk like a tosser?

[brett_celicacoupe]

this is by far the most accurate way of cutting a perfect edge.

its design makes it only possible to have a 100% true edge



most decent plumbers should have one of these

[GRUMPIRA28]

Have to agree with the pipe cutter. It's made for the job.


There is an excellent article in Zoom No. 93 that has a step by step article that shows how to convert struts to coil overs (complete with pictures) and yes, they cut the strut with a pipe cutter.

[ra65]

this is by far the most accurate way of cutting a perfect edge.

its design makes it only possible to have a 100% true edge



most decent plumbers should have one of these

My neighbor cut me a strut with the same sort of setup but with a electric metal cutoff wheel. Perfect cut.