cutting tubing STRAIGHT, whats the best way

[slide86]

i have to cut my strut tubes by hand cause i cant wait anymore to use the drop saw.

what are some tried and tested ways to make sure the cuts are 90 degrees and straight. i have access to hacksaw and small angle grinder.

i just dont want to cut them and have it turn out that they arent straight, it would screw the whole strut up.

ideas and suggestions please

[PlacentaJuan]

a mitre box?

[slide86]

yeah there maybe one of them in my uncles shed. ill have to look.

i just need these cut and welded then my car is rolling again. i have had bad experiences with trying to cut straight before, thats why im asking for advice

[merc-blue]

Mate go to bunnings and buy a mitre box with the saw on posts/slide things, they cost like 40 bux but well worth it

[kingmick]

i have to cut my strut tubes by hand cause i cant wait anymore to use the drop saw.

what are some tried and tested ways to make sure the cuts are 90 degrees and straight. i have access to hacksaw and small angle grinder.

i just dont want to cut them and have it turn out that they arent straight, it would screw the whole strut up.

ideas and suggestions please

I have seen at supercheap etc, cheap holders that work like a drop saw to hold a small angle grinder{everyone has a few small grinders}
ive never used one but the should cut straight if used right and cost under $20.
just use super fine blades with it and cut half a side at a time etc!

[Cool1]

Buy an el-cheapo dropsaw from bunnings for $80. GMC come with 2 year replacement warranty

[Cuzzo]

Buy an el-cheapo dropsaw from bunnings for $80. GMC come with 2 year replacement warranty

I was just about to suggest this. Plenty of clampage and measure twice cut once

Be much cheaper buying a drop saw then getting new struts.

[slide86]

Be much cheaper buying a drop saw then getting new struts.

yeah it sure would, i dont want to have to go out to u-pull-it AGAIN for the same parts.

[jfallen]

you-steal-it is always fun, you should be making excuses to go out there.
Jordan

[1JZ-Rolla]

I wouldn't buy an $80 drop saw for a job like this... you get what you pay for, and I know from the $120 saw in my garage that I would struggle to classify it as accurate enough to fabricate a farm gate ! The more pressure you exert on the handle, the more it deflects off centre to give you a nice angled cut

I've accurately scribed the cutting lines an equal distance from the top of the strut tube, then cut carefully with a 1mm blade on my 5" hand-held angle grinder, small sections at a time around the diameter of the tube. This resulted in a very clean cut with minimal deviation from square. You can then fit an old strut cartridge into the strut to align the 2 pieces (wrap masking tape around the cartridge where required to get a nice snug fit) then tack the peices together and check for alignment with a straight edge.

Cheers
Phil

[TurboRA28]

I assume you are removing a bit of the tube also, so if you do go off centre it's not all bad as you can grind/file/fix each half until you get them nice and straight.

I've got access to a pretty expensive bansaw but even that can wander off centre over a big job like a strut tube.

[mullett]

How thick is the tube? You can get some pretty heavy-duty tube cutters...if it's CRITICAL though, I'd just pay someone to cut them to length for you, I'd be surprised if it cost you more than $20...

RM.

[1jzracing]

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

[mrshin]

Pipe cutter? Go to a plumbing shop, they should be able to do it/lend you a cutter for a minute.

[ajh]

Most engineering / fabrication co's have a power hacksaw in their workshop.

Despite the name "hacksaw", the material is clamped securely, and having used one I know they give a slow, but straight and clean cut.

May be helpful..........