Need source for fine-tooth hole saw ASAP.

I am putting a new cage on my TD so I can fit under it, and am having a problem cutting the tubing with my Ace Hardware hole saws. They have massive teeth, much like you would expect on a wood saw, and they catch the tubing and tear the teeth off no matter how slow I feed it. If I speed up the mill they get hot and dull up real fast. I've got a TIG guy coming over this weekend, so I'm kind of needing a solution quick. Does anybody know of a finer tooth holesaw, or some other solution?

-Scouder

 

the one i use i got from the snap on dealer always worked for notching tubing are go to a industrail supply house they should have them are go to a sheet metal shop they can tell you where to get them in your area

 

Fine tooth roughing end mills!

 

Let them dull up, then play with your spindle speed. It will cut it with a little pressure. You will be basically using friction cutting.

 

cage

You are aware there is a speck. on how far the cage can be above the shoulder hoop. If you haven't check before you do the work. A tall cage sticks out like a sore thumb. as easy to notice. Good luck Don

 

Thanks for the heads up Don. In this case I did get the spec from SFI before I started. It says max 18" from center of shoulder hoop to center of halo without having to go to bigger tube. I set mine at 17 3/4 to be safe. It gives me right at the 2" minimum above my helmet.

By the way. I don't know if all you guys are aware that SFI changed their spec numbers recently. Now a 6.00-7.49 car is SFI 2.5c.

-Scouder

 

Mcmaster Carr has almost anything that you will need.Check out their website @ www.Mcmaster.com

 

I buy from McMaster EVERY week!

 

I have used standard bi-metal hole saws for years. I get them from Home Depot. I used to cut fish mouths in my drill press and mangled a lot of tubing and hole saws until I bought one of those joint jigger things. They are sold under a bunch of different names but they hold the tubing very well and are indexed off the spindle itself. You will still lose a few teeth on your hole saw but these things really work well. I have tried end mills in my Bridgeport mill and it works just fine until it catches the edge of the tubing and folds it up. Damn it- go order another roll cage bend package. The joint jigger works great, it's cheaper than a milling machine and practically any old hole saw will work. Dave Germain

 

+1 on bi-metalic hole saws, work fine. McMaster-Carr or Home Depot, whichever is most convenient.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

I had the same thing happen using regular end mill,but have had good luck using a coarse tooth roughing end mill. I have used a Bridgeport type mill, but have recently rigged a tubing holder on the tool post on my lathe. It works great.

-Dale

 

Well, after evaluating the cost of speedy shipping, and the time I would lose, I decided to get some more of the standard hole saws and give it another try. I've got the saw set up in a bridgeport style mill. By clamping the tubing very close to the cut, and feeding VERY slow, I've managed to get some cuts made without destroying the saw. For the next project I will order in some fine tooth saws.

Thanks very much for the input.

-Scouder

 

use starrett brand..they will work just fine and last for years..what RPM are you using on your mill?..Dave

 

also feed slow. If you are knocking off teeth you are trying to hog it..Dave

 

Im running it at 210rpm if I remember right. I managed to get all my big stuff cut and tacked in place. While I was searching for saws today I found a shallow fine toothed saw that should work for my 1x.049 helmet bars. I'll be trying that after work tomorrow.

-Brian

 

I hope you meant to write 1 x .058, not .049, for your helmet bars.

 

Copy of an older post that I made...about tubing notchers....

I started with the mill - and it's a small home version - actually a Drill/Mill. Worked well, but after building this first chassis some of my mills are getting dull. I think that I mighta spun em too fast and maybe took the temper out of them - not sure. I also tried several hole saw style tubing notchers with little success - and now use the JMR brand (Van Sant Enterprises in Pella, Iowa). This is the best for the money in my opinion! You can do very sharp angles as the feed is horizontal and cuts the tubing in from the end. I use an 18 volt battery powered drill and it mows right through the moly tubing. The JMR has a REAL heavy shaft - easy to read scale - HUGE bearing block. The nice thing is you can buy the hole saws locally on a Sunday afternoon and JMR will have a 3" deep, fine tooth hole saw for this application available soon. I calculated the end mill cost per car was gonna kill me. I even considered buying an Ultimate Tubing Notcher at PRI last year....but the JMR solved my issues and it stores in the cabinet when not in use. End of rant now....

 

Not trying to argue with anyone here, there are SEVERAL ways to do this, do it however makes ya happy but I have NEVER "crushed" or "bent" a tube on my mill and my endmills last FOREVER! As the say "Its all in how you use your tool!"

 

Oops. I must be getting old. They are .058. Good catch.

-Brian