Framebuilders - Measuring, Cutting & Mitering Tubing

How does one measure, cut and miter tubing?

I saw lots of pictorial info on how to braze the tubing but nothing on how the tubes were prepped. There were extensive discussions about the cost of getting into frame building but no one mentioned the cost of the gages and tools needed to cut and miter the tubes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIxCdTRkRHo

^^^
This vid is from Tom Oswald's YouTube page (http://www.youtube.com/user/TomOswald).

Hacksaw and a good set of files will cost less than $100. You should get a good hacksaw, and good blades. Lennox makes good ones. I think we just talked about files recently. You want a half round bastard cut file that matches each tubing diameter.

If you go with a tubing notcher, get fine tooth hole saws. These for example (http://www.mo2ls.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SCF) Get mandrels from Strawberry or Paragon (UBI sells Paragon or order direct) There are two sizes of mandrels depending on the size of the hole saw, get one for each hole saw. I'm setting up my lathe to cut miters, but that's a bit of an investment.

Hacksaw and a good set of files will cost less than $100. You should get a good hacksaw, and good blades. Lennox makes good ones. I think we just talked about files recently. You want a half round bastard cut file that matches each tubing diameter.

If you go with a tubing notcher, get fine tooth hole saws. These for example (http://www.mo2ls.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SCF) Get mandrels from Strawberry or Paragon (UBI sells Paragon or order direct) There are two sizes of mandrels depending on the size of the hole saw, get one for each hole saw. I'm setting up my lathe to cut miters, but that's a bit of an investment.

Just bookmarked these as a purchase to make. Thanks, Unterhausen.

I'm finding the trial and error process of finding a half-round file that matches each tubing diameter a bit of a trial. Does anyone have a source and stock numbers for good files that fit the diameters of 1", 1.125", 1.25", and 1.375" tubing?

Thanks

Pete

My 8" long half-round has a 1" radius. Thus I would guess the 10" and 12" have a 1-1/8" and 1-1/4" radius respectively?

Check this guy's video, he makes it pretty simple: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42nP42sbhEI&fmt=18


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42nP42sbhEI

tubemiter.exe: http://www.ozhpv.org.au/shed/tubemiter.htm