Steel Q's

[HandyAndy]

Originally Posted by alga

Andy, could you share the details of what tools and techniques you use to cut the tubes, especially the compound mitres? I've cut my steel with a 115 mm angry grinder mounted in a chopsaw-like holder, but I'm curious how the pros do it.

i,m not sure if the way i cut a chassis kit can qualify me as a Pro but here is how i do it......

I now have a "Master Template Kit" that is cut 2mm over long on each tube which allows for the scribing & the kerf cut of each tube i cut, each part is then checked to ensure the dimensions are correct.
The tools I use are mainly a bandsaw, a 4 inch angle grinder disc that is 1mm thick ( plasma disc ) that i use to cut the compound mitre cuts & a cold cut chop saw that I use to cut the basic maximum length of each tube before cutting any angles to them.

When i have all the tubes cut to length, I then work thru the full kit cutting the same angles on the various tubes...eg do all the 45 degree cuts at same time, next all the 17degree cuts & so on etc on the band saw ( saves changing the required angle of cut on the bandsaw),
once all standard cuts are finished I then scribe out all the compound mitre angles on the relevant tubes, I,ve found that if I scribe just 3 lines for the compound mitre cut it is then easy to cut in a vice with the plasma disc, each face is cut then the tube turned in the vice rather than just making 1 cut as this is often the cause of a bad mitre cut, then each completed mitre cut is placed into a Master "female" jig to check its correct.
Each tube is then marked with the angle of cut at each end , on both faces of a compound mitre cut & of course the main part code... TR1 etc.

Now i know i have a reputaion for being tight but from a 7 mtr length of steel I end up with on average 2 to 3 cm of waste .

I hope the above covers the info you wanted ?

Headshot........
Congratulations on your new addition to your family, all the best to mum & the young un

cheers
andy