Cutting thin wall tube?

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swcrawford

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I've spent a good while looking thru this sub-forum at all the great work and learning new things to try. The thread about segmenting with aluminum was great. I've really learned a lot.

The latest thing I've wanted to try is to inlay aluminum and brass dots, and also filled aluminum and brass tubes. I've found small aluminum and brass rods and tubes at Hobby Lobby to work with (1/16 to 1/8 diameter stuff). Which brings me to my question:

What is the best way to cut the small, soft tubes without deforming or crimping them too much? A fine hacksaw doesn't work at all as I can't hold the tube and cut without bending it into a pretzel. A dremel with a cutoff wheel works but sort of deforms and closes up the aluminum tube openings. So how do you do it? Can it done cleanly?

Also, do you drill the blank for the pen tube before any rod or tube inlay? Or after?

Thanks in advance,
Shawn
 
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swcrawford said:
The latest thing I've wanted to try is to inlay aluminum and brass dots, and also filled aluminum and brass tubes.
Click to expand...

What are you filling them with? Would it be possible to fill them before cutting them to support them so they don't deform? Or cut them extra long, flare one end for filling, then cut?
 
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Shawn --

I cut tubing with a very fine cutoff wheel or with a fine jewelers blade on a scroll saw. Brass is pretty easy to cut. Aluminum tends to clog the abrasive. Running the abrasive into a bar of soap before cutting aluminum helps a bunch -- but the scroll saw is generally easier.

Rod cuts with a side cutting pliars or cut off wheel, or jewelers blade.
 
swcrawford said:
I've spent a good while looking thru this sub-forum at all the great work and learning new things to try. The thread about segmenting with aluminum was great. I've really learned a lot.

The latest thing I've wanted to try is to inlay aluminum and brass dots, and also filled aluminum and brass tubes. I've found small aluminum and brass rods and tubes at Hobby Lobby to work with (1/16 to 1/8 diameter stuff). Which brings me to my question:

What is the best way to cut the small, soft tubes without deforming or crimping them too much? A fine hacksaw doesn't work at all as I can't hold the tube and cut without bending it into a pretzel. A dremel with a cutoff wheel works but sort of deforms and closes up the aluminum tube openings. So how do you do it? Can it done cleanly?

Also, do you drill the blank for the pen tube before any rod or tube inlay? Or after?

Thanks in advance,
Shawn
Click to expand...

Hello Shawn,

I see this is your very first posting so let me be the first to welcome you to the IAP pen turning forum. Hope you stick around and become an active member. Love to see your work.

You have chosen the segmenting forum to be the first forum for your first question. I am familar with what you are trying to do because I too do things like this so I will give you my best answer. As far as cutting tubing that thin or even rods is very easy to do if you have the proper tools. You can use a scrollsaw and a jewlers blade would be ideal but any metal cutting blade will also work.

You can use what the plumbers use called an IMP. It is basically a small tubing cutter. MicroMark sells even smaller ones just for cutting tubes.

But with that said, the way I cut tubes rods and even my acrylic blanks is with my bandsaw and the use of a metal cutting blade. I included a couple photos of different metas cut using my jig and bandsaw. I included a photo of my simple jig. To prevent the tube from disforming and bending you need support and I get this with the fence setup on my miter gauge. You do not need all these fancy jigs that I see people make here for cutting blanks and tubes and things. A simple setup is all that is needed. If I need to clean the ends a bit I just hit the disc sander very lightly and there are done. I will get into your other part of your question under the photos.







Now to your drilling question, It depends on what you are doing. But as a whole I like to drill the segmented holes first and then drill the pen tube hole. I can drill the segmented holes to just about mid blank. Now when I insert the segmented pieces I will have the tube installed at the same time or before. I will never drill the segmented holes and insert the rods and then drill the pen tube hole because you are putting undo pressure on those tiny rods.

Also if you are planning on using hollow tubes and filling, I suggest you do this ahead of time before you cut to final lengths. This way you can fill about a 6" long tub an cut it to size after the fill has cured.

Hope this answers a few of your questions and if you need more help just shout. As I said welcome to the site.
 
Thanks everybody for your help!

Wood-of-1kind
Yep, I am using regular old wire cutters for the rod. Aluminum rods cut easily, brass is a bit harder but still works. That is when I hold on to the cutoff so it doesn't go flying and get lost :/

Sharon
I'm still thinking about material to fill the tubes with but for a first try I figured I'd try something I saw in the library and fill with colored glitter and then put a few drops of ca in. I also thought I'd try a brass rod in an aluminum tube, or vice versa. I did see the HF mini saw mentioned somewhere, but thought I'd see if I can get the job done with what I have on hand first. Maybe something to try if nothing else works.

Ken
I hadn't considered the scroll saw. I'll have to look for a jewelers blade. I do have some fairly fine Flying Dutchman blades though. Supposed to be for wood i think, but I wonder if one of those will work? Tubes are pretty thin-walled.

John
Small pipe cutter! Have one and never thought of it. I'll have to see if it will cut tubes this thin.

Looks like a 1/4 inch blade on your bandsaw? That's what is on mine at the moment and I'm using it for blanks with a sled as well. I thought it was a bit too aggressive for the tubes, but if it works for you I'll give it a try. I have a 1/8 inch blade, but its a bit of a pain to change.

The first experiment I tried was with just rods inserted before drilling for the pen tube. Broke the blank as you suggested it would. I'll drill for the pen tube first next time.

Also, wow! Love those pens. Are those black and white plastic blanks? If so, did you order them or pour them yourself? I saw solid white blanks available at PSI but no black ones.

Thanks again everyone for all your help and for the welcome!

Shawn
 
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Shawn -

I have some metal cutting blades with 48 teeth per inch (from BG Artforms) that cut thin brass and aluminum tubing without much distortion. Cleanup on the sanding disc is quick
 
+ on what John said, I use the saw that sbwertz posted the link on, it does not work on blanks but fine on pen tubes. To keep the tubes from deforming, insert a wood dowel in the tube where the cut will be. A rosebud countersink will clean up the "fuzz" from inside the tube and lightly file or sandpaper the OD of the tube to clean it up.
All this works fine for me.
 
swcrawford said:
Thanks everybody for your help!


John
Small pipe cutter! Have one and never thought of it. I'll have to see if it will cut tubes this thin.

Looks like a 1/4 inch blade on your bandsaw? That's what is on mine at the moment and I'm using it for blanks with a sled as well. I thought it was a bit too aggressive for the tubes, but if it works for you I'll give it a try. I have a 1/8 inch blade, but its a bit of a pain to change.

The first experiment I tried was with just rods inserted before drilling for the pen tube. Broke the blank as you suggested it would. I'll drill for the pen tube first next time.

Also, wow! Love those pens. Are those black and white plastic blanks? If so, did you order them or pour them yourself? I saw solid white blanks available at PSI but no black ones.

Thanks again everyone for all your help and for the welcome!

Shawn
Click to expand...

Shawn

Thanks for the kind words. As far as the blade on the bandsaw, that is a 1/2" metal cutting blade. You want a stiffer blade always unless you are doing scroll work. 1/8" blade is for some very tight scrolling. I have one but can not remember when it has seen the light of day last. :)

As far as drilling, you misunderstood me. I drill the rod holes first and then drill for the pen tube. I drill the rod holes about 1/8" to 3/16" from center of blank. I do not insert any rods untill pen tube hole is drilled.

The Ying Yang Panache pen is white and black acrylic. I sometimes pour my own and sometimes purchase them. Depends on demand at the time.

The Baron is Gabon Ebony with about 6 coats of med CA and the cap is all aluminum.
 
John,

Thanks for the clarification on the drilling order.

Update:
I tried the scroll saw with blades that I had without much luck. Probably because of the reverse tooth design :confused:

The small plumbing pipe cutter I have didn't adjust small enough.

Lastly, I tried the bandsaw with the blank cutting sled I made. (Adjustable like the one in the aluminum segmenting thread) Seems to work pretty well. Have to use a small bit of scrap to trap the small cutoff against the backing ledge so it doesn't get lost, but successful and safe. :)

Shawn
 
Shawn

Just a note if the blade in the bandsaw is not a metal cutting blade you will dull it quickly. Hate to seee you ruin a good bandsaw blade:).
 
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