How do you cap the ends of tubing??

[FWP]

What do you guys use to cap the ends? The torch method I have used doesn't work very good for me, I have a hard time cutting a good circle from plate/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif. What do the pro's use? Any ideas?

 

[BadDog]

Here is one option, other than making your own:
http://www.aa-mfg.com/

 

[Pugsley]

On my old bumpers we used 3/16" plate - and lots of grinder discs - There's actually a few industrial steel suppliers that carry precut slugs for the purpose too.

 

[FWP]

Damn, thanks Russ. Cool site, added it to my Fav's/forums/images/icons/smile.gif -

Hey were you able to go out to Florence with the other Yahoos?

 

[FWP]

Hey Jeff, yeah, that's been my problem, I wind up cutting a 1/2 "-larger than needed- kind of a circle and grinding it down. Eats up a lot of labor time...

 

[Zeus33rd]

Tack a small piece of material to the end of the tube you want to cap. Material needs to be slightly bigger than the tube, atleast 1/2' or so. Fire up the torch or plasma cutter and cut around the the tube. Just try not to cut off the tack. If you take your time and keep a steady hand, it'll come out quite nicely, very little grinding to clean it up. I used this method on the bumper I'm working on now.

 

[BadDog]

Yep, I finally made it out. Had a great time and the K30 did better than I expected with the front open and no weight (no bed) on the locked rear. Didn't take a single bypass on Upper Ajax. Had one small hang (wasn’t even on a major obstacle /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif) but one rock placed in front of a back tire was all that was needed. Picked up some slightly concave rockers (long wheel base). Also go a little rock rash (could cover it easily with my hand) on the driver’s side of the cab right behind where the door handle would have been if Marv and I hadn’t pulled them off right before the run.

 

[laketex]

try freeze plugs. or knockout slugs.

 

[pauly383]

Good tips

 

[redneckdude]

Good tips

good post dig lol. good tips tho

 

[4X4HIGH]

If it's only for cosmetic purposes then use a concave freeze plug.

 

[Zeus33rd]

Or hole saw droppings of the correct size.

 

[tRustyK5]

1.5" round bar cut offs 1/8" thick or so. Should tap right into the ID of 1.75" x .120 wall tubing.

Rene

 

[Jimbo*]

I use a lot of these for capping fence posts at the ranch.
http://www.taylor-sons.com/categories.php?catID=16

Jimbo

 

[miniwally]

I just hammer the end flat and weld up the seam that leaves.

With thicker pipe like schedule 80 like I used for my cage I had to heat it up with a torch red hot first.

 

[RockinChevy]

I'm glad someone pulled this thread out of the grave... this answers my "how to cap" question for the tube doors I'll be building