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Tube notcher

MTBLAZER89

MTBLAZER89

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I am going to be buying a bender soon, and was looking at the special on Pro-Tools for March. It includes the 105HD, 2 die sets, stand, deg wheel, and a tube notcher for $1200.

http://www.pro-tools.com/march_2010_special.pdf

Do these things work well, or is a chopsaw a better purchse?

I will probably go with the special either way because the 105HD combo is $750 and only comes with one die, and by the time you add another die its almost the same price as the special.
 
Notcher IMHO is a much easier method to use. Set it up right and use it properly and it will work awesome. I prefer Starrett hole saws for your basic hole saw. The anular hole saws are a better saw though. More money too. Thats not a bad price on the whole kit too. Make sure thats the steel base plate on the notcher though. Mine is 1/2 thick steel, it's the protools notcher too. Thay have a couple different options. Get the best basic notcher they offer, upgrade if you can.
 
I agree with rdn2blazer. I use a Pro Tools' notcher and wouldn't consider any other method of notching other than the wrappers available in Bend Tech Pro. That Pro Tools special comes with Bend Tech EZ I believe. If you want to you can up grade the software for just the difference in price. Bend Tech pro is well worth the money if you are going to do very much tube work. Even one cage would be worth it IMO.
 
I've done a fair bit of notching with the chop saw, cold saw, grinder and my trick tools notcher. All the methods work, however the sexiest notching is the hole saw set-up that the good notchers use IMO. The rest get you 'close'...

Rene
 
Some notches you are just not going to get with a hole saw notcher and so are easier to get with a chop saw, porta band, sawzall, etc. When I have to do those I use the grinder with a flap wheel to get the notch right on.

The hole saw notchers (even a cheap one like I have) work very very well and I will continue to use one. Even though I am just going to build my next one.
 
That is true. Most hole saw notchers will only notch to 60* so sometimes other notching methods are necessary.

What style of notcher are you planning on building? I'm planning on building my own someday as well. Something similar to the JMR and the Notchmaster.


blazinzuk said:
Some notches you are just not going to get with a hole saw notcher and so are easier to get with a chop saw, porta band, sawzall, etc. When I have to do those I use the grinder with a flap wheel to get the notch right on.

The hole saw notchers (even a cheap one like I have) work very very well and I will continue to use one. Even though I am just going to build my next one.
Click to expand...
 
I never use the notcher anymore.. chopsaw and die grinder for everything... most fishmouths are not even close to a standard 90, 45, etc... for most of my cage/bumper a notcher was totally useless...

now, if i had a highend one, or better yet, an end-mill, as opposed to the eghey $50 one i have, i might use it more...
 
most holesaw notchers can be bolted to a press.. my $50 eghey one did....
 
Desert Rat said:
I have a nice drill press. Do they make an attachment for notching tube for a drill press?
Click to expand...




Problem with most drill presses is they run too high of RPM and are not very ridgid. Not to mention they are under powered in the torque dept for most hole saw applications. Unless it's a fairly small hole saw. Say 1" and down IMHO. Unless it's a heavy duty large drill press with a Quill type spindle. Those are industrial very price presses though.
 
I use my PT hole saw notcher in my drill press. It has a 1/2 hp motor and I run it on the slowest speed. Haven't had any problems using it this way other than the tube hitting the floor sometimes. When I get around to building myself a new notcher, it will be in the horizontal plane and operated with a 1/2" drill.
 
Here is the newer version of the hole saw notcher that I have. I've had mine for 10+ years. Keep in mind when it comes to hole saw notchers, you get what you pay for. If you buy one at Harbor Freight, or a cheap one on ebay, you're getting a Chinese POS and it will end up causing you grief.

http://www.pro-tools.com/hsn500.htm



Desert Rat said:
How does it work? Pics or a link to what you have?
Click to expand...
 
Captainfab said:
Here is the newer version of the hole saw notcher that I have. I've had mine for 10+ years. Keep in mind when it comes to hole saw notchers, you get what you pay for. If you buy one at Harbor Freight, or a cheap one on ebay, you're getting a Chinese POS and it will end up causing you grief.

http://www.pro-tools.com/hsn500.htm
Click to expand...

Thats the one I got basicly for free with my bender package. See the thread "new toys" below. :D
 
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