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So Baileigh is having another contest http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=11617
Figure I would give my shot at a tech tip, it is a hot rod forum I don't have much work with hot rods but I figure I would give it a shot with Tube Fabrication 101.
Some of you guys might find it beneficial too.
Let me know your opinions I'm going to wait until monday to post it so no boobies get in the way this time.
Tube Fabrication 101
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGWPlNxq5E[/ame]
I decided to make a tech article on Tube Fabrication I get a lot of questions on tube fabrication such as where do you start your bend, how much do you bend it, how do you cut a notch etc.
I hope you guys find this informative. Please forgive me for my poor acting skills.
The movie cliff notes:
Tube Bending:
There is a couple different ways this is the easiest way for me is to make template bends:
Remember how long it was when you started and where you start the bend then record how car your die traveled, you should be able to duplicate this bend over and over, no need to calculate spring back or how much the tube shrunk as you bent it.
You can always put the tube back in and bend it more so slowly get your templates to the angle you need.
Always start the bend referenced to the same mark on the bender I just use the back of the holding die easiest place for me to see and duplicate.
Record the distance the die traveled: It doesn’t matter if you have a rotation die or a single shot bender you need to measure how far the die traveled on straight shot just measure the piston stroke, With rotation dies they usually have a degree ring to record your die travel distance if not you can make a mark off on the bender. As long as you know you can repeat it.
When bending the second bend angles are hard to measure the angle so try to keep all the bends on the same plane if possible.
You can also use an angle finder to do unique angles just remember the tube bends around the die so use the die angle as your reference frame.
They sell tube mounted angle finders our you can make your own clamp.
Example on how to use the templates and lay out your bends. I just used random numbers for this example.
Make sure you have your templates facing the correct direction you want to bend your tube.
Sucks when you bend it to the wrong side.
Plan out your bends so you can actually bend them all. Nothing worse than when you start bending except the last one puts the tube into the ground.
Splicing tubes together:
Find a tube that will telescope inside your main tube or take the main tube slice a section out clamp it together and force it in a little harder but works.
When you push the tube in put a tack to hold it in place so it will not slide when you insert the next tube this will keep the 2 tubes concentric and a nice solid base to weld to.
It also adds a little extra strength at the joint if you want you can make the sleeve longer and plug weld it together. This can be used with complicated angles or replacing a tube.
Tube Notches/Fish Mouth:
Tube notchers such as the Baileigh TN250 are great, you just need to know your angle and put on the correct hole saw.
Without a notcher you just need to know what the notch needs to look like. You can make a template out by rolling a piece of paper around the tube and cut it out until it fits or use the pipe masters, and after a while you can just do it by eye.
Once you know what the notch needs to be shaped as you can cut it with just about anything and finish it up with a grinder, file, or belt sander.
I like the band saw for cutting the notch the way you can roll the tube on a band saw can get you very close to the tube notch profile.
A notch welding prep tip:
I like to grind back the notch so you are not welding to a thin knife edge. So I like to grind it back. I often use a 1/8” larger hole saw to give me a head start. Just the way I do it.
Example of what I’m talking about grinding the tube back.
Something I came across on the web that might help, Notch Profiles. Input your tube diameter and angle print it out trace it on your tube.
http://www.metalgeek.com/static/cope.pcgi
Welding the top of the roll cage in a hard top, can get very tight, best way when starting off is to cut holes in the floor every spot the cage connects to the floor. You can slide plates under the cage, tack everything together, remove the plates drop the cage down weld it all together, lift it back up and slide the plates back under and then finish off welding the plates to the floor and to the cage.
I think I covered everything from the video.
Hope you liked my Tech Article.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you
Justin Williams
Custom Creations LLC
Figure I would give my shot at a tech tip, it is a hot rod forum I don't have much work with hot rods but I figure I would give it a shot with Tube Fabrication 101.
Some of you guys might find it beneficial too.
Let me know your opinions I'm going to wait until monday to post it so no boobies get in the way this time.
Tube Fabrication 101
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGWPlNxq5E[/ame]
I decided to make a tech article on Tube Fabrication I get a lot of questions on tube fabrication such as where do you start your bend, how much do you bend it, how do you cut a notch etc.
I hope you guys find this informative. Please forgive me for my poor acting skills.
The movie cliff notes:
Tube Bending:
There is a couple different ways this is the easiest way for me is to make template bends:
Remember how long it was when you started and where you start the bend then record how car your die traveled, you should be able to duplicate this bend over and over, no need to calculate spring back or how much the tube shrunk as you bent it.
You can always put the tube back in and bend it more so slowly get your templates to the angle you need.
Always start the bend referenced to the same mark on the bender I just use the back of the holding die easiest place for me to see and duplicate.
Record the distance the die traveled: It doesn’t matter if you have a rotation die or a single shot bender you need to measure how far the die traveled on straight shot just measure the piston stroke, With rotation dies they usually have a degree ring to record your die travel distance if not you can make a mark off on the bender. As long as you know you can repeat it.
When bending the second bend angles are hard to measure the angle so try to keep all the bends on the same plane if possible.
You can also use an angle finder to do unique angles just remember the tube bends around the die so use the die angle as your reference frame.
They sell tube mounted angle finders our you can make your own clamp.
Example on how to use the templates and lay out your bends. I just used random numbers for this example.
Make sure you have your templates facing the correct direction you want to bend your tube.
Sucks when you bend it to the wrong side.
Plan out your bends so you can actually bend them all. Nothing worse than when you start bending except the last one puts the tube into the ground.
Splicing tubes together:
Find a tube that will telescope inside your main tube or take the main tube slice a section out clamp it together and force it in a little harder but works.
When you push the tube in put a tack to hold it in place so it will not slide when you insert the next tube this will keep the 2 tubes concentric and a nice solid base to weld to.
It also adds a little extra strength at the joint if you want you can make the sleeve longer and plug weld it together. This can be used with complicated angles or replacing a tube.
Tube Notches/Fish Mouth:
Tube notchers such as the Baileigh TN250 are great, you just need to know your angle and put on the correct hole saw.
Without a notcher you just need to know what the notch needs to look like. You can make a template out by rolling a piece of paper around the tube and cut it out until it fits or use the pipe masters, and after a while you can just do it by eye.
Once you know what the notch needs to be shaped as you can cut it with just about anything and finish it up with a grinder, file, or belt sander.
I like the band saw for cutting the notch the way you can roll the tube on a band saw can get you very close to the tube notch profile.
A notch welding prep tip:
I like to grind back the notch so you are not welding to a thin knife edge. So I like to grind it back. I often use a 1/8” larger hole saw to give me a head start. Just the way I do it.
Example of what I’m talking about grinding the tube back.
Something I came across on the web that might help, Notch Profiles. Input your tube diameter and angle print it out trace it on your tube.
http://www.metalgeek.com/static/cope.pcgi
Welding the top of the roll cage in a hard top, can get very tight, best way when starting off is to cut holes in the floor every spot the cage connects to the floor. You can slide plates under the cage, tack everything together, remove the plates drop the cage down weld it all together, lift it back up and slide the plates back under and then finish off welding the plates to the floor and to the cage.
I think I covered everything from the video.
Hope you liked my Tech Article.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you
Justin Williams
Custom Creations LLC
Vice President of Internal Affairs at Dirty Donny's House of Hookers
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