U-Profiles from Square Tubing

[Johannes GrabschParticipant @johannesgrabsch91508]

Hallo erveryone

I am looking for the correct method to produce steel U-Profiles, I need 14 x 6 x 1 mm. I was trying to cut 14 x 14 mm square tubes with a thin circular saw on the milling machine. It is not easy to clamp the tube safely without excessive force, otherwise the tube will be bent. A circular saw will soon start to flex and the cutting line starts to wander.

What is the correct method?

Thanks

Johannes

[Johannes GrabschParticipant @johannesgrabsch91508]

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

If the length is not too great you could push a piece of 12×12 wood into it for support. Just cut one side at a time and only deep enough to cut the metal, not the wood.

Martin C

[egaParticipant @ega]

Won't square tube distort when one of its sides is cut off?

[Johannes GrabschParticipant @johannesgrabsch91508]

Yes it does. I now think the best approach is indeed to cut only slight grooves into both sides and to finisch the cut using a hand fret saw. The circular saw must be 2 mm thick otherwise it will flex and run out.

Is there maybe a company that could fold 14 mm channels from 1 mm material? Cheating …

Johannes

[kevin beeversParticipant @kevinbeevers61752]

try looking for some drawer runners they come in differant sizes but you would have to cut the lips off

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Regarding the clamping on the mill, try it without a vice on the table.

Slide a length of square bar down the hole and clamp both end down to the table. I've cut round tube successfully that way, with round bar down the hole of course.

[paul rushmerParticipant @paulrushmer83015]

Band saw and file works for me, try and have the weld on one of the cut faces cleaning up is much easier!

Paul

[Johannes GrabschParticipant @johannesgrabsch91508]

I have tried a Band Saw too, but this was bad for the blade. How many teeth/in. did you use? I have learnt that the size of the teeth should be smaller than the material thickness.

Johannes

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

If cutting sheet (which is effectively what you are doing) with a hacksaw try cutting at a very shallow angle.

Neil

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

I would do it with a 1mm thick cutting disc in an angle grinder, cutting it slightly over height and then finishing off with a sanding disc to the right height. You will be able to make the cut without distorting the thin wall, but it will be messy.

Chris Gunn

[Anonymous]

There is no 'correct' method; it depends on the starting material and the type of equipment available.

I'd fold from 1mm sheet. If the 6mm height is important I would make the sides slightly over length and trim on the mill. Since the channel is open it can be clamped for the full length using rectangular bar sitting in the channel. So it will be held rigidly, albeit the vertical leg is unsupported, so one would need to be cautious with DOC to avoid chatter.

Andrew

[paul rushmerParticipant @paulrushmer83015]

I used a burgess hobby saw with a 32 TPI blade, if using a coarser blade feed slowly.

Paul

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Johannes Grabsch on 16/04/2017 16:57:44:

Is there maybe a company that could fold 14 mm channels from 1 mm material? Cheating …

Johannes

In the workshop, there is no such thing as 'cheating', only 'solutions' .

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Having recently needed some channel section myself I went for the option of joining two pieces of angle, worksed out well. You dould solder or weld them together, mine were thicker so I went with welding.

[Johannes GrabschParticipant @johannesgrabsch91508]

Fine

My solution was a modification of a Parkside Angle Grinder Stand, that I once bought at Lidl's. I used a special made up wooden channel for the square tubes, a small angle grinder and a 1 mm cutting disk. As the pressure of the cutting disk is downwards and the tube cannot escape to the side, the cuts were surprisingly fast and straight. Actually on my first attempt, the tube almost shot through the thing, throwing sparks…

Johannes

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