From: none@none.com99   
      
   After modifying the cheap Harbor Freight tube notcher so it (should)   
   work okay for the NAU BAJA SAE team, I had a realization.  All you need   
   is a clamp and a spindle.  In theory I could use (almost) any half   
   decent swivel base vise with pipe jaws or prismatic jaws, and improvise   
   a spindle.   
      
   Yes, Jim, you could certainly CNC it, but programming and modeling to   
   get good results I think will take longer than just doing it with a   
   manual purpose built tool.  (a live tooling CNC lathe would be better   
   than a CNC mill, but it would likely cost a lot more.)   It would only   
   be beneficial if you could more fully automate it with a parts loader so   
   you could walk away and let it run multiple parts on its own... and then   
   there is the fact that my CNC machines are better spent cutting more   
   valuable parts in the small quantities I would make.   
      
   Here is my idea.  Make the spindle with two expanding locating pins that   
   drop into the standard grid on a welding table.  Fabricobble something   
   similar for a purpose built vise, or just use a swivel base vise with   
   prismatic jaws.  5/8 (nominal 16mm) holes on a 2 inch grid are the most   
   common grid pattern on hobbyist and small production tables, but it   
   could be made for any size grid table.   
      
   There would be no need to make a fancy indexable telescoping spindle   
   mount like I did for the Harbor Freight monstrosity.  Just position the   
   vise and the spindle where ever you need them to make the cuts you need   
   to make.  If you need to reposition for long 30 degree notches you just   
   move the spindle.  Alignment will remain as good as the grid holes on   
   the table.  It's self indexing.  A cheaper to make, but more pain to use   
   version is to just have threaded holes in the alignment pins and bolt it   
   from the bottom.  Even more crude/simple options can be done for single   
   or low use as well, but the less time you spend in design and build the   
   more time you spend in use.   
      
   Here is the biggest benefit.  Because my shop not only suffers from HSD   
   (horizontal surface disease) it suffers from ACUTE HSD (yes its killing   
   me), the notcher can be tossed in a box on a shelf or in drawer when not   
   in use, and it only requires clearing the edge of the table when needed.   
      
   The only major requirement that requires some planning really is that   
   the vise tube slot and the spindle axis of rotation are parallel, and   
   the tube when held and the spindle are at the same center height.   
   Roughly by machining standards.  We are after all talking about   
   fabrication work, not machine work.  That being said as long as both   
   center lines are parallel to the mounting surface, the height can be   
   shimmed if need be for an improvise solution.   
      
   I think I could build such a notcher in a fraction of the time it took   
   me to make parts to make the harbor freight notcher work better.   
   Partly, of course because I have already figured out some of the   
   problems by fixing the Harbor Freight notcher.   
      
   I doubt I would make and sell this.  I'm not a machinery dealer, so I am   
   putting it out there in the open.  Maybe its a dumb idea.  Maybe its a   
   great idea.  I don't know, but its worth atleast as much as you paid for   
   it.  Maybe Jason over at Fireball Tools would be interested in making   
   something like that as an accessory to his welding tables.  He has the   
   reputation to be able to sell something like that at a price that would   
   make money, and the knowledge and skills to produce them efficiently.   
      
   P.S.  After picking up the HF notcher my son told me he is going to try   
   to get the team to put TWO (of my stickers on their race car.  One on   
   each side.  LOL.  Me?  I'm going to try to get them to all wear my   
   company hats anytime they don't have a racing helmet on.  LOL.   
      
   HERE IS THE BIG PROBLEM.  My welding table doesn't have any holes in it.   
     I don't do a lot of welding and fabrication.  Most is repair work in   
   situ, and often outdoors and out of position.  For the few repeat   
   assemblies I've done on the table that require repeat indexing I weld   
   stops on the table and grind them off when I am done.  I have a solution   
   for making the grid pattern. I've got a mag drill and the right size   
   annular cutter.  I've got the steel to make the giant t-square and grid   
   hole spacers for aligning and moving the square.  I just haven't had the   
   three days I think I'll need to do it.  Well, I haven't had them and not   
   wanted to go fishing more.   
      
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)