From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 3/3/2026 9:30 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:   
   > 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.   
   >   
   >   
      
   Getting back to the original idea.   
      
   By using a commercial or commercial like welding table as the base:   
   1.  You don't have to make a base plate.   
   2.  You can adjust the distance between the cutting spindle and the tube   
   vise without loosing your angle.   
   3.  The base plate (table) is going to be flatter than the typical bent   
   and welded base plate that comes with many tube notchers.   
   4.  Its an out of the box solution that will produce quality repeatable   
   results without spend half your day cobbling up a makeshift solution.   
      
   I've spent way to much of my mental budget thinking about this, and I   
   have solutions for tables with different dog hole sizes and grid pattern   
   spacing.  To a limited extent even for tables with erratic grid spacing,   
   but maybe not for tables with radically erratic dog hole sizes.  LOL.   
      
   Making the spindle fit multiple tables is easier than making the vise do   
   so, but both are possible.  You still have the same accuracy (more or   
   less) as the grid itself.   
      
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)