From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 3/4/2026 12:32 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:   
   > On 3/4/2026 12:23 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:   
   >> On 3/4/2026 12:11 PM, Snag wrote:   
   >>> On 3/4/2026 12:30 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:   
   >>>> 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.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>   
   >>> How about a portable version . The spindle is on a pivot with the   
   >>> other leg a pipe clamp . Clamp the device to the pipe/tube , set the   
   >>> angle , and Robert's yer mother's brother .   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Harbor Freight already makes that and its terrible.  LOL   
   >>   
   >   
   > Damn-It Snag!  I just visualized a portable version that would work far   
   > better than the Harbor Fright version.  It has one of the same problems   
      
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