From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 3/4/2026 11:30 AM, 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.   
   >   
   >   
      
   Another advantage to using this on a proper welding table would be the   
   ease of mocking up jigs and supports.  Particularly if the center lines   
   were a nice standard size height above the table/base.   
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)