Hints & Tips Dept.

[Ray T]

Recently I was trying to cut a brass tiller tube. Not possessing a chop saw or a heavy duty pipe cutter, I had a couple of unsuccessful goes using a hacksaw.

A "flash of brilliance" moment occurred, for me anyway - use a Jubliee Clip  as a guide to get a right angle cut.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Ray T

[David Schweizer]

Yes, very good Ray, certainly a novel way of doing it. I have always found that when cutting a large diameter tube, it helps to rotate the tube after each few cuts, this enables you to gain a good purchase on the horizontal material, rather than fighting the teeth snatching on the thin vertical section of the pipe. Then clean up with a fine file using a square to ensure the end is at right angles to the tube wall.

Edited January 4, 2018 by David Schweizer

[Boat&Bikes]

I was blessed with an apprenticeship at the best machine tool company ever, my opinion of course! I can hacksaw a perfectly adequate square angle.

Ian.

Edit to add nice idea Ray.

Edited January 4, 2018 by ianali

[BEngo]

If the pipe cutter you do have is not up to the job it will still mark a nice line to saw and file up to.

A strip of paper with one straight edge can also be wrapped round, laying dead flat on the tube to give an edge to work to, in the same way as a hose clip.

Finally, if feeling lazy, a stonecutting disc in an angel grinder will cut brass nicely-much better than a steel cutting disc and easier than a hacksaw!

 

[David Mack]

5 minutes ago, BEngo said:

 

Finally, if feeling lazy, a stonecutting disc in an angel grinder will cut brass nicely-much better than a steel cutting disc and easier than a hacksaw!

 

How often do you need to grind angels?

[artleknock]

I find the easiest way is to take it down to the workshop and use the horizontal bandsaw.

[MtB]

5 hours ago, artleknock said:

I find the easiest way is to take it down to the workshop and use the horizontal bandsaw.

 

I find the easiest way is to employ someone else to do it....

[cheshire~rose]

11 hours ago, Ray T said:

Recently I was trying to cut a brass tiller tube. Not possessing a chop saw or a heavy duty pipe cutter, I had a couple of unsuccessful goes using a hacksaw.

A "flash of brilliance" moment occurred, for me anyway - use a Jubliee Clip  as a guide to get a right angle cut.

When Chris Bennett suggested the scrap metal value for it did he have inside knowledge?

[Ray T]

14 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

When Chris Bennett suggested the scrap metal value for it did he have inside knowledge?

No, no collusion at all. I wanted to make an "embellishing" piece, similar to those I have seen on some "hysterical" boats. It is still being used for a tiller, but not in the conventional way.

Just to make the rams head look "pretty."

Edited January 5, 2018 by Ray T

[ditchcrawler]

I always had a problem sawing straight and it wasn't until I took up shooting I found out the reason. I am right handed and have a master left eye so when I am sawing  I am not looking straight down on the saw but looking from the left hand side. Also a problem playing snooker as I wasn't looking down the cue but again across at an angle.

[WotEver]

7 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I always had a problem sawing straight and it wasn't until I took up shooting I found out the reason. I am right handed and have a master left eye so when I am sawing  I am not looking straight down on the saw but looking from the left hand side. Also a problem playing snooker as I wasn't looking down the cue but again across at an angle.

I’m right handed and right eye dominant but still have a problem shooting a barn door

[cheshire~rose]

4 hours ago, Ray T said:

No, no collusion at all. I wanted to make an "embellishing" piece, similar to those I have seen on some "hysterical" boats. It is still being used for a tiller, but not in the conventional way.

Just to make rams head look "pretty."

Tidy job!

And you have a length of brass tube left over

[Nightwatch]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I always had a problem sawing straight and it wasn't until I took up shooting I found out the reason. I am right handed and have a master left eye so when I am sawing  I am not looking straight down on the saw but looking from the left hand side. Also a problem playing snooker as I wasn't looking down the cue but again across at an angle.

When I was 13/14/15 year old Dad was a Steward in a British Legion Club. They had a successful Snooker team and I used to play snooker and billiards with them. The team captain noticed I was rather good at this and told me I could make money in the future as snooker was just getting started in the TV etc. Anyway, first thing he did was to get me to line up a shot from the other side of the table from him, he crouched down and look straight back at me. I asked what he was doing and he replied, looking to see if your eyes are straight. I have often wondered if he was extracting the urine, now I know he wasn't. It's only fifty years ago. They were straight. Never did make it big, joined the navy and the snooker tables were rubbish at sea. And they had square balls!!

Edited January 5, 2018 by Nightwatch

[Ray T]

Just now, Nightwatch said:

When I was 13/14/15 year old Dad was a Steward in a British Legion Club. They had a successful Snooker team and I used to play snooker and billiards with them. The team captain noticed I was rather good at this and told me I could make money in the future as it was just getting started in the TV etc. Anyway, first thug he did was to get me to line up a shot from the other side of the table from him, he crouched down and look straight back at me. I asked what he was doing and he replied, looking to see if your eyes are straight. I have often wondered if he was extracting the urine, now I know he wasn't. It's only fifty years ago.

What sort of a British Legion Club was it? 

[Nightwatch]

Just now, Ray T said:

What sort of a British Legion Club was it? 

That was bloomin' quick. I was editing when you cruelly noticed smell cheek correcting me.