Cheap tool dodge

[Peter Twissell]

Being a miserly old skinflint, I am averse to buying expensive tools which I may only use a few times when I can improvise.
In this case, I needed to create 'fishmouth' ends on some short sections of stainless tube for the exhaust collector ring for my radial engine.
I used a cheap hole saw, set up without the pilot drill and held in an ER collet on the mill. Running slowly (100 RPM) and with plenty of cutting oil, I successfully cut several sections of tube.
I have to admit, I was expecting to have to regrind the teeth of the holesaw at regular intervals, but it has held up surprisingly well so far.
I made an aluminium plug to support the very short lengths of tube, so I could hold them in the vice without crushing.

 

[tornitore45]

That is what is all about. Imagination and improvisation ... on a budget.

 

[Wizard69]

That is a pretty common approach. You can even buy drill press fixtures that supposedly help you do the same thing. At one time there was a vendor for fine tip hole saws that supposeldy work better in this sort of work.

 

[Peter Twissell]

My point exactly, I didn't want to buy anything, just use what I have.
I can't imagine doing this job on a drill press, unless it was a particularly large, stiff one. The hole saw was cutting on one side for most of the job and requires a rigid machine.

 

[dnalot]

I have done a lot of tube cutting with hole saws, mostly in SS. Grit edge cutters work best.

Mark T