Cutting lots of small pieces of tubing

Jewelry Discussion
1

I’m working on a project that involves several hundred pieces of 1/4"
long, 3mm diameter sterling tubing for hinges. I’m not looking
forward to using a jewelers saw to cut this many pieces, even with
one of the tubing cutting jigs to help out. Does anyone have any
ideas for an easier way to do this?

Thanks,
Jason

2

Jason,

I purchased what looks like a mini-drop saw from Harbor Freight. It
works very well for this. Let me see if i can find it online and give
you an SKU number.

3 
I'm working on a project that involves several hundred pieces of
1/4" long, 3mm diameter sterling tubing for hinges.. Does anyone
have >any ideas for an easier way to do this?

cutoff tool on a lathe would be very fast and clean, also to debur

4

With that many precision cuts it might be worthwhile to rig up a
chopsaw attachment for your flexshaft.

What I’ve done now and then(but not for hundreds of cuts!) is cement
tubing onto a suitable metal rod and insert into a flexshaft. Cinch
the handpiece in a smallish drill press vice. Draw a jewelers saw
lightly and slowly where you need the cut, cutting only down to the
rod, not thru it (making sure the rotation is correct for the saw).
Heat or acetone to remove. This results in square edged cuts because
its sort of a mini lathe.

But hundreds? Oh God.

5

You can pick up a tiny tube cutter from a hobby or craft store for a
couple of dollars. Works great but the cut won’t be perfectly flush.
It has a very slight bulge type cut if that makes any sense. The one
I have looks like this below but there are different versions.

http://tinyurl.com/2ex7999

6

I second the notion of the Harbor Freight chopsaw. I will however
offer 1 caveat; you should modify the vise to give bottom support on
both sides of the blade. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself creating
a lot of work for yourself as each cut will have a significant bur
that you will need to file down. For smaller numbers of cuts this
isn’t much of a problem.

Jon P.

7

Yes! I found a small electric mitering saw at Harbor Freight that is
fabulous and cheap. I use it all the time and it is a huge time
saver. Here’s the item number - Bench Top Cut-Off Saw Item # 42307
Manufacturer: Chicago Electric Power Tools

It costs around $26.00. I highly recommend it.

Ellen
Starr Design - MN

8 
I have looks like this below but there are different versions.
http://tinyurl.com/2ex7999

Wow! With this type of manual pipe cutter, it’s going to take far
too long for the OP to make the hundreds of cuts they need. And
electric chop saw type machine is probably going to be the best bet.

Helen
UK

9 
With this type of manual pipe cutter, it's going to take far too
long for the OP to make the hundreds of cuts they need. And
electric chop saw type machine is probably going to be the best
bet.

too right!

that pipe cutter will take too long plus additional work will be
necessary to ream and de burr.

i make jigs for repetitive cutting…metal, wood, clay…it’s kind
of a given in the fabrication process.

maybe they could contract the work out to a few people…to get the
quantities they require.

10

Theresa,

This looks like a very interesting piece of equipment. What else do
you find it useful for?

Thanks!

11

I don’t remember what size you needed the pieces of tubing to be but
when I needed the same thing, I just ordered them from Metalliferous.
They have what they call “tube spacers” in several different sizes
listed with the beads in their catalog.

Lona

12

I cut a lot of pieces of small tubing 6mm and down about 3mm long. I
built a quick cut off tool with my 30 hand piece and hinge and a
couple of radiator clamps. Built it in about an hour. I use .006 to
.023 cut off blades depending on material. Cuts nice and square with
very little burr. Takes me about 15 minutes to cut up a 12 inch
piece. I also use up a few cut up discs. It depends on how hard I
push it.

Steve