Production tube cutting

Could some one help me. I have to cut hundreds of pieces of small
diameter copper and ss tubing ranging from 2mm to 7mm in diameter
and about 3 to 4mm long. I hate to have to saw cut them one at a
time.

Thank you in advance.
Steven Blank
srbatmr-happy.com

I have to cut hundreds of pieces of small diameter copper and ss
tubing ranging from 2mm to 7mm in diameter and about 3 to 4mm long.
I hate to have to saw cut them one at a time. 

It should be possible to rig up a jig on the same principle as a
jump ring cutter-- a box (three-sided with a lid that presses the
tubes to hold them securely, perhaps) to hold multiple lengths of
same-size tubing, with a slit to allow you to run a circular cutting
blade or thin separating disc in a flexshaft, then slide the batch of
now-shorter tubes down, cut again, and so on.

I don’t have a clear image of exactly how this would be made, but if
the tubes you’re cutting are in batches of the same diameter, the
basic idea of rigging something to cut across, say, 10 at a pass
would seem to be the way to go.

Noel

These little chopsaws have worked for me in the past. QC spec on
them is a little loose so it is a roll of the dice. Would recommend
making a jig with a v-slot so you have support on both sides of the
cut, that way you can minimize the deburring.

Jon P

I have for years used a table saw with set square manufactured by Ray
Grossman Inc, Westbury, NY and in the past sold by Gesswien. It is
rigged to fit a foredoom flexshaft handpiece and uses table saw
blades which I have specially ordered to reduce waste which measure
.010x2.5" with 240 teeth. These saw blade mount on to a 3/32 special
mandrel. It will cut through all types of tubing at specific lengths
but has a hard time with platinum tubing as it gums up the teeth of
the blade.

I use a more powerful flexshaft motor as it to cause some wear and
tear on a standard motor. E-mail me if you have trouble finding
this, or if you want to see what it can do

Carol Ackerman, G.G.

http://tinyurl.com/29evhuu Substitute a flexshaft for the air die
grinder http://tinyurl.com/2694jm8 that’s inexpensive

My grandfather had a tubing cutter made in the 1950’s that I still
use, I would be happy to send pictures to anyone who inquires. It
has a tubing tray with holders which, under hand pressure, hold the
tubing being cut, it uses a 3 inch blade which I just replaced with
one from Micro Mark and runs off a regular electric motor spinning a
vacuum belt to run the blade. It has a stop which is adjustable so
that any length can be set and multiples cut. It’s a bit over
engineered but then again, it has lasted 60 some years and cut
bazillions of tubes. It cuts fast and is easy to adjust.

Sam Patania, Tucson

Hi, Steven -

We sell a tube cutter jig with millimeter marking. Contact me
off-line if you haven’t found what you need.

Kind regards,

Mary Stachura
Jos. P. Stachura Co., Inc.
www.StachuraWholesale.com

I have the little cut off saw from Harbor Freight for cutting tube
stock and totally love it! Huge time saver!

Ellen Starr