Agtronic

I'm definitely not expecting it to be easy! :eek:

I did that with the bottom joint in this pic, is this what you mean?

redboost10

kinda off topic, but how often do you have to send in your tube notcher bits to get resharpened or have you had to? the bit we have has lasted way way longer than i ever expected it to, havnt had to sharpen it since we got the machine.

Agtronic

I'm using a hole saw, and I haven't done enough cuts to need to replace it yet. What type of machine are you using?

redboost10

mitler bros. it uses a drill bit type notcher. we adapted a hole saw to it if ever needed, but usually we just use the huge drill bit notcher on it.

http://www.vansantent.com/tube_copin...ng_notcher.htm

this is a picture of the machine, but that is not the drill bit we use.

k24em2

Yea, basically grind off the thin edges like you did in that bottom joint.



Like the top and bottom of the tube getting cut in that pic.

DESTROYER

It's not a drill bit, they don't really cut sideways, your using an endmill.

turboteener

Now take what you welded together and break it. This will give you a good idea of how well your welds are working out. Its hard to tell but the last picture with partially welded brace doesn't look like it has adequate penetration. You may even look like at cutting it with a saw and checking the weld quality. I am sure you know all this, but others in this thread may not.

I have been using a hole saw notcher for several years. With proper speed and coolant, I am still using the same holesaw a year later. My 1.75 saw has built 4 cages and a couple of roll bars last year alone.

silly sohc

Markku,

I use this religiously for any cage work.. takes some getting used to but now I doubt I could do w/o it... I like it better than the dial type.

redboost10

i know its not a drill bit, i just didnt know the technical term for it. but i did know that it wasn't a hole saw.

turboteener

How do you like that finger control? Does it have a decent range of movement for your finger or do you have to spin the hell out of it to get enough heat? What about when you shut it off, easy or hard? Does it work as well as a foot pedal for being able to slowly back off the heat at the end of the weld?

downest

I've used that thumbwheel, it's pretty good, decent control just takes a little getting used to. Personally I hate the things and I'd rather drag the pedal around in awkward positions. Someone startled me once while I was using it and I grounded out on the filler and shocked myself pretty bad, since it doesn't automatically spring back to off.

Agtronic

What other tools do you guys like to use? I'm thinking a digital angle finder would be nice ...

dave@passenger

I think digital angle finders are a must, I like being able to square things up to a tenth of a degree. Plus they read faster than pendulum finders.

90blackcrx

I bought a thumb wheel before and ended up selling it, I just use my body and my limps to work the pedal. Its not that bad, and I'm not a small guy either.

Nothing beats laying upside down and working the foot pedal with your Johnson

DESTROYER

LOL you capitalized the J in Johnson...

I have found that for cage work, I just hire someone else to do it. Full-Race happens to be full of 105lb welder types that can fit in between areas I could when I was 10.

silly sohc

Funny thing.. I use my index finger for the slider... after getting used to it, it became just he right amount for the .095 cage wall at 60amps. Sometimes I still find myself feathering it too. IMO the only thing that could be designed better on it is the holding straps.. they are a PITA to get them wrapped around the gun properly.

greenbastardperformance

I personally prefer to use a fingertip control when doing a cage. I find it alot quicker than proping the pedal up only to knock it over trying to get into position. lol Are you using ER-70S2 for filler?

blueoval557

I on the other hand HATE finger controls. Ive done the upside, down, backwards with the pedal between your legs. Or your leg bent back behind you, around another tube in the car, foot cramped up, working the pedal. I manually pulse EVERYTHING I weld, especially 4130, because it keeps as much heat as possible out of the joint.
As for tools...the best thing you can get is a couple different lengths of striaght material(I use flat aluminum strap), and a angle finder you would find in a woodshop for setting tablesaw angles(link below).
Once you have these, when your trying to figure out an angle, make a mark on each tube where the new tube will intersect. Now, take your straight edge, line the straight edge up with those marks, and clamp them into place. Now, take your angle finder, put one edge against the tube already in place, and pivot the other edge until it meets up with the aluminum straight edge your using. Now, set your tubing notcher to this angle, and you'll have a perfect notch.
I always take a 4.5" grinder with a thin grinding wheel, and smooth/feather the burrs on the inside of the tube you just notched with the holesaw. It cleans it up a bit, not that youll ever see it but... Where I learned alot(the best drag car builder in the country), I would fit tubes all day. If you could slide a piece of .035" welding rod between the two pieces you were fitting together, in ANY place, no matter how small, the tube was junk. It was frustrating as hell at first, but you learn quick.
Heres the link to the angle finder I was referring to(guess its called a sliding t-bevel):

http://www.shelterinstitute.com/cata..._t_johnson.jpg

Hope this may help someone!

Kyle

MidShipCivic

I read one of the responses but you'd want something to give in an impact so YOU don't absorb it or am I missing something here about DOM vs Chromoly?

dbiker207

are you welding those pipes with stainless filler? if so you should really be using mild

.adam.

i know this doesnt really have to do with the welding aspect of cage building, but im looking to add on to my current 8 point and am trying to figure out how to route the a pillar bars down to the floor. do you guys notch out a section of the stamped/spot welded metal that is behind the dash to keep the bars tucked close to the a pillar? and what about the hood pop lever, do you relocate or is it possible to fit the bar behind it somehow? ever since they changed to vbulletin i cant find **** when i try to search for pics......

redboost10

i have an ek and aimed the a pillar bars to the circular vent holes, then made two cuts in the dash so my dash looks stock, but is removeable and does not have a huge slice missing from it.

as for the hood latch, just make a bracket and weld it on to the a pillar bar down there.