Cutting Square Tube

[JohnsonsNB]

I'm awful curious as to the design of the splitter... can we get a pic of it? If it was me, I'd probably either cut it with My evolution saw or a 4.5" grinder with Walter Zip-Cut wheels. I can follow a line pretty well w/ my grinder, but I've had a LOT of practice!

Hi Bretsk2500,

The splitter's bed design is similar to that of the two-way splitters from Northerntool.com . In effect, the cylinder is inside a piece of 6" square tube, and then that tube is inside another piece of square tube (can be fabricated from a piece of 8").

Admittedly, like you, I'm quite good with my grinder too, after many years of cutting autobody panels and the like.... As I mentioned above, if I'm unable to locate someone with a plasma, I'll probably end up using a grinder too.

As someone else mentioned, yes, O/A will certainly work too.... I just would like as clean of a cut as possible the first time. I know the precision is not a big thing with a splitter, but like most of you folks, the fun of a project is in the details....

[bretsk2500]

I looked at the ones at northern... interesting design. I definitely wouldn't use a MM140 for any or it, 7018 or .045 NR-232. To get around cutting the 8" tube, I think it would actually be stronger to use 2 pieces of 8" structural channel. I'm betting the reason the commercial ones use the tube is they just roll up sheet stock into the U shape (not cutting a section out of a HSS tube) because it would be cheaper than 2 pieces of channel.