Re: Dumpster diving, tube cutting

To: 'Tesla-Submissions' <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Dumpster diving, tube cutting
From: "Baddeley, Glenn" <GBaddele-at-vitgssw.telstra-dot-com.au>
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 96 09:09:00 EST

>From bturner-at-apc-dot-netFri Nov 22 08:45:22 1996
>Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 01:36:17 -0800
>From: open_minded <bturner-at-apc-dot-net>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Dumpster diving, tube cutting
>
>Tesla List wrote:
>>
>> >From chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-comThu Nov 21 21:56:47 1996
>> Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 21:56:20 -0700 (MST)
>> From: Chip Atkinson <chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
>> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
>> Subject: Dumpster diving, tube cutting
>>
(snip)
>> I recently obtained a 9.5" OD PVC pipe (heavy wall) that I was thinking
>> of making into a coil form.  The problem that I face is cutting the thing
>> off squarely.  Does anyone have any tips?  At this point I think the best
>> course of action is to mark it carefully and use a hand saw.
>>
>> Chip
>
>  Using sheets of legal size paper, tape the short (8-1/2") edges
>together so that they are exactly aligned. Use enough sheets to circle
>the tube with about 6-8" extra.
>
>  After taping the sheets end to end, wrap the sheets around the tube
>*but do not tape the paper to the tube*. If you wiggle the paper so
>that the (long) edges are aligned, then the paper 'sleeve' is square
>to the tube. Tape the paper down to itself. You now have a 'circle'
>square that you can slide up and down. Mark along the edge where you
>want to cut.
>
>  Use a new, fine tooth hacksaw blade and very slowly make a light
>cut as you rotate the tube. If you continue to make light cuts as you
>rotate, eventually you will cut through the tube and the edges will
>be resonably smooth and *square*.
>
> - Brent

Chip & Brent,

An alternative to paper is to use wide (50mm) masking tape or gaffer tape.
Cut a piece long enough to circle around the tube about 1 1/2 times
and stick one end to the tube as square as possible (by sight, or
using mitre box, or large right angle template).  Carefully wrap
the tape around the tube by lightly smoothing it down on to the
surface (don't stretch it tight) and the natural tendency of the tape
to remain straight should result in the end lining up with the beginning.
If not, just lift the tape and try again on a corrected angle.
Once it matches up, press the tape down firmly and then carefully cut
around the edge of the tape using a hacksaw.  Should give a good
square off for about 5 minutes work and no fancy tools or jigs.

Glenn Baddeley.
Melbourne, Australia.