Tube notchers - Need input

Yay!Gurrr

Yay!Gurrr

Better Faster Stronger
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Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
N. N. Raleigh, NC
My HF notcher has server me well for the last 8+ years.

What better types of notchers are you guys using ? I'm not interested in chop saw notching. I know it works just fine for many occasions.

There are a ton of new models out there now. $250-$600+

At first I was thinking why the fuck would I spend more than $250 on a notcher... But seeing what all can be done with one of these notchers is cool.

This is a pic of the JD2 beast..
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=829242&highlight=offset+notch

The JMR notcher is $600 bucks, has lots of way cool features, but i see something like the beast, being usable for other stuff.. Basically what ever can be clamped in there...


Anyone using any cool homebrew setups? Or modified notchers?

Any cheep endmill/motor setups that aren't $3000 ?
 
In my dream shop it would be nothing but bailiegh products, and since I'm a stubborn ass it takes me longer to aquire the tools I want. But when I get them I'm rarely disappointed. Realisticlly this notcher isn't hugely more exspensive than other much lesser built notchers, unlike the benders they build, which I am personally holding out for. As for home built I bought a very heavy built maching vice and machined a holesaw holder and drive axle assembly and ordered some leanier bearings that wouldn't work out like I wanted and then the project ground to a halt. In retrospect to get all of these features out of a notcher of this quality I'd buy in a heartbeat.
 
The one we use does 60 degrees and I modified it to 63 ! Works great and works on a drillpress. Don't know the brand or price. But it's not much.
 
The beast is nice and will most likely be my next one. I personally don't like the Baileigh notcher, yes it has a fancy clamping devise but it seems like a pain to use on a day to day basis. I like the beast mostly due to fact that you can notch in the middle of a bend easier. Most notchers will not allow you to do some because of their clamping setup.
 
what makes it a pain to use? I'd really like to hear more of the up and down sides of various units too. I'm partial to the baileigh brand only through visual comparisom and advertised features, so some real world input would be most useful.
 
I have the JMR and after 3 years and probably thousands of notches I wouldn't change anything. The bearings are still tight and everything works as it did when it was new.
 
Wow, the "Beast" looks pretty sweet. I like how you can notch in the middle of a bend like that.

I've been using a JD2 notcher for several years but can't remember the model number. I'll check later.
 
I plan to invest in a belt sander type notcher soon. You feed the tubing into the end of a solid roller, I TIG almost every bit of tube work I do and have found that the thin wall flexible hole saws I use on my current notcher just don't give me the fit I'd like to have. Plus I always notch a tube then walk to the sander to debur it. So its the best of both worlds.

As far as the baileigh clamping system, I think after about 10 notches all those small slots and holes would start clogging up with chips and you'd spend more time cleaning than notching. Its a good idea but I think the beast would be much more practical.
 
so what u thinkin on this yager? made any desicions?
 
JMR dude replied to me on PBB (that other sucky web site) with a promo sale price of $499 , limited time sale price.

Still a lot of coin on a notcher... So basically I haven't made a decision...
 
Anything to get away from abrasive cutting get's bonus points in my book. I like the concept of the lowbuck because of that, but leary about how it actually works.
 
Our Low-Buck really only does straight or slightly angled notches. The catch is that, in my opinion, it is THE BEST, fastest way to do a straight notch on tube. I can notch both ends of a tube in less than 20 seconds.

Edit: Gotta add, no dust and no noise are reasons enough to use it for all your straight notches,not to mention the speed. Just make sure you have a pretty hefty table to hold it. I use a receiver welded on the tongue of my trailer to hold it. I used to turn over the wooden workbench when I had the notcher mounted to it.
 
I have an old lowbuck notched sitting in the corner of it shop. We use it for notching sch. 40 pipe for handrails. It's fast but it will only do 90 deg. notches worth a damn. Trying to cut more or less while fighting with a long piece of tube is a pain in the butt. In my opinion it's a great tool to have if your a misc steel shop that does lots of straight line handrails and what not. It's not for the type tube work we do on our rigs. But if your still interested in it and would like to try one out before to buy it come by the shop and I'll let you try mine.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
what makes it a pain to use? I'd really like to hear more of the up and down sides of various units too. I'm partial to the baileigh brand only through visual comparisom and advertised features, so some real world input would be most useful.
Click to expand...


Stay tuned guys, I will have some info for you. Wd have a couple guys doing write ups and videos with the new notcher.

Here is a video in the mean time:

http://www.bii1.com/videos/tubing-notcher-tn-250.php
 
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