I want to piecut my frame from 2x4 to 2x3 and then run a 2x3 rectangular tube crossmember. Then I will piecut it at the cowl and at the front cross member to sweep the frame 4 inches. Anyways.... What is the easier way to taper it from 2x4 to 2x3? I only have an angle grinder, a circular saw with a metal blade, and a sawzall. I plan on doing the long cuts with the curcular saw. 1. make the long pie cut and leave the underside of the frame and the rounded corner and make the weld on the side of the frame. 2. make the long pie cut and cut it right at the bottom side of the frame and reuse the bottom section of the frame and weld right at the corner, making a new lower corner. 3. angle cut the whole way completely cutting off the bottom portion of the frame and clamp and weld on a new bottom plate and the welds are the corners, making new corners.
Since it's a frame, I'd cut it so that the top of the rails are flat and straight and the bottom of the 2x4 "sweeps" up to meet the 2x3.
In all 3 cases i would be making the sweep come from the bottom up, but my main question is which is the easier way to weld it back together and make it look seamless, weld on the flat or weld on the corner.
weld on the flat the corners **** to get right with a grinder, the flats part however is easy to make flat again
i like corners over flat.. flat warps...get yourself a nice flat grinding pad and go to town.if you burn it just right into the corners you wont have much grinding to do
Cut the tube just inside the corner radius, if you are using 1/8 wall I would cut it no more than 3/16 in from the edge. Be sure to grind both sides of the weld to give a nice "V" that you are going to fill when you weld. Easiest to grind and look good. Rex
If you have a decent air compressor then a air cut off wheel works well especially for the arc. Wear good eye protection! Full face shield at least. Here is how I did mine.
good tips! m definitely going to need some final practice on some s**** before going ahead, but ive seen so many of these frame built on the HAMB now its my turn.
find a buddy with a plasma cutter , take the rails there and make a pattern about 1/8 inch smaller than you want the rails...it will take about 5 minutes to cut them clean them up with a grinder and your ready to weld them......
Go to http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f42/ and download the frame building instructions. They include detailed information on pie cutting a frame.
here is a pic of my front horns and tapered frame rail - I cut 1 inch out tappering back 24 inches - then made the front horns almost like Sickos - using the top and bottom - left long from the side shape cut and drew it in with clamps as I welded - then joined them to the frame
You've still got to grind off the plasma kerf, I find a zip disk on an electric angle grinder to be quicker and more accurate.
cut mine on the flat . When i welded them back up I had a huge bow pointing down,took lots of heat to get then back to strait.
If you don't have a plasma cutter, take a sawzall blade and cut it short, like 1.5" or so maybe shorter and use it to cut the lines, you can even cut curves with it!
that's how I cut mine, you can see in this thread: for what you are asking follow posts 11,12 and 13 FRAME, basic frame fabrication condensed version
If it is .125 wall tube, cut off the 1" to o" taper bottom piece. Then cut a .125 piece of flat stock that is 1 3/4 inch wide and the length of the taper. Position the flat stock so it fits corner to corner and tack it. Then go back and skip weld it to fill in the corners. Round off the weld to a nice radius.
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