I have a tube bender and a 1" die set. In the past I've used my milling machine and a 1" cutter to cope the joints. I have a project starting soon using some 1 5/8 material. I've got my die set but need a cutter. At first I was just going to get a 1 5/8 cutter for my mill with a 1" shank (1" is the largest collet I have). Turns out it's not a common size, so it's very thin pickings for cheap stuff on ebay. So I'm asking what people recommend as a good hole saw style cutter? Something that will last.
I highly recommend a RELTON brazed carbide hole saw. They are high quality and stout. Go slow and it will last forever. Good luck with anything else.
Depending on the quality of fit you need I buy hole saws and make a 5/8 arbor out of an allen bolt and us a jam nut to lock it in place. Use plenty of coolent and it will last many,many cuts. Problem with endmill type cutters on thin wall tubing is that they catch the edge somtimes which kills the peice and can knock the head out
Not cheap, but this is the best tube notcher I know of. Correctly set-up and used it is very accurate. http://www.vansantent.com/tube_coping_machines/ultimate_tubing_notcher.htm The bigger the collet bore, the thinner/weaker the collet. Because 1" is larger than the the body of an R-8 collet, a 1" tool can't be fully inserted into the collet as smaller sizes can. That makes a I" collet even weaker. For larger tools buy a solid(not a collet) R-8 tool holder. With one of those you can adequately hold onto a larger cutter. At that point the machine is the limit of what you can cut, not the tool holder. The Bridgeport's limit is; even with the head clamping bolts tight I have seen the head skid out of position when making a heavy cut. When that happens things tend to go downhill quickly. I have seen a cheap R-8 tool holder bend when a large end mill snagged the work. Like anything else, you get what you pay for and the good ones aren't cheap. It's ok if the cutter diameter is a little larger than the shank. For notching tube a cheap holder would probably be ok if used carefully.
Travers has 1.625" dia 6 flute Single End HSS endmill with a .750" dia shank. http://www.travers.com/product.asp?..._id+'08-005-690'&catalog=100266&target=bottom They list it at $ 61.57.
End mills with that much difference between cutter diameter and the size of the shank are fairly easy to break.
A good thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=542447&highlight=cope lots of ideas
i made my own hole saw notcher, hole saws are everywhere, this one looks pretty nice http://www.syncnotcher.com/
You can get a 1.625 carbide tooth hole saw from McMaster Carr for $13.00. With a slow cutting speed and a bit of lube they will last a long time.
I understand what you are saying, but when you can't clamp the part well, have a part that's flexible, have a part that tends to chatter, have a part that wants to "grab" the cutter, or have a really worn out machine, finesse often isn't enough to allow using a flimsy cutter.
I used to buy Milwaukee "Hole Hawg" magnetic drill cutters off eBay for dirt. Then everyone else discovered they are the greatest machine tube notching tool ever. Now they are gold... Oh well. I cut them with a suicide wheel mounted in a 4 1/2 angle grinder. Does every kind of notch, and with a little practice you can get just as good a result as a mill in less time.
This one from JD2 is pretty neat. http://www.vansantent.com/tube_coping_machines/JD2_Beast_Notcher.htm
you dont need a hole saw, i have been useing a band saw and make a straight cut , it makes a perfect fit and is way faster
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