What's the best way to cut brass or aluminum tubing?

[Monty]

I saw some brass and aluminum tubing at Hobby Lobby and got the idea of making my own shock absorbers.  I haven't done much work with metal with respect to model building, so I'm curious about how to cut tubing.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

Either a razor saw and miter box, or a Dremel with a cutoff wheel rig.

Either way, you'll most likely have to dress the ends after the cut with a file to get them dead-square, and the inner diameter will need to be deburred too. A drill bit works well.

For the razor saw, you'll want a very fine blade, probably around 32 TPI (teeth per inch).

The little roller cutters they sell to cut tubing tend to squash the ends as they cut, so if you're trying to make shocks that have inner sliding elements, it can be a bugger.

[Nacho Z]

Another method that does work is to use a new #11 blade in a hobby knife handle and roll the piece of tubing under it.  You must keep the blade at a 90 degree angle to the tubing.  When rolling the tubing with the blade, make sure that the tubing rolls in a straight line.  In other words, you want your cut line straight and true all the way around the tubing.

I hope this makes sense.  I struggled to get the technique into words...lol.

[Nacho Z]

Don't know if this will work.  Hopefully it is a link to a video that demonstrates what I was trying to explain.

 

[Monty]

Thanks guys!  

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Nacho Z said:

Another method that does work is to use a new #11 blade in a hobby knife handle and roll the piece of tubing under it.  You must keep the blade at a 90 degree angle to the tubing.  When rolling the tubing with the blade, make sure that the tubing rolls in a straight line.  In other words, you want your cut line straight and true all the way around the tubing.

I hope this makes sense.  I struggled to get the technique into words...lol.

Been doing this for 50 years and it works great. And it doesn't even have to be a brand-new #11 blade, either. I've also done it with a box cutter, and with whatever pocketknife I happened to have in my pocket. 

[Casey]

17 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Either a razor saw and miter box, or a Dremel with a cutoff wheel rig. Either way, you'll most likely have to dress the ends after the cut with a file to get them dead-square, and the inner diameter will need to be deburred too. A drill bit works well

I use the x-acto aluminum miter box and razor saw combo, as Bill suggests. After you complete the cut (90* or 45* are your only real option for accuracy with the x-acto box, though), you can slide the tubing to the end of the box and square it up with a file, sanding stick, etc., then de-burr like Bill mentioned.

I'd also recommend a nice set of jewelers files if you're going to be working with aluminum and brass tubing. I have an older Craftsman set but I doubt they are even available anymore. Just be sure to buy a quality set.

x-acto miter (mitre if you're Canadian ) box:

 

[BigTallDad]

I put the tubing a drill cradle (see below),  then use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel for nice, straight cuts.

[SfanGoch]

Nuthin' beats K&S Engineering's good ole Model No. 296 Tubing Cutter. This works as it's intended. No overly complicated Rube Golbergesque contraptions required:

I swear by, not at, it. Grab one at Ace Hardware for six bucks.

 

[BigTallDad]

1 hour ago, SfanGoch said:

 No overly complicated Rube Golbergesque contraptions required:

 

Before you get too condescending, the drill can be used for other modeling tasks.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/102101-a-handy-accessory/?tab=comments#comment-1428008

[SfanGoch]

Don't make assumptions as to the context or intent of my comment. Just stating a fact, as I see it. Simplicity and easy of use is foremost when I determine my tool and equipment requirements.

[peteski]

On 11/25/2018 at 7:40 PM, Nacho Z said:

Another method that does work is to use a new #11 blade in a hobby knife handle and roll the piece of tubing under it.  You must keep the blade at a 90 degree angle to the tubing.  When rolling the tubing with the blade, make sure that the tubing rolls in a straight line.  In other words, you want your cut line straight and true all the way around the tubing.

I hope this makes sense.  I struggled to get the technique into words...lol.

That's  how I cut it too. I usually do it on a piece of pine board.  The trick is to learn how to hold the knife perfectly perpendicular to the tube. If I screw up, I just discard the bad piece, dress the end and try again.  This works really well on soft aluminum and on thin-wall brass tubing. The thick wall brass is a bit more difficult - takes a bit more work.

Edited November 27, 2018 by peteski

[Deuces]

I also use the KS tube cutter....

Great for making your own injector stacks... ?

Edited November 27, 2018 by Deuces

[Aaronw]

The miter box and razor saw works well.

I got one of these at Harbor Freight and it works pretty well so long as you don't just mash it down. It cuts well, but not a lot of power so you will stall the motor if you try to cut too fast.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-mini-bench-top-cut-off-saw-62136.html

[Bainford]

I have a K&S tube cutter but rarely use it. For aluminium tube I roll it under an Exacto blade as described above, and for brass tube I use the Exacto mitre box and razor saw.