anyone use harbor frt tube notcher??

2badfjs · 03-29-05, 01:25 PM

good things, bad things. opinions please.......

woody · 03-29-05, 01:42 PM

believe that's the one I have...$50ish IIRC...it works, but I have bent it more than once....

if you do notch work rarely, go for it...if it's something you plan to use for more than one project, spring for something nicer.

2badfjs · 03-29-05, 02:56 PM

and can it be reinforced for strenght????say weld a gussett to it!

woody · 03-29-05, 02:58 PM

it's not weldable, but I did reinforce it, and it's worked fine since. it's the main body that bends. Just not a HD design, and not for serious work, but for the rare use....

e rock · 03-29-05, 05:45 PM

There's a local (but nationally known) buggy/fab shop that uses them. I laughed at first, but he said that they buy a bunch when they're on sale for $30 or so. True, they don't last as long as a more expensive unit, but it actually turned out to be more economical to buy disposable notchers and throw them away than pay for more expensive ones.

YMMV,
Eric

2badfjs · 03-29-05, 05:50 PM

i think i'll go look at em

photogod · 03-30-05, 11:35 AM

Grizzley has a simmilar one in the heavier duty for a few bucks less, $59.99 vs. $64.99 from Harbor.. Just ordered one from Griz. Looked to me like the griz model was a bit more stout. Just looked at the both of them and they look identical to me.

photogod · 03-30-05, 11:56 AM

Just as a side line and not wanting to hijack this thread, I was using my drill press trying to notch the tube I used to fab a roof rack and the blade was chewed to hell trying to cut into the tube. It would cut on the away stroke but broke the teeth on the in stroke at the face of the tube. Does that make any sense?I am assuming that I had the speed of the bit up to high? I was using a metal hole bit. Any pointers on cutting metal like this are are appreciated.

2badfjs · 03-30-05, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photogod

Just as a side line and not wanting to hijack this thread, I was using my drill press trying to notch the tube I used to fab a roof rack and the blade was chewed to hell trying to cut into the tube. It would cut on the away stroke but broke the teeth on the in stroke at the face of the tube. Does that make any sense?I am assuming that I had the speed of the bit up to high? I was using a metal hole bit. Any pointers on cutting metal like this are are appreciated.

from snap-on,i've broken a tooth also, but it was'nt held down like it should have been. you mentioned grizzley, do they have a web site?

photogod · 03-30-05, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2badfjs

from snap-on,i've broken a tooth also, but it was'nt held down like it should have been. you mentioned grizzley, do they have a web site?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item...emnumber=G8686

photogod · 04-01-05, 02:12 PM

Just got the tube notcher in the mail. Nice unit, seems pretty robust. Time to try it out on the next roof rack build. I had to grind the notches in the tube last time and not all of them came out perfect. Lets see if this helps. 2badfjs, did you order one as well?

2badfjs · 04-01-05, 02:53 PM

waitin till payday

alia176 · 04-01-05, 09:30 PM

I borrowed the HF unit from a co-worker..worked out great as long as you use a good quality metal hole saw (Home Depot). The fixture was solid and well designed for what I needed it for. The cuts were clean and took about 10 seconds for 1.5" DOM tubing with .120 wall tubing. You need to have a large enough of a drill press to accomotate the entire unit solidly. The bigger the drill press, the better your cut will be due to more stability.

For $50 or so, it'll work just fine for most shade tree mechanic.

03-29-05, 01:25 PM	#1
2badfjs 80s muncher Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: HIDING!! Posts: 5,084	anyone use harbor frt tube notcher?? good things, bad things. opinions please....... __________________ SOLID ROCK OFF-ROAD http://www.solidrockoff-road.com/ 1991-92 80 series sliders available, WITH CAT PROTECTION! It's how YOU want it, i'm just here to build it for you. SLIDERS FOR 40s' 60s' and 80s' plus a little bit more

03-29-05, 01:42 PM	#2
woody Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Appleton, WI TLCA# 1548 Posts: 7,676 Blog Entries: 1	believe that's the one I have...$50ish IIRC...it works, but I have bent it more than once.... if you do notch work rarely, go for it...if it's something you plan to use for more than one project, spring for something nicer. __________________ Brian 'woody' Swearingen 1974 FJ40 'The Raisin' - Pitbull Rockers, 30-spline Longfields, SOA - 1/4 ellip 1996 FZJ80 'Gretchen' - MetalTech, ARB, OME, IPOR, 4x4Labs 2003 2500HD Duramax - Edge/Juice/Attitude, 285 Nitto Terra Grapplers, 4" exhaust 'America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.' Abraham Lincoln

03-29-05, 02:56 PM	#3
2badfjs 80s muncher Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: HIDING!! Posts: 5,084	what gets bent and can it be reinforced for strenght????say weld a gussett to it! __________________ SOLID ROCK OFF-ROAD http://www.solidrockoff-road.com/ 1991-92 80 series sliders available, WITH CAT PROTECTION! It's how YOU want it, i'm just here to build it for you. SLIDERS FOR 40s' 60s' and 80s' plus a little bit more

03-29-05, 02:58 PM	#4
woody Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Appleton, WI TLCA# 1548 Posts: 7,676 Blog Entries: 1	it's not weldable, but I did reinforce it, and it's worked fine since. it's the main body that bends. Just not a HD design, and not for serious work, but for the rare use.... __________________ Brian 'woody' Swearingen 1974 FJ40 'The Raisin' - Pitbull Rockers, 30-spline Longfields, SOA - 1/4 ellip 1996 FZJ80 'Gretchen' - MetalTech, ARB, OME, IPOR, 4x4Labs 2003 2500HD Duramax - Edge/Juice/Attitude, 285 Nitto Terra Grapplers, 4" exhaust 'America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.' Abraham Lincoln

03-29-05, 05:45 PM	#5
e rock IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Monroe, WA TLCA# 6829 Posts: 1,260	There's a local (but nationally known) buggy/fab shop that uses them. I laughed at first, but he said that they buy a bunch when they're on sale for $30 or so. True, they don't last as long as a more expensive unit, but it actually turned out to be more economical to buy disposable notchers and throw them away than pay for more expensive ones. YMMV, Eric __________________ -Eric 64 FJ40, slightly modified. 97 LX450, bone stock.

03-29-05, 05:50 PM	#6
2badfjs 80s muncher Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: HIDING!! Posts: 5,084	thanx for the info i think i'll go look at em __________________ SOLID ROCK OFF-ROAD http://www.solidrockoff-road.com/ 1991-92 80 series sliders available, WITH CAT PROTECTION! It's how YOU want it, i'm just here to build it for you. SLIDERS FOR 40s' 60s' and 80s' plus a little bit more

03-30-05, 11:35 AM	#7
photogod I'm really very humble Join Date: May 2004 Location: MN physically, MI spiritually Posts: 1,341	Grizzley has a simmilar one in the heavier duty for a few bucks less, $59.99 vs. $64.99 from Harbor.. Just ordered one from Griz. Looked to me like the griz model was a bit more stout. Just looked at the both of them and they look identical to me. Last edited by photogod; 03-30-05 at 11:48 AM.

03-30-05, 11:56 AM	#8
photogod I'm really very humble Join Date: May 2004 Location: MN physically, MI spiritually Posts: 1,341	Just as a side line and not wanting to hijack this thread, I was using my drill press trying to notch the tube I used to fab a roof rack and the blade was chewed to hell trying to cut into the tube. It would cut on the away stroke but broke the teeth on the in stroke at the face of the tube. Does that make any sense?I am assuming that I had the speed of the bit up to high? I was using a metal hole bit. Any pointers on cutting metal like this are are appreciated.

04-01-05, 02:12 PM	#11
photogod I'm really very humble Join Date: May 2004 Location: MN physically, MI spiritually Posts: 1,341	Just got the tube notcher in the mail. Nice unit, seems pretty robust. Time to try it out on the next roof rack build. I had to grind the notches in the tube last time and not all of them came out perfect. Lets see if this helps. 2badfjs, did you order one as well?

04-01-05, 02:53 PM	#12
2badfjs 80s muncher Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: HIDING!! Posts: 5,084	not yet waitin till payday __________________ SOLID ROCK OFF-ROAD http://www.solidrockoff-road.com/ 1991-92 80 series sliders available, WITH CAT PROTECTION! It's how YOU want it, i'm just here to build it for you. SLIDERS FOR 40s' 60s' and 80s' plus a little bit more

04-01-05, 09:30 PM	#13
alia176 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Tijeras, NM TLCA# 15941 Posts: 3,502 Blog Entries: 1	I borrowed the HF unit from a co-worker..worked out great as long as you use a good quality metal hole saw (Home Depot). The fixture was solid and well designed for what I needed it for. The cuts were clean and took about 10 seconds for 1.5" DOM tubing with .120 wall tubing. You need to have a large enough of a drill press to accomotate the entire unit solidly. The bigger the drill press, the better your cut will be due to more stability. For $50 or so, it'll work just fine for most shade tree mechanic. __________________ TLCA # 15941 KE5LED Currently working PA

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