Cutting Brass Tubes

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Ron McKinley

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2009
Messages
4
Location
Apple Valley, CA
How is the best way to cut brass penmaking tubes without distorting the pieces. I've screwed up a few pens and have salvaged the parts but buying extra brass tubes by the set is expensive so I bought a set of 5 ten-inch long tubes so how do I cut them to size? I tried it with a small pipe cutter used for cutting copper pipe but that didn't work out. Thanks in advance.......Ron
 
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Ron McKinley said:
Thanks Butch. This was my first post and I'm not familiar with the software yet.....Ron
Click to expand...

No problem , I hope the other post helps , I really like that little saw from HF for cutting tubes but like I said don't expect it to do much else . For cutting all but the largest tubes it works great and gives a nice clean cut , and it's on sale right now for $25 , great price ,.

Welcome to the group by the way .
 
Personally, I think the 6" bench top cut-off saw they have on sale for $29.99 is a much more all-around useful tool.

I use it to cut through all sorts of materials including heavy-duty phenolics, acrylics, copper, aluminum, etc...
 
An arrow shaft cutter that can be bought for next to nothing at an archery shop works like a champ. I think the cost was $6.
 
I have a beat-to-crap blade on my bandsaw that I use for soft metals. Or if a good blade is on there, my 8" chop saw does the duty with a carbide blade. WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION! WEAR EYE PROTECTION!


That's worth saying a few times...
 
Small Saw

After about losing three fingers on my left hand a couple of years ago in a debate with a 10 inch table saw....I will tell you that a table saw of any size in no place to be cutting somthing like pen tubes. The little cutoff saw designed for the task is much better. I wouldn't want to use my 10 inch mitre saw for that either, it's getting the fingers too close to the blade for comfort. Scroll saw with the right blade might work.
 
I don't do jack next to a blade. I use clamps to hold stuff in place. I'm a wimp. If my fingers are 4" away, I'm skeered.

The only place I don't seem to have any fear is the bandsaw for some reason.
 
gr8danish said:
Personally, I think the 6" bench top cut-off saw they have on sale for $29.99 is a much more all-around useful tool.

I use it to cut through all sorts of materials including heavy-duty phenolics, acrylics, copper, aluminum, etc...
Click to expand...

The problem with that saw is the blade (cut off disc) takes way too much material away . The little saw can cut the tubes to any size with almost no waste .
With that 6" saw be very careful to follow the Max RPM ratings for your blades . That saw runs a couple of thousand RPM's above what most small blades are rated at .
 
ldb2000 said:
The problem with that saw is the blade (cut off disc) takes way too much material away . The little saw can cut the tubes to any size with almost no waste .
With that 6" saw be very careful to follow the Max RPM ratings for your blades . That saw runs a couple of thousand RPM's above what most small blades are rated at .
Click to expand...

I found that thin fiber cut-off disks meant for cutting metal do the trick quite nicely. You don't have to worry about little carbide tips flying off at high speeds! ;)
 
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