Pre cut tubes

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Suskmorrison

Suskmorrison

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Joined
Nov 20, 2021
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Location
Memphis
I have trouble cutting tubes. Where can I purchase pre cut tubes for the faith and hopefully pen kits and musical pen kits?
 
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I understand the headaches cutting your own tubes. I buy extra precut tubes for the popular kits I use. I still have a need to cut my own so I bought the small chop saw from PSI with the attached table. Thant made all the difference. I use the stop that came with it and I can get precise tubes with ease. Just something to think about.
 
I cut mine long and then I slip them over an appropriately sized sleeve (or a transfer punch (aka disassembly punch)) and sand them to the final length using a jig on my disk sander. Sanding helps me re-round the ends of the tubes as I usually wind up crushing them a little when I cut them off. Since I sand them to length anyway I usually grab a Dremel tool with a metal cutoff disk that I have handy and just hack them apart. I have a large, 4.5" cutoff wheel (angle grinder type) chop saw that I use if I have a lot of them to cut.

- Dave
 
Not all kits seem to have extra tubes sold separately. Have run into this a few times. So you buy 10" tubes that match and cut your own. They can be cut with these mini saws or can be cut on a bandsaw just as easily. Many people have made jigs of all kinds. It will take a little sanding of the edges when cut but they also make a reamer that can do this as well. I use a metal blade on bandsaw as well as a cut off sled that I use for cutting other things as well.
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Have to make sure I put this in the right thread. Got yelled at for not earlier. felt like a criminal. :) All these saws are basically made in same factory. Here is a Grizzly one and you can get a discount if you sign up for emails.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-2-mini-benchtop-cut-off-saw/t32005?msclkid=522f30adc4d414c3fce8574fe4bb278e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[ADL] [PLA] [Shopping] - {Generic}&utm_term=4585925561291041&utm_content={Generic}&adlclid=522f30adc4d414c3fce8574fe4bb278e
Amazon has many versions of the saw but different colors. Different prices.

Here is Penn States version:
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/micro-pen-tube-cutoff-saw.html

Here is a guy who did a different version of a platform. Harbor Freight version.

 
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I've used a mini tube cutter but those end up rolling the ends. To fix that I take a punch and pointy side towards rolled edge, inside the tube, I try to convince it back to straight. I've also cut a but long and used a 60 degree deburring tool to slice off the rolled edge.

I tried on a bandsaw but I either had a terrible blade, terrible technique or both. The cut was pretty jagged. I didn't think to sand like Dave mentioned, but I don't think I had a sanding/squaring jig at the time.

My preference is to buy extra tubes but some kits just don't have them. I'm looking at you DuraClick EDC and Magnetic Vertex Rollerball. But any kits that do, I generally by an extra pack or two of tubes because inevitably I'll ruin one.
 
Dremel with cutoff wheel. Have stacked two tubes to replace one long tube. Cut off to the blank and square with pen mill. Done it twice this month.
I do wish that we could get the long tube sets in various diameters. So far only found the 10 inch tubes for Slimline pens.
 
JohnU, thanks for the help. Wasn't aware EB carried them. Need to order so guess what will be added to the list. Need to check what tubes I use the most. Nothing more frustrating than to need something, any thing, and not have it.
 
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