fish mouthing tubing

[macka]

So I was just in the shop. I needed to fish mouth a tube, I don't have a fish mouth jig. I do have a tubing insert made to go in a milling vise, and I have a vise on the drill press. I fitted the tube into the vise and centered the end under the drill press. I took my grinder and made a small flat spot on the end of the tube, and drilled a small pilot hole in it. I then took my 1" hole saw and fitted it up. I bolstered underneath the tube to minimise deflection and then cut the hole. I did a test fit and only had to trim a little bit off for a very snug fit. All in all about 5 mins for set up and a minute or so for cutting and fitting. Thought I'd share my little discovery.

[Richie Rich]

Hi, Macka.....here's a nice fish-mouth tool for your digital toolbox.
After you enter your dimensions, it prints a template which fits over your tubing.
Cut to shape and weld. Very easy.

...Richie Rich...

http://www.ozhpv.org.au/shed/tubemiter.htm
.

[John Lewis]

So I was just in the shop. I needed to fish mouth a tube, I don't have a fish mouth jig. I do have a tubing insert made to go in a milling vise, and I have a vise on the drill press. I fitted the tube into the vise and centered the end under the drill press. I took my grinder and made a small flat spot on the end of the tube, and drilled a small pilot hole in it. I then took my 1" hole saw and fitted it up. I bolstered underneath the tube to minimise deflection and then cut the hole. I did a test fit and only had to trim a little bit off for a very snug fit. All in all about 5 mins for set up and a minute or so for cutting and fitting. Thought I'd share my little discovery.

You can get a tool that uses holesaws to fishmouth. It's used with a drillpress. Probably find it in the Wicks Aircraft catalog. I saw one at the LoGo trike factory.

Giles pucket's program mentioned by richie and also available here
http://www.aloftyideal.com (http://www.aloftyideal.com/) along with some others works well and is what I have used for years.

John Lewis

[Richie Rich]

Here's one.....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42324

..Richie..
.

[John Lewis]

Here's one.....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42324

..Richie..
.

Yes, that looks like it. I think I could make one.

John Lewis

[trikeman]

I have posted this before in the old forum, but its worth posting again for new members to see how easy it is to fishmouth tubing with nothing more than a file and a hacksaw. This guy is using a lug as a template, but you can just as easily use the computer programs posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIxCdTRkRHo