Tube Notching - JD Squared Beast Notcher Review

[mike343sharpstick]

I've been building lots of parts requiring accurate notching of tubes with little or no gap at the joint. Unfortunately due to the notches I've needed to make, which are at an side-angle to the tube, nearly all tube notchers on the market wouldn't hold the tube in the position I've needed, and were unusable.
I need to hold the tube similar to this...


Fortunately I found this JD Squared Beast Notcher and it works exactly as shown on the YouTube videos. It's saved me hours of grinding.
Great tool!

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'll never understand why they don't put bearings on the shaft. There's such a huge side-load when notching that the cutter will only work for maybe a half-dozen cages before it's so loose that it's unusable.

[Loren]

Keep it greased good...

I came across a CL ad for a JD2 tube bender, three die sets and some small stuff for $1800 and was thinking about getting it, looking at their site they have a better one new that with a handful of die sets would be cheaper than the used lesser model on CL. Hmm. Maybe someday, I keep having friends do tube bending for me when needed which isn't very often. Just wondering what people think of the JD2 units.

My old friend with a mandrel bender, the really good type with the internal sliding mandrel I used on my Camaro cage, I've kinda fallen out of touch with.

[anotheridiot]

I was waiting for a mill to do the tube right as we are starting to work on a 4 link setup with a later model rear end for the Camaro. I plan to use the front leaf pockets for the lower bars but just ended up using a 2.25 holesaw on the drill press and drilling the 4' length of chrome moly thru the center. They came out really straight no grinding at all.

I often wonder how much better the work would be if we had the proper tools.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Keep it greased good...

I've heard of this grease thing (even tried it), and while it has fears that are multiplying, the side load eventually overcomes the bronze bushing. They could have helped themselves by having a grease channel machined into the bushing - but alas, no. All that grease does preserve it well in my scrap trailer.

Truth be told, though, I can do a better job with a side grinder and grinding wheel

[mike343sharpstick]

I'll never understand why they don't put bearings on the shaft. There's such a huge side-load when notching that the cutter will only work for maybe a half-dozen cages before it's so loose that it's unusable.

I'm not sure what you are talking about? The shaft that holds the hole saw and slides in and out does have bearings.
I have used the same cheap home-center hole saw for 20 notches so far in 1-inch DOM .065 wall with no loss in performance. The time savings compared to grinding and finishing with a belt sander is substantial.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm not sure what you are talking about? The shaft that holds the hole saw and slides in and out does have bearings.
I have used the same cheap home-center hole saw for 20 notches so far in 1-inch DOM .065 wall with no loss in performance. The time savings compared to grinding and finishing with a belt sander is substantial.

roller bearings - most (including my old one) use a bronze bushing on the inside of the drill shaft and it wears out quite quickly (even with grease)