Cutting cardboard tubes.

[Tintin]

Greetings Everyone,

I would really appreciate your time and advise on this one. I am a complete newbie with woodworking and am helping my wife out with some arts and crafts projects.

I wanted to cut a cardboard tube into equal size pieces and I made up a jig as follows.

http://imgur.com/ZlT8Ohttp://imgur.com/ZlT8O

I have a PS 300 jigsaw and I got myself a S155/W blade to cut cardboard. I thought I was all set  [smile]. But when I tried to cut the tube with a jigsaw, I simply could not maintain a straight cut. I also have a Festool guide stop for the jigsaw and I was riding it on my MFT 3 but to no avail.  [scared]

Can I use my plunge saw to get exact sets? I have never handled power tools in my life and this is really my first project. I felt good when I made the jig but cutting the tube is proving to be frustrating. I can manage maintain the stability of the cardboard tube on the MFT3 but handling the jigsaw is proving to be a bit difficult.

I would love to hear if folks on the form have had any experiences with cutting these tubes.

Best regards,
Tintin

 

[Dan Clark]

Greetings Everyone,

I would really appreciate your time and advise on this one. I am a complete newbie with woodworking and am helping my wife out with some arts and crafts projects.

I wanted to cut a cardboard tube into equal size pieces and I made up a jig as follows.

http://imgur.com/ZlT8Ohttp://imgur.com/ZlT8O

I have a PS 300 jigsaw and I got myself a S155/W blade to cut cardboard. I thought I was all set  [smile]. But when I tried to cut the tube with a jigsaw, I simply could not maintain a straight cut. I also have a Festool guide stop for the jigsaw and I was riding it on my MFT 3 but to no avail.  [scared]

Can I use my plunge saw to get exact sets? I have never handled power tools in my life and this is really my first project. I felt good when I made the jig but cutting the tube is proving to be frustrating. I can manage maintain the stability of the cardboard tube on the MFT3 but handling the jigsaw is proving to be a bit difficult.

I would love to hear if folks on the form have had any experiences with cutting these tubes.

Best regards,
Tintin

Tintin,

Try a bread knife.

Dan

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I would say too dangerous for you (especially considering the experience you said you have) cutting this with a circular saw like a regular one or a Festool plunge saw.

This sounds like the perfect thing for a bandsaw, done by someone skilled at using it, just to be safe.  Of course, like Dan said, a knife or hand saw is another option.

What's the diameter and thickness of the tube?

 

[semenza]

Hi Tintin,

Welcome to the FOG !  [smile]

If the tubes are thick, dense cardboard a hacksaw will probably work well.  Also depending on the diameter a miter box will help keep the cut going straight. 

The jigsaw does not sound like a good way, nor a circular saw. I think the right jig with  the tube clamped well would work pretty well with a reciprocating saw.

Seth

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Here is another option if you have the outfit.
[attachimg=1]

 

[ossietim]

Dropsaw (kapex if you have one)

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Dropsaw (kapex if you have one)

That's why I asked about the diameter.  I wasn't sure whether it would fit.  I still think the Ninja would work the best.  He slices and dices. [eek]

 

[waho6o9]

Dropsaw (kapex if you have one)

That's why I asked about the diameter.  I wasn't sure whether it would fit.  I still think the Ninja would work the best.  He slices and dices. [eek]

nah  might dull the blade

 

[BJM9818]

I've used a  table saw to cut some sonotubes I was using  to make a plug for a fiberglasss mold.  Take the sliding rail and just spin the 10" around and it made a nice clean cut. If your cutting 5" or less its really easy on a table saw.

 

[Tintin]

Hello Gentlemen,

First off many thanks to all. This is an amazing forum with wonderful people - great way to share and learn.

I had folks coming over the weekend and hence could not get back sooner. So I tried the bread knife and it worked pretty well. I would get a straight cut till about 95% of the cut and it would get harder to maintain the quality and straightness of the cut the lower I got.

The dimensions of the tube are as follows:
Diameter: 52 mm
Thickness: 2 mm

Today I am going to get a hacksaw blade and fix it on my MFT3. I then plan to have a piece of scrap perfectly parallel to the hacksaw and then rotate the tube over the hacksaw while being supported by the scrap. Let's see how it goes.

I don't have a bandsaw and I am doing this in an apartment  [eek] with a 2 year old floating around. What I LOVE about the Festool system is that it is so organized with the systainers and sysport. I can keep it off limits for my kid. With a bandsaw, I am not sure how safe it would be.

I will post the results back after my little experiment.

Regards,
- Tintin

PS: I don't have a miter saw either -- I got all these equipments in 1 shot and I need to save up before I can but a kapex  [smile].

 

[Ken Nagrod]

52 mm diameter and 2 mm thick cardboard tubing is nothing for a miter saw.  Sure you can't borrow one or have someone cut to your marks pretty quick?

 

[Kevin D.]

Never done it with cardboard, but have done so many times on my bandsaw with 4 inch PVC pipe.  I once had a close call when I wasn't holding my tube correctly, and the bandsaw blade disengaged it from my hand.  The tube literally disappeared from my hand, only to be observed spinning at a million miles an hour on the floor after having bounced off the ceiling and leaving a decent gouge mark.

All I'm saying, is if you try subsequently with a power tool, even though it seems like nothing that can harm you being a cardboard tube, it can still be quite dangerous.  I'm lucky that tube didn't go flying into my face.  It would have done serious damage.

 

[Wonderwino]

Another powerless tool that would work well is a Bridge City Tools JMP-v2.

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/default/featured/jmp-v2-jointmaker-pro.html