Fitting Pipe for T-Joint

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Question is for build fences or build gates etc, is what is the most effective way to cut ends such that you can weld up nice and not have to do a bunch of fill work?The only way I have been able to do it in the past is mark the top and mark the bottom and hack away with a grinder with a cutting disk to try to get them to meet up ok.
Reply:Hello ScotIf you are doing them all day, every day a tube notcher is the way to go.  I use a good hole saw set up on the pillar drill.  A bit slower but cheaper.  Works perfect for stainless too.
Reply:I have jigs set up to mark for torch or plasma cutting.If you have a chop saw you can set it at about 20-30 deg angle and cut a corner off the end and rotate it 180* and cut the other corner off. It's not a perfect cope but it helps.Leo
Reply:Make yourself a gore pattern out of paper like so:
Reply:The chop saw or band saw method is fast and suitable for much fencing and rails.  There some cutting schedules for forming different degree copes on this site.  Some folk put the tubing to be coped in a square tubing, thus you can flip it 180 without guessing.
Reply:Yeah + 1 on the chop saw method cheap, simple and fast......Unless your building a race car or bike frame.....Then you probably  would use a mill or notcher.....  Miller Dynasty 350Twenty Six HammersThree Crow BarsBig Rock
Reply:As said, tube notcher, mill or drill press with a hole saw would be the prefered method. I normally just set my saw to 30/35 degress, cut it and then finish it off with a file/grinder. Also, (depending on what you are doing) sometimes you don't need to cope the tubes,  just flatten the ends in a press or with a big hammer. There is also a program called 'tube miter' (amongst others) that will print off templates for coping larger tube/pipe.
Reply:One project is with 5" 1/8 or more thick pipe so perhaps the chop saw version would be best.
Reply:http://metalgeek.com/static/cope.pcgi     This is for pipe or tube, not exactly sure if that's what you are using.This will allow you to make a pattern you can trace on to your pipe. I've made patterns out of the plastic that is used for cutting boards (the real thin ones you can roll up) for the most common sizes and angles that I use. Just trace it on to the pipe and fire up the torch, clean it up with a small grinder and weld away.BTW, make sure it prints to scale when you print it out.Last edited by Greyhorse; 03-25-2011 at 06:33 PM.HH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X
Reply:For the chop saw or band saw you can use this.http://snip.awardspace.com/Ken
Reply:On pipe 3" and smaller you can cut saddles by sight. Start on the top in the middle cut in about 1 1/2" and roll your torch as you cut to the side, then do the other side, turn it 180 and do it again. You will get good and quick with practice. If your torch is set up right you hit it with a hammer to knock the slag off and install it.