Cutting an aluminum FF tube

[chp5]

I want to shorten an aluminum FF tube to put on my V-22 uppper. Any good way to do it?

I was just going to put it in a vice and take a hacksaw to it, then round any sharp edges with the Dremel.

Thanks.

[Dan Sierpina]

A band saw will do a neater job. A lathe would be prefered. but a float tube is pretty big in diameter, requiring a big lathe.

[GentlemanJim]

Find someone with a lathe to cut it...it will be true and clean.

Jim

[Dan Sierpina]

Find someone with a lathe to cut it...it will be true and clean.

Jim

Maybe you can have jewelled!

I couldn't help myself, Jim

[MCFooter]

I want to shorten an aluminum FF tube to put on my V-22 uppper. Any good way to do it?

I was just going to put it in a vice and take a hacksaw to it, then round any sharp edges with the Dremel.

Thanks.

I would leave it long but if you insist and don't have access to a lathe I would put a stainless hose clamp around it to give you a straight line to work to.

If you don't have the V22 Factory tube I have one I will sale cheap.

[mpeltier]

10" electric miter saw with a fine 60-80 tooth carbide blade and go slow. We cut aluminum all the time at work like that and it makes as clean a cut thru aluminum as you will find.

[chp5]

Thanks for the replies.

[Chills1994]

a carborundum blade in the same chop saw will work too.

my experience w/ cutting aluminum w/ a chop saw with a regular carbide toothed blade is that the teeth have a tendency to grab, but that might have just been me and cutting flats, channels or angles. scares the ba-jeepers out of me when it does grab and kinda boogers up the aluminum.

expect burs with either blade. lathe like the others said would be the 1st choice, bandsaw w/ it clamped or held in a jig would be number 2.