Chassis' Construction

[JoseAn_Landeta]

Hello. I belong in a team of F-SAE from Dominican Republic. I need help respect the construction of the chassis. I like to know how some of you cut the different tubes (different shapes in the ends of each tube). We tried cut it with a CNC Milling Machine, but when we try to join the tube with the rest of chassis (lower frame), tube already cutted, this can't be joined. We want to know if some of you use another method to cut the tubes and if it was effective.

[Nick Renold]

On my team, we used a tube notcher. Search google images for "abrasive notcher" and you will get the idea.

You can also order tubes from Cartesian Tubing pre-notched based on your CAD file.

[Wolfie]

What you can do is use a angle grinder with a steel blade and a flapper disk. You print out the profile of the tube on to paper, cut the profile out and fix it to the tube. Cut out the general shape of the profile with the steel disk and then finish it with the flapper disk. You then need a file or a Dremel to give the tube the proper undercut so the fit is tight for welding. We did this in 2010 and it worked. Now we get our tubes lasercut by an outside mob.