I have a job on that requires some notching just simple notching while paying for one should I go the whole hog and the jd2 beast or just get the cheaper one I've never used one so not sure
just looked at the JD2 tube notcher video....seems easy enough to make a good one ur-self.......
I guess, Cheesie it depends on how much use it'll get.....!!!!!!! no idea on price but it's Yankee which spell's expensive.....
think I'd buy a dedicated heavy pillar drill and make my own notcher.....get something reasonable for £100 drill wise and the rest from scrap....!!!!
thats if ur gonna do a lot and u got the room for the machine.....
all my pillar drills (8) are on locking rollaway stands.......another one wouldn't hurt as I do have to make a frame for my 4 cylinder Indian project....
I use one of the cheaper ones like this
I changed the spindle bushes for needle roller bearings and use it in a pillar drill.
I used to use it clamped in a vice with a hand drill......that was a bit of a pain.
I think £600 is a bit much unless you use it for a couple of hours every day.
its all the same think imported in what ever colour you want , like folders and swagers , one factory in india , or china etc just turning out average kit at the best ,, if you want a good one you buy a bayliegh version , if you want a cheap one its wns etc , but mostly the same thing with a different sticker.
I know decent notchers make a decent job, but having done a bit of roll cage fitting in the past couple of years you can get an “as good as” finish and fit up with a grinder and some patience. As above, if it’s going to be a toll which will get daily use then you can justify the expense. If it’s for a one off or the job is relatively minor I’d just go down the grinder route.
I suppose the resale value on that particular item will be quite high so you’d recoup most of your expenditure if you sold it on after using...
you can get decent results with a pillar drill and a good vise , as you say ,,,, depends on the job and how fussy it all is , if your migging just about anything close will get you by , bit of a pita if its tig though.
It would mostly be 20-25mm aluminium tube for tig I could be using it 2-3 times a week I've been using a grinder to notch stuff for years but it takes patience and I it's never as good as I'd like it