Hacksaw and Cordless Drill Lathe (Sort of...)

I had a milled carbon steel tube that I wanted to modify by cutting a "cone" off the end, but wasn't sure how to make an accurate, square cut as I could not use a tubing cutter. I also did not want to pay someone to cut the cone. My "on-the-fly" method using a hacksaw and cordless drill worked surprisingly well and quickly, with very little flash and few burs.

Step 1: Chuck it up!

Find "something" to use to chuck your tube/pipe/etc. in your drill.
In my case, a 7/16-inch socket with a hex base made for hand drills had the perfect exterior diameter for a really tight friction fit with the interior diameter of the tube.
Sorry for the mixed-up photo timeline. I really came up with this quickly and was surprised it worked as well as it did and I didn't think to take pics until well into the project.

Comments

[Dream Dragon]

I've used a drill in exactly this way, clamped into a "Workmate". Chucking the work is the key, your solution works mainly by luck and a light hand. It would be better to grip the work properly.

That said, hacksaw, files and polishing media would allow you to make all kinds of interesting pieces of metal.

[glorybe]

You will really want one of the grit edged saw blades. If the metal is hardened you also will need to keep it very cool or it will not be hardened after the cut. Also if failure of the part might result in injury the part should not be altered. For example making a drill collar that spins at speed can lead to serious problems if the strength or brittle qualities of the material are altered in any way.
It is great that you are trying new things and sharing them with others. It is simply this world is more complex than it sometimes appears. I am reminded of the chrome plating shop that was sued for a fatal accident after some hobbyist sent in some bolts for chrome plating that were taken from a washing machine. They were somehow used in an area of a car that looked good with those chrome bolts but when the bolts failed due to the plating a fatal wreck was the consequence. When we handle a piece of metal it is hard to know how that metal may be used down the road.

[Tool Using Animal]

Mini 14 Flash Suppressor???

[justmakeme!]

10/22 actually, but the Mini 14 isn't much different. Different size barrel and sight slot.

[rimar2000]

Here it is mine: http://www.instructables.com/id/Torno-del-pobre-poor-man-lathe/

[John Smith]

Ha, I do this all the time, but using my Dremel. It works wonders. Nice instructable!

[dunnos]

seriously? then i have some questions 1. wont it go to fast? 2. could you make an instructable im to tired to think of something 3. how

[John Smith]

haha, i meant that instead of the hacksaw i use the dremel. Everything else is the same

[dunnos]

oh darn i hoped on a dremel lathe :P

[John Smith]

haha if you want a cheap wood lathe, look at Grizzly industrial's drill lathe. dont have a link now, but look through them. They're not too overpriced.

[Shark500]

I've been doing this for years. What where you cutting? looks cool.

[Shark500]

you can also use metal bars in the drill against a grinder or file to make sharp points or curved edges.

[T3h_Muffinator]

Just did this today, but with plastic gears and some brass tubing.

A skill everyone should know =)

[GorillazMiko]

cool instructable!