Shopsmith Forums

Hi folks,

I am planning on cutting 18" off a set of tubes this weekend. The question of the day is ..........what is the best tool?

power hacksaw
pipe cutter
hack saw
chop saw
other options????

Thanks,
Bob

I used my dad's handheld metal cutting bandsaw. It cut through the tubes like a hot knife through butter.

I used this : http://www.harborfreight.com/no-3-pipe-cutter-5983.html

It takes patience...a lot of it

The bad reviews seem to be from people thinking they can cut trough something with a couple of turns. You have to take it slow. If it wanders, you are doing it wrong.

I will say that if I had to do it over again, I would take the tubes to a machine shop. I got a quote for $5 each for them to use a metal cutting bandsaw and clean the edges. I opted for the pipe cutter because it was the same price and then I have another tool to use in the future.

joshh wrote:I used this : http://www.harborfreight.com/no-3-pipe-cutter-5983.html

It takes patience...a lot of it

The bad reviews seem to be from people thinking they can cut trough something with a couple of turns. You have to take it slow. If it wanders, you are doing it wrong.

I will say that if I had to do it over again, I would take the tubes to a machine shop. I got a quote for $5 each for them to use a metal cutting bandsaw and clean the edges. I opted for the pipe cutter because it was the same price and then I have another tool to use in the future.

OKAY Tell what I do wrong to make it wander. Mine - just like the one you posted here from HF, is laying on my work bench. It was on its way to the trash can but if you can tell me what I do wrong, I might keep it.

It even came with a replacement cutter.

BTW - I have cut literally piles upon piles of pipe but with a bit more expensive Rigid pipe cutter. This thing from HF is not a Rigid even though it looks a lot like one.

I used a simple hacksaw if I recall.

fredsheldon wrote:I used a simple hacksaw if I recall.

Yeah, I ended up using a hack saw too but I need new hacksaw blades.

I used a simple hack saw for years. I got a metal cutting bandsaw about 5 years ago when I started selling MINI & SHORTY Shopsmiths.

The secret for me when using the hand hack saw is to mark a line around the tube and saw on this line. Start by sawing until the blade reaches the inside of the tube. Rotate the tube about 30 deg and saw again until the blade cuts through the surface. Rotate again and keep sawing and repeating this all around the tube. I could not saw through the tube in a straight line without rotating the tube many times.

dusty wrote:OKAY Tell what I do wrong to make it wander. Mine - just like the one you posted here from HF, is laying on my work bench. It was on its way to the trash can but if you can tell me what I do wrong, I might keep it.

It even came with a replacement cutter.

BTW - I have cut literally piles upon piles of pipe but with a bit more expensive Rigid pipe cutter. This thing from HF is not a Rigid even though it looks a lot like one.

I do not know what made yours wander.

Having successfully cut two tubes with one I can only describe my 'technique'.

Even with a 'better' pipe cutter I consider the initial start critical.

With the cutter just about to contact the pipe, the back rollers need be pressed against the pipe to insure the cutter will contact the opposite side at the correct position(both yer mark, and relative to the back rollers). The easiest way to do that is to position the rollers above the pipe and allow gravity to help.

Advance the cutter until it just barely contacts the pipe.

Keeping the cutter vertical, rotate the pipe and observe 'tracking'. Notice if it went off of the original cut mark. Loosen and shift cutter if needed and repeat.

Advance the cutter(again) very slightly. You want the starting groove as straight around the pipe as possible.

Gradually increase the cutter feed until deep enough to prevent 'wandering'.

With a SS tube(harder than most plumbing pipes) it shall come to pass that the torque required to advance the cutter and to rotate the pipe(probably rotating the cutter by this time) will become muscle development.



I may have succeeded since I did not have the pipe clamped down and was holding/feeding it by hand. This allowed the HF cutter to bite through very slowly.


I felt like godzilla for a couple of days afterward.



I did not look forward to the second tube!:D




So now you know why I jumped at a ridgid pipe cutter at a yard sale. I have yet to use it for this task. Will be interesting to see if it works better.

BTW I also just finished(last night) reassembling a Skilsaw(yes a powered hand saw that was made by Skil) that I needed to 'turn' a safety interlock button for(hey it was woodworking) that I picked at the same yard sale. The thumb portion was broken off, but the stem remained, but was inside a hole. A PO had wedged a piece of hard carved wood in the hole thus holding the interlock in and thus eliminating its function. The switch became always 'active'(not power on, just always 'turn on able').

Third time was the charm. Made from a short piece of 3/8" red oak dowel. Third time I drilled the center hole(that fit over the stem)before turning the shaft od and the button. A 1/8" hole in what was to be turned down to an od of 0.225". Cutoff at top of thumb button. Lessons learned not the least of which was respect for those who turn teeny tiny things!!! and that red oak is not a good material for doing so(porosity).

I have a Rigid pipe cutter and I have cut a lot of pipe with it. I am more concerned with the swedging of the pipe at the end if I use that tool. On the hand hacksaw end of things does anyone have a recommendation for good hacksaw blades. Years ago I purchased a good stock of Snap On blades but I think I am now out. I am sure I can catch the truck somewhere but who knows when.

mgbbob wrote:I have a Rigid pipe cutter and I have cut a lot of pipe with it. I am more concerned with the swedging of the pipe at the end if I use that tool. On the hand hacksaw end of things does anyone have a recommendation for good hacksaw blades. Years ago I purchased a good stock of Snap On blades but I think I am now out. I am sure I can catch the truck somewhere but who knows when.

The Snap On truck driver would not sell to me. I approached him at a garage where he had stopped to do business with the mechanics. He flat turned me away.

Before he left, one of the mechanic asked me if I really wanted something off of the truck. Like a fool, I let the mechanic get for me what I had wanted. I really should have kept my money and let the driver leave without that sale.

That would have showed him.

I think I paid more for those three sockets than I did for all of the other Snap On tools that I own.

My Grandson-In-Law swears by Mac Tools but I have never had the experience.