How to cut the pipe smoothly - common options

Precise cutting of pipes only at first glance looks easy. Occupation is quite problematic, especially if you need to perform a cut at a certain angle or a cut of a complex configuration. This can be done both with your own hands, and with the help of a specialized tool.

Much here depends on the diameter of the product, wall thickness, the material from which the pipe is made and of course the tool itself.

What tools are available

The tool for cutting pipes, like most existing tools, is manual and electric. In both of these niches, in turn, there is a specialized professional and applied amateur instrument (find out here how to cut the threads on the pipe at home).

For example, the question of how to cut a metal-plastic pipe can be solved in two ways.

On the one hand there is a professional pruner, but on the other hand, you can use a regular hacksaw.

• If we talk about pipes of various types of plastic, then for a material with a cross section of up to 75 mm, a mass of special scissors is produced, professionals call them cutter-type cutters. Since the plastic material is quite dense, all secateurs are equipped with a gear mechanism, which serves to increase the compression force. The price of such scissors starts from $ 10 and, depending on quality, can go up to $ 150.
• The next professional in cutting plastic is a pipe cutter. If the pruner works on the principle of ordinary scissors, then the incision is made with a sharp, heavy-duty disk. He is pressed against the wall and rolling around it makes an incision.

The pipe cutter is indispensable for thin-walled products, as it is hard to cut a metal-plastic pipe with a thin wall with shears because it is crushed.

• The question of how to precisely cut a large-diameter pipe is simply solved by professionals, for this there is a guillotine adapted for cutting round products.. The principle of operation is classic, from above the knife, from below, a semicircular bed.

The device can be electrically driven and cut using hydraulics. There is also a guillotine with a manual, screw drive.

• In addition, there are many specialized machines. So for perpendicular cutting, lathes are used. If the question arises how to cut the pipe at 45 degrees or at any other angle, then, as a rule, band saws are needed.

Important: the main difference between a professional tool and an amateur one is that the cut is performed with particular precision. Plus edge after work does not require additional processing.

• But the necessary device is not always at hand, but it is expensive to buy it separately and it does not always make sense.. The leader among the amateur tool is considered a regular handsaw for metal. It easily handles both metal and plastic, the main thing is to correctly mark it, but more on that later.
• Every good owner always has a Bulgarian. With its help, possessing a certain dexterity, it is possible to quite accurately dissolve the pipes of small and medium diameter. The big plus of the grinder is that it can be used to work on any material, from polyethylene, to cast iron or steel.
• At the end of our ranking is a jigsaw. It is certainly possible to work with them, but it is difficult to make exact cuts, plus it will be necessary to refine the edges of the pipe.

Some Tips for Pipe Cutting

The use of such a tool as a pruner or a disk pipe cutter does not require special preparation, it is easy to work with them with high quality. It is quite another thing when you have to use the available tools.

Perpendicular cut

On the topic of how to cut the pipe at 90 degrees, there are several opinions. As in any business, much depends on the correctness of the markup. The most reliable popular way is to use paper sheet or masking tape.

It is easier to work with scotch tape, you need to gently, without wrinkles and warps, stick it around the pipe perimeter. If both sides of the band are clearly aligned, without shifts, then you already have 90 ?.

Before cutting, the product should be securely fastened, otherwise the pipe will rotate and you will not be able to dissolve it exactly. Ideally, of course, it is better to hold in a vice, but at the dacha such luxury is not always there. The pipe of small diameter can be tied to a stool or table.

To the product of large diameter you need to parallel to tie 2 wooden support bars that will not allow the pipe to turn. It is most convenient to fasten with adhesive tape, a few turns made on both sides of the cut securely fix the product.

Tip: before you evenly cut the pipe with a grinder, in some cases it is better to fix it on one side only, leaving the other on the weight. It is necessary to cut from top to bottom so as not to clamp the disc.

Returning to how to cut a pipe of large diameter, it should be noted that a hacksaw or grinder, such a product should be cut by sector, gradually.

In the case of a cast-iron pipe, the instruction is slightly different:

• It is necessary to make a shallow incision along the perimeter;
• After that, chisel and hammer to “tap” this incision;
• At some point, the pipe should burst on the markup.

Oblique cut

In this topic, the most burning question is how to cut the pipe at 45 degrees. Among the popular methods there is a unique way of marking: you need to take a square sheet of paper and gently fold it in half diagonally, after which it wraps around the pipe with its folded side. The ends of the sheet should connect, and the oblique border of the sheet will be a mark of 45 degrees.

Another alternative method is the use of a basin of water. The pipe is immersed in the water at the right angle. The boundary between the dry and wet areas is marked and cut.

But the most famous, simple and convenient device for an angular cut is the miter box. This tool is a U-shaped product, consisting of planks. The two opposite slats have precise cuts at the right angle. The pipe is laid inside the vessel, fixed and cut with a hacksaw on the already prepared marking.

On the video in this article you can find some more tips.

Conclusion

As you can see, not having a professional tool to cut pipes of different diameters is possible, and with sufficient quality. The main thing is not to forget to process the edge of the pipe after trimming, many inaccuracies can be eliminated with a file or with emery paper (see also the article “Pipe cylindrical thread: description of the main technical characteristics).