Large diameter pipe cutting
When a large diameter pipe needs to be cut, a variety of special attachments and tools can be used. This may be required if, for example, a pipeline needs to be repaired.
- angle grinder. The use of an angle grinder is justified from the point of view of the availability of the tool and the relative cheapness of work. However, in this case, you should not count on high productivity, in addition, carrying out work in this way is fraught with considerable risk.
- Roller machine. Such attachments are also often referred to as pipe cutters. In fact, such a device is the same angle grinder, but more adapted for this type of work. The machine includes a special bed, where the cut-off element is fixed, as well as a cage with installed cut-off rollers, which do the direct work. It is important to understand that each machine must be purchased for specific tasks, that is, for the size of the pipes.
- Gas cutting. This option is most often used when working with large diameters. Cutting is done using a high-intensity flame, and the waste produced is blown out by the pressure of the gas. The method can be considered the most practical and effective.
There are other options for the implementation of the task, such as the use of plasma, waterjet or laser cutting, but in private use they are practically not used.
Cutting at 90 degrees
It is important to ensure that the edge of the sheet is even and matches the entire circumference. After marking, the cut element is fixed and cut is made.
The video shows the process of cutting a pipe at 90 degrees.
ways of cutting metal pipes
At least once, but you wondered how to cut the pipe exactly at least 45 or even 90 degrees. Either along or across. We give answers to these questions.
Quite often, when performing various construction or repair work, it becomes necessary to cut the pipe. It can be plumbing work, laying pipelines or installing heating systems, but in any case, it is necessary to know how to cut the pipe exactly. Some of the features of this task will be discussed further.
How to cut a cast iron pipe
- We mark it in the same way as steel pipes.
- At the place where the cut is made, you need to put a wooden beam as a support.
- Next, you need to cut a few millimeters around the entire circumference.
- After that, a chisel is inserted into the groove and a sharp and strong blow with a hammer must be applied.
As a result, it will split along the mowing line, forming a fairly flat cut point, which, if necessary, can be additionally processed.
How to cut a profile pipe straight
Any suitable tool can be used for sawing. If you have to cut a lot of pipes, then it is advisable to make full-fledged templates from scraps. In this case, the measuring and marking work will have to be done only once.
How to cut along
Another frequently asked question is how to cut the pipe straight lengthwise with an angle grinder. Here the algorithm of actions will be approximately the same as for cross-cutting. It is important to pay attention to the marking.
You can, for example, use a painter’s thread, which is usually used when marking walls. In this case, it is necessary to rigidly fix the pipe. The sawing process itself must be done carefully and slowly, since when sawing long elements, there is a high probability of the cutting disc slipping off the mowing line of the marking.
Cutting at 45 degrees
One of the particular examples of this situation is the need to cut a metal pipe at an angle of 45 degrees. This cutting of material is often required when laying plumbing or heating systems. In this case, you have to deal with steel pipes.
For these purposes, the usual cylindrical pipes are usually used. If we are talking about the installation of some kind of metal structures, then profile pipes of rectangular or square section are more often used.
The main problem here is that in order for the connected elements to coincide, the cut must be as even as possible, which means that especially close attention should be paid to marking the material.
In the event that cutting at an angle is required, a simple square sheet of paper can be used as a marking template. It must be folded strictly diagonally, and then wrap the pipe with a template.
In this case, it is necessary to carefully ensure that the side of the sheet, which is located closer to the end of the pipe, is perpendicular to its central axis. Next, using the marking material, a number of dotted lines are applied and after the marking is done around the entire circumference, the template can be removed.
Angle grinder tips and triks | Pipe Cutting idea
If the profile pipe is to be cut, then it is advisable to make a special template from the same pipe, but with a larger section. In this case, you only have to use the measuring devices once. For marking, you will need to use a protractor or construction square.
After sawing off the template, the pipes to be cut can simply be inserted into it and marked. This approach will significantly save work time and it will be convenient to cut a profile pipe at 45 degrees.
As for what to use when carrying out work, here it is worth choosing the most suitable and familiar. It can be a simple hacksaw for metal, and an angle grinder with an installed cutting disc.
How to cut thin walled pipes
Another type of pipes are thin-walled products. They are usually made from non-ferrous metals such as aluminum or copper. Cutting thin-walled pipes is more difficult, since there is a high probability of deformation of the element. In this case, you can use some kind of filler, such as sifted sand.
As a tool, you can use an angle grinder, a hacksaw for metal or a special machine. It all depends on the specific situation.
Cutting metal pipes is a rather laborious, but do-it-yourself process. At the same time, work with round pipes does not fundamentally differ from cutting a profile pipe. The main thing to remember is that when performing work, you must follow safety rules.
At right angles
Cutting accuracy is largely determined by well-made markings. Experienced craftsmen advise to mark the cutting line of the cut not with a pencil, but with masking tape, observing the following sequence of actions:
- Set aside the required size and put a small mark with a marker or pencil.
- Gently, applying to the mark, glue the part with masking tape in a circle. The edges of the paper should converge without shifting. This is a sign that the paper is correctly applied. If the edges do not come together, the tape needs to be re-glued.
- Securely fix the workpiece to prevent it from moving and skewing during work. Use a vice, clamps for fixing.
- The cut (smaller) piece of the workpiece should be left hanging so that it does not pinch the blade or disc.
- The incision starts from the top.
- The disc of an angle grinder (or a hacksaw blade) is guided exactly along the edge of the masking tape, without deviating to the side.
This will allow you to cut straight to the required length.
If the diameter is large, then the marking is performed in the same way, but cut in parts, in sectors of 30-60 °. After cutting the next sector, the fasteners are loosened and the pipe is turned. Then they fix it again and continue to cut from the place where the previous sector ended. To get smooth, special attention should be paid to the beginning of the cut, avoiding steps and nicks.
Precision cutting machines
Band saws are characterized by high stability of the blade plane and cutting accuracy. They are also widely used in the procurement areas of small-scale and medium-scale production. They are characterized by versatility, reliability and high performance.
Cut a Perfect Miter Joint/Corner Joint in Metal Tubing with a Handheld Grinder!!
For private use, the Italian company MASS offers a compact band sawing unit. It is equipped with a manual clamping device and can evenly cut pipes with a diameter of up to 65 mm, as well as rolled products of any profile of the same thickness.
The rotary device allows you to set an arbitrary cutting direction from 0 to 45 °. Cutting blade speed. up to 45 strokes per minute. An economical 370 watt motor allows you to use a regular home single-phase 220 V power grid.
How to cut a pipe at a 45 degree angle
Small diameter plastic pipes can be cut using specialized scissors.
Steel pipes can be cut with an angle grinder, but it is better to use a more accurate tool. a band saw with a turntable equipped with clamps. A tabletop disc cutter will also work.
When using a general-purpose tool, you will definitely have to use one or another rig.
How to cut a pipe at a 45 degree angle
Paper mold for pipe
To cut exactly at 45 °, you can make your own paper mold. To do this, you should:
- Measure or calculate the length of the outer circumference.
- From the corner of a sheet of A4 printer paper, draw a line at an angle of 45 °. If there is no protractor, such a line can be obtained by folding together the edges of the sheet adjacent to the corner.
- Put the circumference on it.
- This will be the hypotenuse. Build an isosceles right triangle to it. One side will be the edge of the paper, the other should be lowered perpendicular to the second edge from the deferred point.
- Cut the resulting triangle. this will be the template for cutting pipes at an angle of 45 °.
It should be wrapped around the workpiece, aligning the ends of the hypotenuse. The cut will pass along the mowing line of the legs. the line should be marked with a marker or paper tape. Further, along the marked mowing line, it will be possible to evenly cut a piece with the required bevel.
The method is suitable for pipes with a diameter of up to 63 millimeters.
How to cut a cast iron pipe
Cast iron as a material has its own specifics and differs from steel alloys in a number of physical and mechanical characteristics. With high strength, cast iron is a very fragile material.
A cast-iron pipe is marked in the same way as a steel pipe. Before starting work, wooden blocks should be placed for support. An angle grinder with a cut-off wheel needs to make a shallow cut around the entire circumference. Next, a chisel inserted into the incision must be hit with great force. The product will split straight along the cut line.
If an angle grinder is not available, you will have to make a circular cut with a hacksaw for metal.
Thermal applications
In addition to mechanical, thermal methods for cutting pipes are widely used. Here, the tool is a gas torch (propane or acetylene) or an electric arc welder. Even the thickest large-diameter pipes are subject to the torch. The performance is also quite high. In addition, only these methods provide exceptional mobility. you can cut the pipe in a trench, basement. in places where a high-performance stationary machine simply cannot be dragged and connected.
It should be noted that thermal methods do not allow achieving high accuracy, and it is also not always possible to cut off exactly. However, in a number of applications, such as operational repair of heating mains or main pipelines, it is not required. After a thermal cut, the resulting edges have to be additionally processed with mechanical tools, the cut line should be leveled and the bevels should be removed to the design values.
The thermal cutting method is also used when working with polymer tubular products. In thermal guillotines, the cut is carried out by an oblique thin cutter heated to a high temperature, sliding in guides.
The units can also cut at an angle and very smooth, but are only suitable for working with soft materials with a low melting point.
How and what to cut the pipe
Pipes are the most common type of rolled metal and plastic. They are used to transport a wide variety of gases and liquids. The factories produce rolled products of a certain length. To mount them locally in a pipeline, heating system, water supply or sewage system, they must be cut to the desired length. Pipes are cut evenly and with a bevel. For this, many cutting methods and a variety of equipment are used.
The nuances of working with a rectangular section
Rectangular blanks are much easier to cut lengthwise and across at any corners than cylindrical elements, which are difficult to keep stationary on a flat surface. Transverse cutting of workpieces at any angle does not present any particular difficulties. the fishing line of the required angular slope is drawn on the side edge and always coincides with the calculated one (round elements require the use of special patterns calculated on a computer to align their edges at an angle other than a straight line).
The thickness of the walls of the metal profile when used in households rarely exceeds 5 mm. it is easy to cut it with an angle grinder with any disc for metal.
How to cut a profile pipe straight across
Most often in the household, a rectangular or square pipe metal profile with a wall thickness of no more than 3 mm is used, and cutting into separate segments is necessary when carrying out work on the assembly of welded frames.
To properly cut the pipe, use additional devices to mark and mark the mowing line of the cut, some of the devices act as a support edge for the cutting disc.
Miter box for cutting pipes
It is very convenient to cut a profile pipe using a special template, which is analogous to a construction miter box for cutting building materials at different angles.
To do this, in the above or in another way, a metal template is made from a profile pipe cut along a piece, it can be calculated to obtain a right or an angle of 45 degrees.
To cut a metal profile, a template is applied to it and a line is drawn with a scraper, along which a cut is then made. In other cases, the template is held and the line is drawn along the surface of the workpiece with an angle grinder, trying to avoid pressing the side surface of the disc strongly against the attached metal template. Then the template is removed and the cutting continues along a well-visible recess on the edges of the workpiece.
Using a template, you can get a very even cut line if you do not hold it by hand, but fasten it to the workpiece using clamps or fixing bolts. For self-production of fasteners, a hole is drilled in the side surface of the U-shaped plate of the template and a union nut is welded at this point outside, into which a bolt is screwed. To fix the template, attach it to the part to be cut and screw in a bolt, pressing the template surface to the workpiece, after an angle grinder with a disc for metal, make a cut, slightly touching the guide edge.
Which tool is used
As noted above, the main tool for cutting metal parts in a domestic environment is an angle grinder, in the absence of one, you can use a hand hacksaw for metal or an electric jigsaw, which can also cut metal materials with a special blade with a diamond coating.
For cutting with an angle grinder, cut-off alumina disks are used that are not intended for grinding operations. A tape measure, a metal ruler, various types of clamps, pencils and markers for marking are useful as an auxiliary tool.
Other options
A good option for making a template is to use a short section of a pipe of a larger diameter for marking, the leading edge of which has been pre-cut at the desired angles. When marking, the part is put on the cut pipe, after which its surface is marked with a marker or scribe. The second method is to rigidly fix the template on the workpiece using wedges or clamps with further cutting with a disc for metal with a slight pressure to the side surface of the template part.
In order not to cut metal pipes or a sheet of iron by eye, some home craftsmen use homemade fasteners to an angle grinder, rigidly fixing it to a vertically mounted spindle. When the tool is moved from top to bottom, a stable, even cut of the part located under the disk occurs, if metal guides are fixed on the machine bed, then when a workpiece is applied to them, any desired cutting angle can be obtained.
Cutting large diameter profile pipes
A large-diameter metal profile has thick walls and a lot of weight, if for cutting thin-walled parts (wall thickness up to 2 mm) it was possible to use thin discs about 1 mm in size, then for cutting thick-walled metal they take 2 mm. disc circles. Accordingly, it is more convenient to cut thick walls with a large-diameter disc using a powerful large-sized construction angle grinder. household appliances do not have enough power for quick work, and their small discs quickly grind off.
When performing work, they are guided by the following rules:
- When cutting heavy pipes, place them on a flat surface or low supports so that when cutting the last section, it does not change its position or falls down, preventing the cutting tool from squeezing with its walls.
- If the surface is even, each face is completely cut, turning the part, with an uneven support, the last jumpers do not cut a little, allowing the workpiece to separate under its own weight, after which the protruding section is ground.
- When working with an angle grinder for cutting heavy metal elements, it is imperative to use a protective cover. the likelihood of the disc delamination into individual elements is too high.
Many people work with the wrong direction of rotation towards themselves. this leads to the fact that the sharp edge of the metal is constantly picking up, the tool is more difficult to hold in a fixed position, and the cutting disc grinds off faster. In addition, the reverse direction of rotation of the cutting disc is dangerous from a safety point of view.
Paper mold for pipe
Applying a paper sheet is a simple method of marking a rectangular or square profile for accurate cutting at 90 or 45 degrees towards its axis.
To make markings for cross-cutting at an angle of 90 degrees, take a sheet of paper and wrap the pipe with it until the edges are exactly aligned, after which they are glued together. With this method, the cutting line is very clearly visible, in contrast to drawing it with a pencil or marker along the edge of the template.
After that, the profile is cut along the template edge alternately from all sides, trying not to allow complete cutting of the finishing sections. this can lead to the disc hitting sharp corners and its destruction.
A sheet of paper can also be used to mark the side walls of rectangular or square pipes. To do this, the paper sheet is folded diagonally, and the resulting angle of 45 degrees is applied to the side walls and the corresponding markings are made. In order for the side mowing lines to be at the same level, an acute angle is applied to the transverse mowing line, placed at an angle of 90 degrees to the axis, which is preliminarily applied as described above.