Regarding the 2/22 Build a cement silo article, how did the author cut the PVC pipe perfectly square? I've tried this in the past and failed after numerous tries.
Wrap an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper tightly around the pipe and tape it in place . This will give you a guide to follow when making the cut. If the cut does not turn out to be perfect the paper can serve as a guide to file or sand it straight.
Cut in on a chop saw. That's what we do in the construction business if there is one on the job site. A regular wood blade cuts it fine, with little or no extra wear to the blade.
Sheldon
Do you have a chop saw or know someone who does?
Good evening
I have a few chop saws. My favorite is my green one. I have also seen PVC explode in power miter saws if there's any play to the bearings or the blade is slightly untrue.
Kids, don't try this at home as I don't think it's a very good idea.
mvlandsw's idea sounds good and I did something similar. I needed to cut some PVC pipe square and make some half pipes out of them.
Just take some wider masking tape and wrap it around the pipe. If it doesn't meet up just right, back the tape up and re-adjust until it does.
Then take a razor saw or hack saw and follow the edge of the tape around turning the pipe slowly while you cut.
On the half-pipes, I just followed the edge of the tape the other way.
TF
Track fiddler Good evening I have a few chop saws. My favorite is my green one. I have also seen PVC explode in power miter saws if there's any play to the bearings or the blade is slightly untrue. Kids, don't try this at home as I don't think it's a very good idea. mvlandsw's idea sounds good and I did something similar. I needed to cut some PVC pipe square and make some half pipes out of them. Just take some wider masking tape and wrap it around the pipe. If it doesn't meet up just right, back the tape up and re-adjust until it does. Then take a razor saw or hack saw and follow the edge of the tape around turning the pipe slowly while you cut. On the half-pipes, I just followed the edge of the tape the other way. TF
REALLY?
BUT, what I see in your picture is NOT PVC pipe. That is polypropylene thin wall pipe used for molded pumbing traps and tailpiece extensions. I would not cut that with a chop saw, it will explode. On the job we cut that stuff with tin snips or pipe cutting "sissors".
BUT, I would not use it to build models either, it is crappy to glue to.
To cut PVC drain pipe with a chop saw all you have to do is have a reasonably fine tooth blade, like you would use for trim carpentry and go slow. But maybe I have never used any worn or cheap junk chop saws. Every plumber I know loves to cut PVC on a chop saw given the chance.
I have made thousands of PVC pipe cuts with a chop saw, never a problem in 30 years of doing so.
It leaves a beautiful, perfect machine quality edge. And if I needed halves, I would run it thru the table saw.
My one chop saw is yellow, because once you have the best you only need one, and I use mine almost every day at work.
Really
With all due respect Sheldon, as I can see you didn't give me much!
The PVC pipe I saw explode in a chop saw was 1 1/2 drain pipe. Shane broke two fingers that day.
I use one of these to cut PVC pipe straight. But to each their own tool.
It rachets through pretty effortlessly and I don't have to take a trip to the saw or clean up any burs as it cuts nice and clean.
And for the glue part, I don't have any problem finding the right glue for the right medium.
I have one of those too, but I would not call cutting 1-1/2" drain pipe with it "easy". Maybe you have stronger hands than me.
Yes, if you have dull framing blade in the chop saw and you try to see how fast you can "zip" it down on that plastic pipe, you might get an unhappy result.
Of course even cutting wood, I take a dim view of those who think they are speed demons with my chop saw.
And dull cutting tools are dangerous for any task......
I will go back to work now.
One of my best finds is the Harbor Freight 4” Mighty Might Table Saw.It didn’t come with a fence so I made one out of Baswood.Since I got it I use it to cut PVC pipe for my projects, I simply use the guide that came with the saw and rotate the pipe into the blade.I used it to cut the handle on my Luke Towan Static Grass 1½” PVC applicator handle.
I also cut the PVC connectors on the saw.
The Mighty Might is slick for hobby work. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
That is a slick looking mini table saw Mel and looks like the perfect tool for modeling. Nice job on that custom fence you made.
I've been wanting to get something like that for when I start building model structures. Those packages of scale wood at the hobby store can be a bit pricey when you start adding up what you need for that.
I have a Harbor Freight near my place and I'm going to have to go check that out. Thanks for the tip
P.S. I seen that Towan video on the static grass applicator, nice job on that as well.
I bought a spare blade too just incase they don’t stock them down the road. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
I'm with Sheldon on using a chop saw.
The tooth spacing of the blade should be 2/3 the thickness of the pipe wall. That's very roughly 2/3 of 1/8".
That kind of blade can be tough to find, so you might have to accept greater tooth spacing. As soon as the tooth spacing is greater than the wall thickness, you start running the risk of the blade "notch" suddenly dropping down and tearing out too much. The bigger the spacing, the bigger the problem.
You CAN cut with an excessive tooth spacing, but you have to be careful. And yes, a fresh blade with enough set can help.
On a slightly different note, I used a chop saw to cut plastic passenger car roofs, crossways. I then glued the pieces together to get a longer roof. It works REALLY well. At least, for me.
A milling machine does an even better job, by the way.
Ed
We do more trim work than framing work, so I generally have an 80 tooth blade in the 12" yellow chop saw. Now if we end up framing a whole house, I change it out for a 40 or 60.
Go slow, no worries. And no burrs either.
The theoretical tooth count for a 12" blade cutting 1/8" walled tubing would be somewhere around 400. I don't recall blades having much over 120 teeth.
That said, the coaser the tooth count, the greater the risk of sadness. And maybe despair. Even some snivelling.
I use a bonded abrasive chop saw blade (no teeth) in my chopsaw to do Schedule 40 PVC pipe on a big job with lots of cuts. If I need a 1/4'' more or less removed from the pipe, no problem, just cut it off. I use my chop saw for my Schedule 40 PVC HO scale silos.
The wrapped paper around the pipe works great for the hobbyist.
NtheBasement2 Regarding the 2/22 Build a cement silo article, how did the author cut the PVC pipe perfectly square? I've tried this in the past and failed after numerous tries.
I can't say how he did it, I do not have the 2/22 issue yet but,
If you are using Schedule 40 PVC pipe and not tubing, buy a Furnco coupling, that is a ''reducing coupling'' type, as in 1-1/2'' X 2'' if you are doing 1-1/2'' and 2'' PVC pipe, slide it up to your cut line, tighten it and saw around and a round till you are through, using the rubber end of the Furnco as a guide. If you are doing 3'' and 4'' PVC just get a 3'' X 4" furnco reducing coupling.
I will guess that you will find out that you can not slide the smaller end of the Furnco over the larger pipe, with that you will need to ''rough cut'' the larger size pipe to about four inches longer then you need, leaving two inces of waste at each end then slide the coupling down to the cut line. Or just get a Furnco coupling in size to fit each pipe in size that you choose.
The reason the pipe exploded was binding caused by having no way for the cut pipe to expand away, only direction was back into the blade. Putting it up on something like a thin board would have proubly saved the day, also slow cutting.
I don't have a chop saw. I used a miterbox and a hand saw with a reasonably fine blade to make similar cuts. A chop saw may be the best and fastest, but a miterbox is cheaper.
Good luck,
Richard
To cut anything square, a circular miter saw with a finer toothed blade will give excellent results. As always, go slow and be careful. Keep your fingers away. If you are cutting something round, clamp it. Wear safety glasses.
So... about cutting PVC on a job site...
I have been installing my irrigation system for a few weeks, and have been using this Milwaukee 18 volt "Hackzawl", which is a smaller version of a Sawzall, and I love it.
It can be used one handed, and I can cut the pipe right in place. No taking it back to a miter saw, very little measuring, and no ratchet cutter wearing out my wrist.
It is so much more convenient doing all the cutting in place.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
7j43kThe theoretical tooth count for a 12" blade cutting 1/8" walled tubing would be somewhere around 400. I don't recall blades having much over 120 teeth. That said, the coaser the tooth count, the greater the risk of sadness. And maybe despair. Even some snivelling.
I confess I haven't used power tools to cut PVC in many years; I just use one of those roller-guided miter boxes (with what is essentially a short piece of bandsaw blade) which goes neatly through most anything in a few seconds with low vibration or excitement...
where's Norm Abram with some simple way using common tools?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
I would have to agree with your statement Overmod. Especially the part "helpfully without".
Those four inch diamond blades with anti-vibration slots can prove themselves downright evil as I have heard the horror stories.
The guard was taken off for the picture of course. It's all about the old saying "The right tool for the right job". Anytime one deviates there's a brand new set of rules with certain risks.
I have a Milwaukee Sawzall that's well-seasoned like me. I found the tool at a pawn shop when I was around 20. I bet the tool has at least 10 years on me. With the exception of the cord, still doing its job never once repaired.
I suppose that old girl has had quite a few dates with Mr PVC through the years. One of the more safer power tools out there. The biggest caution I would put on this tool is respect for it when you're on a ladder or a roof edge. If she binds suddenly, she will try to throw you off.
I have a cordless one as well.
The blade on it is called The Ugly! That blade works great for cutting up rotten carpenter ant infested landscape timbers when you don't want to wreck your chainsaw blade. Mounted on the other Sawzall of course. I'm sure the Bobcat would have been the better choice but it was an egress window well behind two trees.
I've been asked my profession what I do for a living many times through life. My reply has always been the same, ... "I'm a guy with a truck and some tools".
In the beginning of this thread I was just trying to point out a simple and helpful way to cut a PVC pipe square with tools an every day modeler would probably have.
The day I needed to do it, I could have probably done it many ways with almost any power tool imaginable. But my Razor saw was sitting on the table staring me in the face and I didn't want to run out to my ice cold truck
All of the "silos" on these 2 models were cut using a simple miter box and a fine tooth back saw.
This was before I had aquired a power miter box and a chop saw, which is what I would use today.
I had to do very little fine tuning to get a square end.
Mike.
My You Tube
gregc where's Norm Abram with some simple way using common tools?
If you really want an accurate cut, the tool I suggested is the most common thing many people will have. A good hand miter box is the next best solution.
It is still my position that most of the potential danger in this situation or with any power tool is people who are in too much of a rush.
The tool Overmod suggests is great, it's cost is a significant percentage of my professional grade chop saw and for me it would be one more expense, one more thing to store, and one more thing to carry to the job when the tool I have does the job very well.
Agreed it is my profession that creates my perspective, but I could not imagine building a good sized layout without my chop saw, table saw, several battery drills and impact drivers, air compressor, nail guns, biscuit joiner, power planner, belt sander, orbital sander, etc.
Nothing installs homasote roadbed faster and more accurately than a brad nailer........
Table saws and chop saws turn blocks of wood into carefully shaped bridge piers.
Love my power tools,
But I guess foam does not require power tools? I would not know.
ATLANTIC CENTRALI could not imagine building a good sized layout without my chop saw, table saw, several battery drills and impact drivers, air compressor, nail guns, biscuit joiner, power planner, belt sander, orbital sander, etc.
Same here. From the time I built my first layout using my father's tools, I never tried to build anything without access to all the proper and best tools.
Mine:
Fiddler's:
I guess that proves who has more experience!
Sweet!
I haven't seen a side-by-side comparison yet Kevin. It appears the Milwaukee Hackzall hasn't changed a bit in 7- 8 years I think it's been.
Hey! Ya Wanna Trade? I can save you the short break-in time period for when this tool really starts to perform at its maximum potential
Great looking job on that irrigation system by the way
SeeYou190 ATLANTIC CENTRAL I could not imagine building a good sized layout without my chop saw, table saw, several battery drills and impact drivers, air compressor, nail guns, biscuit joiner, power planner, belt sander, orbital sander, etc. Same here. From the time I built my first layout using my father's tools, I never tried to build anything without access to all the proper and best tools.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I could not imagine building a good sized layout without my chop saw, table saw, several battery drills and impact drivers, air compressor, nail guns, biscuit joiner, power planner, belt sander, orbital sander, etc.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that the piece being cut should be secured; no free hand stuff.
And I would never try cutting any round object on a table saw. I'd much rather move the operating blade to the piece, rather than the piece to the moving blade.
I just chuck it into my lathe. Square and true.
Track fiddler SeeYou190 ATLANTIC CENTRAL I could not imagine building a good sized layout without my chop saw, table saw, several battery drills and impact drivers, air compressor, nail guns, biscuit joiner, power planner, belt sander, orbital sander, etc. Same here. From the time I built my first layout using my father's tools, I never tried to build anything without access to all the proper and best tools. Ditto on both statements. I have seen those exterior restorations you have done on those victorian classic homes Sheldon And that was some fine craftsmanship I saw right there I'd have to say TF
Thank you. Here you can look at some interior work as well:
https://app.photobucket.com/u/carrollhome/a/bfdbd701-abf4-4d5f-bb20-786bbc5599c9
And I won't say anything more about all the stuff we do with table saws and chop saws that the instructions say "don't do this"........