cutting steel pipe

Paul S_3

What is the best and fastest way to cut steel pipe 2.5 in and above.... i have always cut pipe using my manual steel pipe cutter in the pic below....but it takes too long about 5 minutes a cut and its tiring.....Any recommendations?

ChrisJ

I recall others mentioning a portable band saw being good for it.

Abracadabra

band saw or a chop saw. I've used both with no issues. Chop saw cut needs a little more cleanup on the cut end. Band saw is a bit cleaner but still needs a bit.

hot_rod

Here is a piece of 4" schedule 80 I just cut, just under two minutes. I'd guess less that a minute for 2.5 schedule 40.

It does throw some sparks and you need a solid 20A circuit. You may need a fire permit to use it in your area, like a torch or welder?

No cleanup on the cut if you are threading, inside is burr free also as long as you don't force the cut or have a dull blade.

Paul S_3

thanks guys much appreciated

ratio

Portaband. You can get a square cut with practice, & it's easier to ream, I feel, that trying to take off the lip that a pipe cutter leaves on.

The Sparkys around here are using the little battery powered circular saws with some kind of carbide blade to cut EMT, but I'm not sure how well that would scale to larger/heavier pipe.

SWEI

A full-sized Portaband will cut 4" pipe, but they're a bit heavy and bulky for tight spaces. This one cuts 3" and you can one-hand it overhead. DeWalt makes a similar size unit, but the blades are different.

kevinj_4

Do you thread by hand too, or are you cutting for a welding job?

We have a couple of Ridgid 4" cut/thread machines.

Abracadabra

@hot rod what kind of a blade do you have on there? Looks like a toothed carbide?

hot_rod

Yes it is a 14" Diablo blade, this is the saw.http://www.dewalt.com/products/power-tools/saws/chop-saws-and-multi-cutter-saws/14-355mm-multicutter-saw/dw872

This is the second blade, it does have more and different types of carbide that the one that came with it. A local saw shop sold me the blade when I told him what I wanted to cut.

keyote

if its rip out i use a sawzall just follow the cut and molve a bit to use different parts of the blade portabands good but full size a bit heavy and harder to control or get pinched chop saw is all i use on no hub now since my snapper got robbed, if its cast rip out ill use a carborundum blade in a circle saw or angle grinder depending size and location