I need to split lengthwise, about in total, ~ 150' of 6" and 8" schedule 40/80 pvc pipe. One piece is about 40' long, others are shorter, with the shortest piece about 15' long. I need to do this:
What's the best way to do it? I've split some short pieces in the past with a skill saw, but the chips make a heck of a mess, mostly on me and a full face shield is definitely required. Tried it with a jig saw, and went thru too many blades and found it pretty hard to keep a straight line. Router bit dulls too quickly. Been considering a chainsaw... Suggestions?
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 07-14-2017).]
If you have a radial arm saw with a 10" diameter saw blade or larger, you could rotate the head 90 degrees and feed the PVC pipe through using some sort of cradle or roller supports. A small blade may require one pass to cut each side but a larger blade might do it in one pass.
Ya, a big enough circular saw blade with the right teeth and go slow enough. Set up with something to hold the pipes still as they feed. I don't think much can be done about the mess.
I have both, but I really don't know about using a table or radial arm saw. And, I don't really want to shorten the pipe to allow for easier handling, as I need the finished pieces as long as possible and the setup and support for 6" pipe that long would take some doing...it's dang heavy, and cumbersome to handle--weighs close to 4lbs/foot for 6" and nearly 5lbs/foot for 8".
#1/ Score lines down each side. #2/ Fill with black powder #3/ Install end caps and fuse. #4/ Light fuse, throw and run like hell
You might not get a perfect cut, but it will be dramatic.
I like this idea the best, get video.
Skill saw would probably work the best, or a gas powered chop saw, like a Stihl saw. just because they are long and feeding it into something does not seem like an option.
If you think a skill saw makes a mess, yet you think a chain saw won't be worse.?.? Funner yes, but by far more messy.
Whether a table or band saw is used, the problem I can foresee is keeping the pipe from rotating as the cut progresses. I think you would need to start a cut on a short piece that you can manage. Don't cut the full length, but cut enough that you can set a guide. Just cut part way, stop and turn the saw off, leaving the pipe in place at that point. Using a piece of T bar, insert the leg into the slit on the bottom and clamp it so that it's mounted to your bed. A 6 to 10 inch long piece should be sufficient to keep the pipe on track.
Well, I'd be further away from it with a chain saw and might could cut both sides at once on the ground if I set a board under it, but pretty sure it would beat my arms to death...
(I don't have a band saw, and a sawmill would charge me more than it's worth to me, assuming they would even do it. They push the logs thru the cut path with some 'grippers'--you'll sometimes see the marks the grippers leave in the finished boards. I doubt they want their chips contaminated with plastic either--they sell them to companies that make mdf and other composite 'wood' products)
I think I'm just going to have to muddle thru with a 7 1/4" skill saw. Might be able to cobble up some kind of shroud or deflector to keep the plastic chips off of me....might..
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 07-14-2017).]
Mark a straight line down the length. Install several eye-bolt screws along the line. Attach a line to two of them at a time. Attach the lines to a single overhead point like setting up a battering ram. Make your cut vertically and remove eye-bolts as you get to them and reposition the line to another point. Continue your cut. This should eliminate most of the twisting.
This is just my bright idea. I have never done it!! Good luck!
I would just use two people. One feeder, and one on the other side of the saw accepting material. I have cut pipes before this way for irrigation. The operator just guides the pipe in as straight as they can against the guard. Flip PVC and continue on. The blade will generally allow for a perpendicular cut, but you should have no issue with alignment doing it this way. There is no more material than wood, and it is very soft for a blade as long as it is fed properly.
You could rig up a sort of wooden jig to hold a cut-off wheel tool steady on a bench or table, then just feed it slowly and cut on one side, tape it back together and do the other side. It should turn out as straight as a table saw cut, then just pull off the tape and you have both halves. They do also have saw blades that fit on cut-off tools.
Can you get a helper? If so, then have the helper trickle water onto the jigsaw blade as you cut. The blade gets hot and starts melting the plastic, if you don't keep it cool. When the plastic starts to soften from the heat, it will "grab" the blade. A constant supply of cool water onto the blade should prevent that. I specifically mentioned a jigsaw, because doing this with a circular saw will be a terrible mess. The saw will probably get caked-up with wet plastic chips.
If you can't get a water hose to reach out to your work area, maybe get one of those garden sprayers that you pump up. They can be had for under $20 at China Freight.
While I don't know if this would work, have you considered a plasma cutter?
I know our local Rental place will rent one. I would think it would slice plastic pipe pretty well and all you really need is a decent air compressor and enough hose.
Not real sure how clean of a cut it will leave though.
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun.... Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
I sincerely hope that life is never discovered on another planet because, sure as hell Progressives and Socialists will want to send them money.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 07-14-2017).]
For the 40' section, do not place a cut at the beginning of the PVC. Begin your cut a foot or so in so the pipe stays a pipe as you work with it no matter what method you use. Finish off the rest of the cut with a quick jig saw.
I was going to suggest a table saw. But I think you would need a rip fence on both sides of the pipe, and a straight line on the top side so that you could keep the cut relatively straight. I would be inclined to do each pipe in two cuts. Once you flip the pipe over, the first cut would become the "straight line". You'll need some sort of a table or stand, or something to support the pipe on one end or the other. Preferably a helper, as well.
Regarding the chips... I'm thinking that static electricity will make the situation worse. (The chips will stick to the pipe and to everything else.) Maybe wipe the pipe down with a dryer sheet, before you start, to help eliminate the static. (At least I think that will work.)
The only thing I can think of is either a handheld band saw if you can maybe rent one that will handle 8" pipe or a jig saw. Jigsaw would be cut one side rotate and cut the other. Might be a bit difficult to mark the guide lines though.
I thought about suggesting a "hot wire" but didn't for some unknown reason.
If one was to do that, I'd suggest using the "hot wire" as a suspension cable so it would be straight (cutting one side at a time) and as it split/melted the pipe, the pipe would drop to the ground.
But, similar to the "plasma cutter" idea, not sure how good of an edge it would leave.
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun.... Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
I sincerely hope that life is never discovered on another planet because, sure as hell Progressives and Socialists will want to send them money.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 07-14-2017).]
It's going to make a mess, no matter what. Thermal cutters (hot knife) might work, but on that wall thickness material would probably be slow. Industrial strength ones would be expensive, too.
Marvin, as usual, is probably right that an industrial bandsaw with proper guiding fixtures would make short work of it. Depends if you've got one, and can make appropriate picturing for it.
Originally posted by Zeb: It's going to make a mess, no matter what. Thermal cutters (hot knife) might work, but on that wall thickness material would probably be slow. Industrial strength ones would be expensive, too.
Marvin, as usual, is probably right...................
Marvin is almost always right.......
Having said that, there's more than one way to skin a cat and one must use what one has access to. As I've always said, where there's a will, there's a way. It's not always easy and can always make a mess but, there is no doubt in my mind, Don can and will Git R Dun..........
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun.... Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
I sincerely hope that life is never discovered on another planet because, sure as hell Progressives and Socialists will want to send them money.
Thermal cutters (hot knife) might work, but on that wall thickness material would probably be slow.
That was along the lines of what I was thinking except... I was thinking aside from the generating enough heat for the wall thickness, there is also the short length rigidity of PVC to overcome. Otherwise the melted plastic would just fuse itself back together. While it won't be as strong of a bond, it could still be enough to make separating the cut pieces difficult.
Marvin is almostalways right! But I get the feeling he hardly ever even thinks about himself in that way (he probably simply considers himself "Marvin"), and becomes extremely embarrassed when others remind him of it. And we should respect that.
Yes, I do have a lot of it laying around and need to use it as a bumper of sorts in a long alleyway inside my cattle pen. It would be hard to describe unless one is familiar with cattle handling facilities. It's going to take some abuse from the cows, but it's either this or cut up a bunch of my pen and rebuild it. Wife also thinks we can use some of it as a border on our iron ore driveway and I need to be able to drive over whatever we use with the 4 wheeler and lawn tractor.
I have an evil looking brush blade on a big weedeater I may try to use to cut it with..
Good point Tony about leaving the very ends till last. On the 1st cut, the pipe will probably try to open up, but on the other side, the blade may get pinched. Might even have to leave a short section in the middle as well.
I've cut 8' sections with a skill saw with a cross-cut blade. I just lay the pvc on the ground and strap it with tent stakes and wire so it doesn't roll. Snap a chalk line on it, plunge cut at the and at the wire strap. Flip it over and cut the other side then complete the cuts on the first side.
edit: Just re-read your post. Drop a 16d behind your saw and move it when the blade gets pinched.
[This message has been edited by texasfiero (edited 07-15-2017).]
Cutting PVC with a hot wire, hot knife, plasma cutter, etc. is a very bad idea. Heating PVC to the melting/smoke point releases carbon monoxide and chlorine gases (among other things), which can then react to form poisonous dioxins and/or phosgene gas. The production of phosgene is accelerated (i.e. catalyzed) by the presence of heated copper, iron, or carbon.
Urethane plastics are even worse, evolving poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas when heated above their melting points.
[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 07-15-2017).]
any saw w/ a scrape metal piece behind the blade would prevent steering and rotation problems. Metal part goes into the pipe there.
saw teeth size should be big enough to clear cutting but small enough teeth to have 3-4 teeth cutting plastic. Too small and plug then then plastic can/will melt. Too big and saw teeth will likely ratter your teeth.
Any circle saw should do and likely faster too. Saw should only cut one side at a time because they cut on an angle make more contact the plastic... can double or more the contact area vs any saw cutting square to the wall. Means 3-4 even more teeth cutting is much easier.
I don't have a circle saw of any type/size to show you. Not even a saw w/ enough bed/foot to add a slot guild.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
If I had to cut a pipe like that, I would make a jig like this:
1. Make 2 stacks of 4 2X4's and nail/screw them together so that you have two 8' long beams that are 7" high. Or use two construction beams if you have them handy. 2. Put a piece of pipe down on a level surface, place the two beams down with one on each side, then place a sheet of plywood on top. Nail/screw the plywood to the beams. 3. Flip it over and nail a piece of plywood over the two beams. You now have a box that is the same width as the pipe but a little higher. 4. Measure and mark the dead center of the beams with a chalk line. Mark the same center on the bottom too. 5. Take a circular saw and measure the inside edge of the blade to the inside edge of the plate. Attach a 8' long straight edge to the top piece of plywood to serve as a guide exactly the distance from the centerline as you just measured on your saw. I prefer to use a piece of angle iron/aluminum as my straight edge.
The jig is now made. Just slide the pipe in the jig and cut it with a circular saw 8' at a time. When done, flip it around and line the first cut up with the mark at the bottom and finish the cut.
