Had a hard time sawing the metal plumbing tube

There must be a trick, this metal pipe for under the sink, was a real bugger to cut. Maybe the blade was dull, but my problem was trying to hold it w/o marring it or putting a dent in it. Is there a tool for holding delicate stuff like that. I thought about drilling a hole in a 2x4 of the same size, but I would still have a problem with keeping it from turning. Any advise for next time is appreciated......Peter

Reply to
PeterM
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I'm not sure, but I believe plumbers cut them with a tubing cutter. I'm assuming you're speaking of the brass ones that are chrome plated. They have a very thin wall and cut readily with a tubing cutter.

A new blade in your hacksaw is a real good idea because of the lubricity of the brass, but you should also use a very fine toothed blade to avoid hanging up. I would think a 32 pitch blade would be a good selection. Once you've cut a little steel with a hacksaw, especially if you're not good at lifting on the return stroke, the teeth will likely skip over the cut instead make chips, so it feels like the material is hard. that's a sure sign the saw is slipping without cutting.

Holding can be a bit tricky, but if you bore a hole the same size as the pipe, then split the wood on the centerline of the hole you would probably have a good chance of holding the tubing in a vise without damaging it. The small kurf will permit light tightening, preventing rotation of the tubing as you saw.

Harold

Reply to
Harold & Susan Vordos

Thank you for that advise, I never fixed anything plumbing wise, or I forgot. The tube cutter, that is the best, I'll ask my neighbor next time I have to cut one of these things. The other part, I think I will never cut anything with a hacksaw again. You were right, I don't know how to do it. I was doing too hard. Thanks again, you answered my question...........Peter

Reply to
PeterM

PeterM wrote: (clip) I'll ask my neighbor next time I have to cut one of these things. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm surprised no one mentioned a very helpful technique, when sawing thin wall tubing. (Just in case there is a "next time.) After the cut is started, keep rotating the tubing, so you never cut directly down on the thin walls. By cutting tangentially to the tubing, you keep more teeth engaged, and also have more resistance to bending inward in case of a snag.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

I don't get it..........Peter

Reply to
PeterM

Hacksaws will bind up when a single tooth gets hung on the wall of the tubing - when the cut is about halfway or so though.

The trouble I have when doing this is that I wind up cutting a nice spiral out of the tube!

To avoid that, wrap a piece of masking tape around the tube and follow that - keeping the hacksaw always on a fresh, outer surface so its teeth are fully engaged.

The *real* way a plumber does this (when a tubing cutter is not feasable) is to get a fine pitch blade on a sawzall. Because it cuts on the backstroke, it will hardly ever jam up.

Jim

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Reply to
jim rozen

Ahhhhhhhhhhh now I get it. I do have a sawzall, and a band saw, but I have to get a blade with more teeth.. Right on, thank you. I think a tube cutter is also what I will get.........Peter

Reply to
PeterM

Put the blade in backwards! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

Another approach to cutting thin wall tube is to use a 3-sided file.. fine cutting teeth and no snagging. Filing a V around the tube (following a taped line) will provide a nice square end. If sawing seems like a better method, the thin tube will remain round if you have some wood dowel the size of the ID. The wood will provide better saw tooth contact than the thin tube walls.

WB ................

Reply to
Wild Bill

We used to cut two v-notches in the rim of a spackle bucket to hold electrical metallic tubing for hacksawing- also, using a finer tooth blade really helped.

................

Reply to
ATP

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