I need to cut 6-8" diameter aluminum pipe, and want to build/buy a saw to do this. I was thinking I could put together a power hacksaw much easier, and it would fit my needs. Anyone give me cause to re-think doing it this way??? Pipe is about 0.060 wall.
Thanks, Rod
Neither, IMHO. I would do it the cheap fast way.
I would put down a tarp first.
Then I would attach a series of long worm-drive hose clamps around the tube and mark the cut edge with a felt tip pen.
Example:
Then I would remove the hose clamps and clamp the work *securely* to something that could not move.
Equipped with a face shield, hearing protectors and gloves, I would put a carbide blade in my circular saw to make quick work of the cut. This is where a smaller circular saw would be better. If the blade should grab the work, I wouldn't want a very powerful motor attempting to rotate the work away from me (or the SAW towards me!)
I would hold the saw at a perfect 90 degrees to avoid jamming the blade.
Aluminum chips would be ejected with force, so I would take steps to keep them out of my eyes.
Then I would shake out the tarp into a garbage can.
(This worked fast and easy for me in cutting cardboard concrete formers. The edges were very square and tidy.)
--Winston
Horizontal bandsaw?
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