How are the pros cutting EMT? Scoring tool?

[rust in the eye]

For my own projects a recip. or hack saw has been my go to. Of course all the cuts required deburring which is a PITA.
A Klein scoring tool made it on my radar so I bought it but will be damned if I can manipulate this thing. My understand is to SCORE the pipe and break it off cleanly (right) but my results were always bending the pipe. Scoring deeper was tedious and probably abusing the tool and with less then satisfactory results so I gave up.
So, Sparky, what's the trick for using one of these??

 

[mike93lx]

Curious on the same. I use a portaband and a manual deburring tool (screwdriver-style)

 

[PCustoms]

Every time I see it done it's a portaband...

 

[aka Larry]

When I built my shop I used a side grinder for the cuts. I used a flap disc to hit the out side and found a uni-bit was perfect for the inside de-burring.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Milwaukee M12 portable band saw and clean It up with a Klein EMT reamer.…….. In the old days I always used a hack saw and the Klein reamer or square shaft screwdriver.
I used a 120 volt Porter Cable Porta Band on the larger sized EMT.

BTW! I never used a tubing cutter even though some guys used them.

<<<<< Klein EMT reamer

 

[mm08822]

Hacksaw usually.
Lineman pliers to deburr inside/outside in one pass.

 

[mm08822]

Tubing cutters were seriously frowned upon due to the lip it left. Removing the burr was then a PIA.

 

[sparky 1971]

Bandsaw almost exclusively for the last 12ish years, Hackzall for a whi!e before that, and a hacksaw for a long way time before that. TBH, A hacksaw with a 32 tpi blade is the fastest way to cut EMT. Then use a reamer or needle nose on the inside and Channellock's on the outside to deburr. The only time I use a pipe cutter is the extremely rare occasion that I am going to cut an existing pipe with wires in it.

 

[Ilikeike]

Normally, just a grinder with the cutoff wheel of death.. I've used a porta band on occasion.

I've had this reamer in my bucket for 30years.

 

[micromind]

Bandsaw almost exclusively for the last 12ish years, Hackzall for a whi!e before that, and a hacksaw for a long way time before that. TBH, A hacksaw with a 32 tpi blade is the fastest way to cut EMT. Then use a reamer or needle nose on the inside and Channellock's on the outside to deburr. The only time I use a pipe cutter is the extremely rare occasion that I am going to cut an existing pipe with wires in it.

Pretty much same here.

 

[mm08822]

Size matters sorry to say.

1/2" way different than 1", 2" , 4".....

 

[Ilikeike]

Size matters sorry to say.

1/2" way different than 1", 2" , 4".....

For sure.

When we did the big stuff,
we had an area on the jobsite with the hydraulic bender set up, with vise, band saw, pipe threader materials etc..

 

[dscheidt]

Milwaukee M12 portable band saw and clean It up with a Klein EMT reamer.…….. In the old days I always used a hack saw and the Klein reamer or square shaft screwdriver.
I used a 120 volt Porter Cable Porta Band on the larger sized EMT.

BTW! I never used a tubing cutter even though some guys used them.

<<<<< Klein EMT reamer

Milwaukee sell a reamer that snaps onto one of the pulleys on the cordless portabands. it's a fantastic addition to an already fantastic tool.

 

[willf650]

I’ve used a hack saw, sawzall and currently a small porta band. Reaming was generally just with a set of channel locks. I’ve put in 1000s of feet of conduit in this fashion and never had an issue.

As far as the tubing cutter the Klein one is a recent thing and you won’t ever find anyone using it as a regular thing. I don’t own one but have always used a tubing cutter but the only time I’ve ever done this is when I had to cut a conduit that had wires in it I couldn’t easily remove and had to reuse them.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Milwaukee M12 portable band saw and clean It up with a Klein EMT reamer.…….. In the old days I always used a hack saw and the Klein reamer or square shaft screwdriver.
I used a 120 volt Porter Cable Porta Band on the larger sized EMT.

BTW! I never used a tubing cutter even though some guys used them.

<<<<< Klein EMT reamer

this is what i use as well

 

[alfredeneuman]

I've owned 2 of the Klein 1/2" EMT cutters and I regret ever buying them.
Like an idiot, I thought the first one was faulty, and bought another.
Absolutely it's the worst tool Klein has ever produced.
I've owned multiple Dykes, Screwdrivers, Wire strippers,and Lineman's Pliers. and all were completely satisfactory.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I've owned 2 of the Klein 1/2" EMT cutters and I regret ever buying them.
Like an idiot, I thought the first one was faulty, and bought another.
Absolutely it's the worst tool Klein has ever produced.
I've owned multiple Dykes, Screwdrivers, Wire strippers,and Lineman's Pliers. and all were completely satisfactory.

which klein cutters are we referring to? i have yet to come across a klein tool i didnt like

 

[sparky 1971]

which klein cutters are we referring to? i have yet to come across a klein tool i didnt like

Probably those POS tubing cutters like a plumber uses for copper. I had Greenlees version that was the same thing and threw it in the dumpster after about three failed attempts. I now use a Lenox when the need arises.

 

[jbltwin1]

I LIKE to use cutoff wheels if I have one handy, and I usually do! fast, easy, and don't leave that ridge like tubing cutters. If the cutoff wheel isn't available, just a hack saw. Usually use a rat tailed file when I can't see the reamer.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Probably those POS tubing cutters like a plumber uses for copper. I had Greenlees version that was the same thing and threw it in the dumpster after about three failed attempts. I now use a Lenox when the need arises.

yeah i hate those. they create a rolled lip that can catch wire as you pull it thru the conduit

 

[sparky 1971]

yeah i hate those. they create a rolled lip that can catch wire as you pull it thru the conduit

The lip isn't too bad if you use about 3000 turns to make the cut, barely tightening the wheel as you go. I don't use one unless the rare occasion comes up that I cut a pipe with wire in it because I'm too lazy to pull it back or have no effing clue where the next junction box back is so that I can pull that wire back.

 

[micromind]

The lip isn't too bad if you use about 3000 turns to make the cut, barely tightening the wheel as you go. I don't use one unless the rare occasion comes up that I cut a pipe with wire in it because I'm too lazy to pull it back or have no effing clue where the next junction box back is so that I can pull that wire back.

Also, it's a royal bear to ream the inside of the pipe without skinning the wires, especially if they're hot and you'd rather not blow stuff up.

 

[Norcal]

I've owned 2 of the Klein 1/2" EMT cutters and I regret ever buying them.
Like an idiot, I thought the first one was faulty, and bought another.
Absolutely it's the worst tool Klein has ever produced.
I've owned multiple Dykes, Screwdrivers, Wire strippers,and Lineman's Pliers. and all were completely satisfactory.

Bought one myself too, waste of money now gathering dust for a lot of reasons.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The only halfway successful way I've discovered to break after scoring the conduit without bending it is to hold the conduit tightly in a vise and use a piece of pipe or a bender handle over the EMT for leverage.

 

[rust in the eye]

The only halfway successful way I've discovered to break after scoring the conduit without bending it is to hold the conduit tightly in a vise and use a piece of pipe or a bender handle over the EMT for leverage.

This is what I saw demonstrated in YT video. Getting the right cut depth and monkeying with a another pipe over the pipe was all way too clumsy for me.
Glad to hear it's not just me that has trouble with these. Somebody must be using them with success or Klein wouldn't be offering them, beats me who.
Off to Ebay she goes, curious to see if and what it will go for.

 

[mm08822]

All of these other ways just sound like lots of time lost and extra complication. Sounds like trying to scratch your left **** cheek with your right hand raised over your shoulder.

 

[sparky 1971]

All of these other ways just sound like lots of time lost and extra complication. Sounds like trying to scratch your left **** cheek with your right hand raised over your shoulder.

This is Garage Journal, where the simplest of tasks are almost always more difficult than moving a mountain with a teaspoon.

 

[alfredeneuman]

This is what I saw demonstrated in YT video.

The method doesn't work unless the conduit is straight (with zero degrees of bend) either.

 

[willf650]

I think the obvious answer is ”Pros” are cutting conduit with some form of saw, preferably a portaband.

As far as the Klein tubing cutter no one using anything in that regard unless there is a specific need to cut a conduit with wires in it. When cutting conduit with a tubing cutter I’ve never had issues bending the conduit but using one is very infrequent.

 

[Norcal]

By the time someone fiddle farts with that tubing cutter a Porta band or a Sawzall would have cut it.

 

[alfredeneuman]

By the time someone fiddle farts with that tubing cutter a Porta band or a Sawzall would have cut it.

A hacksaw would be faster than the EMT scorer.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Portaband and deburring tool on an impact driver. Hacksaw on occasion if needed. I've used a tubing cutter once or twice in really tight spots but not the ideal method.

 

[BreeStephany]

When it comes to EMT, a band saw for anything larger than 1", metal cutting circular saw for everything smaller. For 1/2" - 1" I use a Klein conduit reamer, for everything else I use a pipe deburring tool (little pen looking tool with the crescent blade on the end).

When it comes to rigid, I have a Rigid 300 power head, cutter, reamers and adjustable threading die.

 

[BreeStephany]

which klein cutters are we referring to? i have yet to come across a klein tool i didnt like

The Klein EMT scoring tool is decent, but definitely a lot slower, especially when you are running thousands of feet of conduit per day.

I was on a LONG electrical project in an active food processing facility where we had to either score cut conduit or walk it out to the loading dock to cut ANYTHING with a saw.

The Klein conduit scoring tool and Ridgid StrutSlayr were invaluable on that project.