Wamsutta
Well-known member
Is there any possible way to cut PVC pipe square with a reciprocating saw, or is a miter saw the only way to do it?
Reciprocating Saw and PVC Pipe
- Thread starter Wamsutta
- Start date
willhollin
Well-known member
What size?
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Wrap 2" wide masking tape around the pipe, making sure it lines up to mark a square cut. Use a fine tooth blade, shorter than the diameter of the pipe. Cut slowly, make sure the pipe is clamped securely to prevent it from grabbing. You can cut right up to the masking tape with this method. Ideally, you're just barely nudging the tape with the sawblade.
(or just use a sharp Japanese handsaw...)
(or just use a sharp Japanese handsaw...)
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Make a miter box with a slot. Either make it tight to the pipe or clamp it to the near face.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I use a Vaughn Bearsaw for 1" pipe.
HUH ? That lil ****. Use a diamond wheel in an angle grinder. You know...the sectored ones they claim to be the ultimate for steel , ceramic, gouda cheeses etc. They whack PVC faster thannnnn...... just toss one in the angle grinder and get after it
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I can cut a piece of 1" PVC faster with a "lil ****" bearsaw than you can drag out the grinder and extension cord...with a fraction of the mess.
To each his own.
Coach James
Well-known member
For one piece, I would use a handsaw. When I have had to make 40+ cuts, I used an angle grinder and a jig.
Coach
Coach
davethorik
Well-known member
Metal cutting blades work well. Steady hand can get nice cuts.
jgromada
Well-known member
I love using my Milwaukee M12 Hackzall for this. They even make a specific blade for PVC
rtz
Well-known member
Maybe one of these with the right cutoff wheel?
https://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200422331_200422331?adv=false
https://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200422331_200422331?adv=false
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I use a set of saw guides for cutting stainless pipe in the field. They are hardened stainless and have 2 slots, one for a portaband and one for a sawzall.
http://www.techsouthinc.com/pipeclamps/sawguides.html
Downsides are cost and size availability. They are about $100 each and are only really useful up to about 4" or so.
http://www.techsouthinc.com/pipeclamps/sawguides.html
Downsides are cost and size availability. They are about $100 each and are only really useful up to about 4" or so.
Marctrees
Well-known member
The Bear japanese pull saw is awesome.
I have two - one older one for rougher work, and a pristine babied newer one I reserve for like fine wood trim cuts.
Marc
I have two - one older one for rougher work, and a pristine babied newer one I reserve for like fine wood trim cuts.
Marc
Marctrees
Well-known member
I think he meant the OP's 1" pipe size was lil ****, not the Bear saw.
Keep in mind some of these guys work w like 12" PVC pipe for utilitys, etc.. so 1" is baby stuff.
Marc
Captain Spaulding
Well-known member
I had to cut a bunch of short sections of 6" for some fixtures at work. They had to be square to work. I hose clamped the recip to a 2x4 and pinned the 2x4 with a bolt to a bench so the recip could swing up and down on the 2x4 arm. I screwed two 2X6s together edge to edge to make an L-shaped trough and clamped it to saw horses with the opening up.
I could lift the recip up, slide the pipe in the trough, then lower the recip blade onto the pipe. I hoped it would cut square by itself, but it turned out the blade flex was enough to screw up my cut so I had to slow the recip down and rotate the pipe while cutting to get good square cuts.
Took me about 15 minutes to knock it together with a bunch of ratchet straps, cable ties and some screws. I made about 300 cuts with it that way.
I could lift the recip up, slide the pipe in the trough, then lower the recip blade onto the pipe. I hoped it would cut square by itself, but it turned out the blade flex was enough to screw up my cut so I had to slow the recip down and rotate the pipe while cutting to get good square cuts.
Took me about 15 minutes to knock it together with a bunch of ratchet straps, cable ties and some screws. I made about 300 cuts with it that way.
WWheeler
Well-known member
lol, fwiw that's exactly what I bought that jig for, well, sort of. We used a diamond blade for cutting a hundred or more pieces of ~3/4" acrylic tube which we had to be really picky about a clean end and the length.
Mentioned it here before. Worked like a champ, and have left the grinder in it ever since, though now mostly sports an abrasive blade for use as a general purpose mini-chop saw.
Last edited:
sberry
Banned
I can use a recipt saw. I use a coarse metal blade and can eyeball it and do them regular enough to be near perfect or close enough for general plumbing work. A lot of times I really rotate it about 1/4 turn to make it line up.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Why not just use ratcheting pipe cutters?
I dunno what you're doing with your pipe or what your project entails but I still think you should get a miter saw if you're doing any large projects. Ratchet cutter for a small project. That said you can cut it with just about anything and getting close to square is often good enough. If you spent the same amount of time plumbing as you've spent searching for a tool to cut square, you'd have a full house roughed in 
Just get one of these- unless you need it mitre saw accurate- it's what the landscapers use
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039OWY5S/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039OWY5S/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Are you doing plumbing in some sort of rocket science field or just looking to make things more complicated than they need be?
There's a reason plumbers carry ratcheting cutters, they cut square enough if you start your cut square...
Eric29
Well-known member
Milwaukee used to make an attachment for their sawzall that clamped on to a pipe and cut it straight. I always thought it would be helpful for cutting metal pipe, but I never bought one, and I’m not sure that the attachment is still around. If you could find one, I assume there would be no reason why you couldn’t use it on PVC pipe.
the gypsy
Well-known member
Hi Eric29. The tool you are referring to which holds the portaband is still advertised but it is outrageously expensive. There are cheaper alternatives, which I can't find in my pics now that I need them. but will post as soon as I find them.
Marctrees
Well-known member
Wamsutta - OK, we give up.
What project do you need these 1" Sc 80 PVC 90 cut ends for?
Marc
What project do you need these 1" Sc 80 PVC 90 cut ends for?
Marc
metaldad
Well-known member
a recip saw would not be my 1st choice.
in fact, 2nd or 3rd, neither.
eric, you are correct. milwaukee still makes a pipe clamp type vise that a sawzall could use as a guide.
gypsy, porter cable made a device, that would mount a porta band like a chop saw
different tools, guys
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Produ...g/SAWZALL-and-HACKZALL-Accessories/49-22-1012
http://www.toolpartspro.com/porter-cable-parts/porter-cable-5032-type-1-parts.html
in fact, 2nd or 3rd, neither.
eric, you are correct. milwaukee still makes a pipe clamp type vise that a sawzall could use as a guide.
gypsy, porter cable made a device, that would mount a porta band like a chop saw
different tools, guys
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Produ...g/SAWZALL-and-HACKZALL-Accessories/49-22-1012
http://www.toolpartspro.com/porter-cable-parts/porter-cable-5032-type-1-parts.html
Gummi Bear
Well-known member
Another vote for some ratcheting PVC cutters.
Mine are Ridgid brand, I bought them 20+ years ago when I started in the electrical trade. They cut up to 1-¼” in just a few strokes.
They look like this
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...
Henry David Thoreau
Mine are Ridgid brand, I bought them 20+ years ago when I started in the electrical trade. They cut up to 1-¼” in just a few strokes.
They look like this
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...
Henry David Thoreau
Attachments
the gypsy
Well-known member
How much are you willing to spend on the tool? Have you thought about the Milwaukee cordless pvc cutter
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Concur ! I was AMAZED how fast it cut and how clean the cut was.
If you want "perfect" get a tubing cuter.
Milton Shaw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
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One or two cuts, You could use the wire saw, it would take a lot less than a minute to cut through that. It probably would take less time than getting an extension cord and finding an outlet. Three or four back and fourths and its through.
Anybody ever use one of these flush cut pvc saws? First one I've ever seen so I had to have it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/razorear/42920965514/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/razorear/42920965514/in/dateposted-public/
TRX
Active member
I have a 7-1/2" chop saw, made for cutting studs to length, etc. It works like gangbusters on plastic pipe.
59 wagon man
Well-known member
i use my 25 year old Milwaukee 14" chop saw on up to 4". quick and simple and then i let the blade run and bevel the edge of the pvc. also have the Milwaukee cordless pvc cutter it works but the cut can be crooked
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
One thing you can bet on...on the Garage Journal the simpler the problem, the more complex the answers. 
