Every homeowner has had to think about their pipes at some point in their lives. Installing new pipes or just fixing an old leak, it’s important to know what you’re doing.
If you’ve ever had to cut steel pipe, you know how frustrating it can be. Steel pipes are a cheap and robust way to transport liquids and gases, but they can be difficult to cut.
You have several options if you need to know how to cut steel pipe. Read on to find the best of them and how to make it yourself at home.
What are steel pipes?
Steel pipes have high strength due to their high density and rigid structure, making them suitable for carrying heavy loads, such as water pipes or gas pipes.
There are many different types of steel pipes available, but the most common is mild steel. Mild steel pipes have a tensile strength of about 30,000 psi (pounds per square inch), which means they can withstand pressure in excess of 30,000 pounds per square inch without being permanently deformed. They are not as strong as other forms of steel, such as stainless steel or carbon steel, which can withstand much higher pressures.
Mild steel pipes are also relatively easy to bend or form into various shapes by heating them and shaping them with wedges or hammers (called cold working). This makes them ideal for construction use as it is easy to make custom sized sections that fit exactly where you need them.
But cutting these pipes they can be difficult because they are so stiff and inflexible, especially when trying to cut large sections of pipe with hand tools like saws or chisels!
What should you do before cutting steel pipes?
1. Measure your pipes
The first step in cutting a steel pipe with any of these tools is to measure its length so you know how much room you have on either side when you start cutting it on each end with your chosen method (whether it’s hand pipe cutters or power tools like angle grinders ). You should always measure twice and make sure you have enough material for what you need.
If you have an angle grinder, make sure the blade is set at a 45 degree angle to the pipe. You can do this by lining up the edge of your tool with one of those lines you made earlier and adjusting it until it’s at the right angle (if you don’t want to use a protractor, then just eyeball). Then go ahead and cut each side of the pipe.
Make sure that the steel pipe is securely clamped to a workbench so that it does not move while you work, as this will cause imperfections in the cut.
2. Take safety precautions
Always make sure the blades are sharp before use so they make nice clean cuts with no jagged edges. When cutting thick pieces of metal like this, there is always the potential for injury if proper precautions are not taken beforehand. So don’t forget to:
- Wear thick gloves and safety glasses
- Wear shirts with sleeves and a face shield
- Keep your body away from the blade and other pipes so you don’t get hit by chips or metal shavings.
- Make sure no one gets close enough while you’re working on something heavy like this to avoid accidental injury!
3. Prepare the tools
- Flexible Blade Utility Knife / Saw / Pipe Cutter
- Roulette
- Screwdriver (flat head)
- Pencil
- adjustable wrench)
- Protective eyewear
- Gloves
- Tape measure (metal tape measure if possible)
The best pipe cutting tools you can use
If you want to cut steel pipes, then you must use the right tool. And there are several to choose from.
1. Pipe cutter
Pipe cutters are usually used to cut a copper or plastic pipe, but they can also be used to cut steel and any kind of metal if the right type of pipe cutter is chosen. The most common types of pipe cutters come in two varieties: manual or electric.
Manual models usually consist of two handles that allow you to pull them apart to open the tool’s jaws around the pipe and then snap them back together to cut with sharp blades inside each jaw.
Electric models work similarly, but use electricity instead of human power to spread and close the jaws around the pipe (which means less effort on your part).
The process will be quick and easy, but may leave some burrs behind on the edges of the cut. You will also want to use gloves or other hand protection as this tool is quite sharp.
2. Angle grinder
Angle grinders are very powerful tools – it is true that they are designed for cutting metals, but they can also be used for cutting other materials such as wood and plastics. In fact, many people who have been using angle grinders for years say they have never had a problem cutting steel pipe.
If you’ve ever tried to use an angle grinder to cut steel pipe, then you know that they can be difficult to control. However, this is not necessarily true for all angle grinders. There are some models that are specifically designed for cutting steel pipe and other metals such as aluminum or copper. If your model does not come with these features built in, then there may be an adapter available online or at your local hardware store that will allow you to use it on both iron and steel pipes.
3. Saw
The third option is to use a saw. This tool is slightly more accurate but more difficult to use than the previous one. You will need a high-quality tool designed specifically for cutting steel pipes and other similar materials.
It looks like a mini saw with a handle attached to one end. The blade is at the other end of the handle and you can use it to cut through the pipewhich creates smooth edges that won’t need any further machining once you’ve finished cutting from their original shape.
4. Circular saw
First, remember that your circular saw blade is only good for cutting things 1/2 inch in diameter or less. So if you have anything larger than that—say, 3/4-inch diameter pipe—you’ll need a different tool for this job.
The first step is to determine if your circular saw has teeth on the blade. If not, then you will need to use an abrasive disc or sandpaper on the blade. You can even use a power drill or file if needed.
5. Table saw
Steel is a very hard metal that resists bending and cutting. It also has sharp edges that tend to break at the slightest pressure. So if you’re trying to cut steel with a table saw, it won’t be gentle on your hands or your tools and will take much longer than it would take you to cut wood with a circular saw.
However, if your goal is to use the table saw to make cuts in steel pipe for a future project, then yes – you can definitely do it! You just need to know what kind of cuts you want to make and how deep they should be either.
The trick is to use a good quality and very sharp blade. You can find this information on your blade packaging or on your tool manufacturer’s website. The first thing you need before cutting is a jig. A jig will help stabilize your steel pipe while cutting it so it doesn’t move while you’re doing the job.
Once you’ve correctly installed the jig around the steel pipe, then all that’s left is cutting! Simply clamp the steel pipe in place using clamps, then use the saw blade to make all the necessary cuts to remove the material around each pipe joint.
The last step before using your pipes
After cutting, grind the metal tubes by hand or with a drill or electric file. This will remove any burrs left over from cutting with the circular saw and ensure that the cut lines are smooth and straight.
Conclusion
There are many ways you can use to cut steel pipe and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. So we have covered several different methods in this article and it is up to you which method is best for you.
Whichever tool you choose and how you choose to approach this, remember to do it safely and take all necessary precautions. If you have any more questions, let us know in the comments and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
