Cutting S/S tube on-site

[shane]

Hi people, can anyone tell me the best product or tool to cut 2-5mm stainless steel tube on site? I'm new to this stainless tig stuff.
It will obviously need to cut neat and stright and with minimal heat, as not to blue the tube. I've been looking at some small band saws. Has anyone tried the TCT disc saws on stainless?:waving:

[txfireguy2003]

Why not a good tubing cutter, like the ones used by plumbers for copper pipe, only stronger for cutting SS? I have one, pretty large, but it cuts anything I put it on. Has a handle that screws in to tighten the roller blade against the work, then you spin the whole tool around the tubing and it scores a little line, when it gets loose, you tighten it a little and spin it again, tighten, spin, tighten, spin, you get the drift.

[pulser]

Here are some links to professional tools which are designed for cutting and facing SS tubes for obital welding.

http://www.ottotool.com/index.html
http://www.dwsorbital.com/Pages/ws510.htm
http://www.tritool.com/

[shane]

Thanks txfireguy, I did see the cutters you mentioned, i thought they might struggle to be honest.The other thing i wondered was would it mark the tube where the roller goes round.The copper cutters do, i know obviously s/s is alot harder, maybe they have neoprene rollers.If i can trace them localy i'll definatly give then a go.
Obviously the cheapest option. Thanks again.

[shane]

Thanks pulser,
I've sent an enquiry to tritool about the servermaster572AC it seems this will do what i need. I have no experience with these kind of machines so the feedback from them will be intresting.
Thanks again.

[pulser]

The cheapest option will be the Rigid tubing cutter, the other cutters I gave you info on are $$$$. I have used the large Rigid tubing cutter with a special cutting wheel they sell for SS. I was cutting 4" diameter, 1/16" thick 304 SS tube. The tube was rotated in a weld positioner and the cutter held by hand. It worked pretty well for the 10 or so cuts I had to make. I was acutally pretty impressed.

We are currentlly using a Tri-Tool 572 to cut open SS containers. These things range from about 1.5 to 3" diameter and are around 1/8" thick. The Tri-Tool is very easy to use and very durable. The lathe type cutting tool does tend to push a burr onto the inside of the tube, which you may need to remove depending on how you are doing your welds.
The "saw blade" type cutter of of the George Fisher may not leave burr like the Tri-tool. In either case, there are also portable joint facing tools to totally square up the weld joint for automated, autogeneous orbital tube welders. Again, these are costly tools, but I think some outfits will rent them.

[scubaholic]

we run 8 mil some times and use basic tubing cutters as mentioned above

[William McCormick Jr]

Hi people, can anyone tell me the best product or tool to cut 2-5mm stainless steel tube on site? I'm new to this stainless tig stuff.
It will obviously need to cut neat and stright and with minimal heat, as not to blue the tube. I've been looking at some small band saws. Has anyone tried the TCT disc saws on stainless?:waving:


How many cuts do you have to make?


A tubing cutter is going to be slow if you have to go around with the tubing cutter.

On a threader if it takes two to three minutes it will be a lot, and as long as you are not doing any work who cares. But on the thinner material it could really cave it in. So if all your cuts are not done with a tubing cutter, they may not match up well.

The 2 mm stuff would cut nice with Carburundum wheel made for stainless. You could get the blue off with a Scotch brite pad.

I do not like the carbide blades for stainless steel, even in slow saws designed for them. Especially pipe.

For the heavy wall pipe 5 mm, I would probably haul a big portable band saw with me, set and forget it. It would take five minutes but you would not have to baby sit the thing. The thin wall stuff might grab in a band saw. That is why I would go with the Carborundum wheel for the thin wall.




Sincerely,


William McCormick

[Donald Branscom]

Hi people, can anyone tell me the best product or tool to cut 2-5mm stainless steel tube on site? I'm new to this stainless tig stuff.
It will obviously need to cut neat and stright and with minimal heat, as not to blue the tube. I've been looking at some small band saws. Has anyone tried the TCT disc saws on stainless?:waving:


Lowest cost method. ABRASIVE CUTOFF SAW. Will not do compound cuts. DO NOT try a compound cut without the tube being clamped down- you can get seriously hurt.