Plasma Cutter?

I agree with the chop saw for fastest cutting. The kind that has the carbide toothed blade.

Yair...I nfind the handiest tool around the shop is the Makita four inch grinder with the with the super tin (one mm) cutting wheels.

It's my "go to" tool...often before the gas axe or the chop saw. I used to do a bit of yard building and would be quite happy to get back into it with a decent chop saw and one of these.

Cheers.

A plasma will work excellant for cutting pipe like your talking about. It will go alot better if you use a guide to cut around. Jegs has one that works better than most i have used. We cut pipe for racecars the same way you are talkin about cutting pipe. For my experience a torch makes more work than it saves, the cut off saw does well but it still has to be coped as with the band saw. Before buying a plasma check and see if the consumables are readly availble. We had a Esab in the mines and overnight they got really hard to get ahold of, it was a really good machine tho. DO NOT get a cheap one! As mentioned before the air has to be dry. go to a automotive paint store and get a air dryer and all will be well wtih the world.


racecar spelled backwards is racecar

We have made many feed bunks out of oilfield 2-7/8" pipe and make easy saddle cuts with the 16" cutoff saw I made. We just set it at 60 degrees and make your first cut. Cut all pipes to length with this first 60 degree cut. Then I clamp on a little jig on the back of the saw table that holds the pointy end of the cut off pipe at the right angle and distance and then cut off the pointy end. When you're done, you have a saddle made with two straight cuts that welds up nice and tight. This joint is much stronger than the squashed ends we used to use. It works for any size pipe and is cheaper than a torch or plasma cutter, (and we have used both in the past). If I have time tomorrow, I'll take a few pics and post.

Well tomorrow came and went and so did the week but here are the pictures.

I've always just used a torch and a homemade jig. I make my cuts just a hair longer than exact, and then give them a tap or two with a shop hammer. Makes everything fit nice and snug, and the pipe will hold itself in place while I weld it.

If you are worried about saving money, use a wire welder. I clean my pipe before I start so I can paint it anyway, so I can use my little wire welder fine. Lots cheaper than using sticks on the Bobcat. Also produces a nice, clean weld. It doesn't work great in wind, but I usually try to weld in the mornings and late afternoons. Less wind and cooler temps make it more comfortable on me welding, and less likely I'll accidentally catch something on fire.

Oops. .. Wrong thread

clay digger said:

Well tomorrow came and went and so did the week but here are the pictures.View attachment 89112View attachment 89113View attachment 89114View attachment 89115View attachment 89116

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I came across this thread, and I like your method. I did a test using PVC pipe and by golly...better fit than the template I made, and there is less cutting too! The question I have is do u have a better pix of the jig u made to cut the second 60 degree angle? thks.

My hypertherm powermax 45 has been great to me, you can also make plunge cuts just start at a steep angle and bring it up to a 90° it can be very hard on consumables tho. I recommend drilling a pilot if required to plunge cut.