pp

10/11/2006 4:55 PM

RIPPING A 3 IN PVC PIPE

I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
both halves are the same.
Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?

Smitty


This topic has 19 replies

NH

"N Hurst"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 5:53 PM



On Nov 10, 7:55 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
> Smitty

Why not mount it to a 1/4" piece of plywood and run your blade all the
way up? A 10" table saw should be able to make that cut, right?

-Nathan

pp

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 6:37 PM

############################################################

Thanks guys, for all your input. I WAS thinking bandsaw, but wondering
how
to *halve* it so each half would be the same size & not wander.
I could scribe the top and run it thru the bandsaw, but what about the
bottom ?
By the way, this is a new pc. of black PVC.
I did tape it to a board & set a square against the ends to mark a
verticle
center line. This should make each half the same. Right ?

Another thought. . . using the bandsaw, should I freehand it thru the
cut,
or lay it against the fence ?

Smitty

#################################################################

Doug Miller wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> >3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> >I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> >and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> >Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> >both halves are the same.
> >Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
> Use a bandsaw.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Rr

"RicodJour"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 7:34 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?

Safest way is to not cut all of the way through the wall. Leave 1/16"
of material. If you attach it to a board like you said, you can then
just flop the assembly end for end and run it though again on the other
side. Use a razor knife to cut the remaining 1/16" inside the kerf,
and use a block plane to clean up the edges if you want it to look
perfect.

R

Jb

"JP"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 8:50 AM

Flip the board end over end,don't turn it around

[email protected] wrote:
> I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
> Smitty

bb

"bent"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

14/11/2006 4:03 AM

nobodys gonna mention an alternative abrasive wonder wheel rather than a
blade



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g

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 11:09 PM

On 10 Nov 2006 16:55:38 -0800, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
>3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
>I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
>and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
>Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
>both halves are the same.
>Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
>Smitty


I cut PVC pipe on my table saw all the time. Use a sharp carbide
blade, cranked down so it only comes through about 1/4". Set the fence
so it sits directly over the blade at the bottom and clamp another
board on the other side as a guide. The only problem is holding things
together in the last inch or so.
Start with a work piece about 6" to a foot too long and don't cut it
all the way. It will not fall apart that way.That also keeps you away
from the blade. Then crosscut to size.
I first started doing this to make "C" shaped clips to hold a polytarp
on a PVC frame. If you use the next bigger pipe size for the clip
and cut out about 160-170 degrees of the circle it makes a "C"
crossection that will snap over the tarp and pipe. I use a piece about
3" long for each clip. You rip a bunch of pipe at one time, cut off
the "handle" and pop off the 3" pieces after it is the right
crossection.
I find a 7.25" blade in my 10" saw works best. The slower blade tips
and narrower kerf don't seem to chip out the cut as much.

sD

[email protected] (Doug Miller)

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 2:13 AM

In article <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
>3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
>I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
>and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
>Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
>both halves are the same.
>Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?

Use a bandsaw.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

PF

Paul Franklin

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 8:52 PM

On 10 Nov 2006 16:55:38 -0800, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
>3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
>I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
>and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
>Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
>both halves are the same.
>Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
>Smitty

I tried to rip 6" PVC pipe on the tablesaw once. I found that the cut
closed up fast enough to seriously bind the blade before it could even
get to the spiltter. I ended up cutting two circles of plywood to
plug the ends and prevent the kerf from closing and binding the blade.

I hot melt glued the plywood circles in place, and this let me turn
the whole thing 180 degrees after the first cut to make the second
cut.

3" probably isn't as bad, but the same technique should work.

HTH,

Paul

TW

Tom Watson

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 9:00 PM

On 10 Nov 2006 16:55:38 -0800, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
>3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
>I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
>and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
>Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
>both halves are the same.
>Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
>Smitty


I had to do this a couple of times to create substrates for veneered
half columns and did the following:

Take a piece of 1X material that is the same width as the diameter of
the pipe and hot melt it to the side of the pipe.

Use a triple chip blade on the tablesaw and set it to not quite come
through the thickness of the pipe wall. (leave about 1/32")

Make one rip and then flip it over.

Finish off the cut with a handsaw and clean up the edge.


Regards,

Tom Watson

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/

BA

B A R R Y

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 2:01 PM

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 02:02:04 GMT, Lew Hodgett
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>If this is white PVC water pipe and has been exposed to sunlight for any
>length of time, FORGET IT.

Back when I flew lots of r/c airplanes, I used to build modular truck
racking from PVC water pipe, so I could load more planes with less
damage. At the field, I'd slide the who rig(s) out of the truck and
leave it out as I accessed the aircraft. The racks would spend the
day in the sun, and I'd reload the rig at the end of the session.

Most of the planes were in the 8-15 pound range, so PVC seemed like a
light, cheap, easy to work with solution for the rack. I didn't paint
the pipe, as the planes often leaked small amounts of gasoline,
alcohol, and oil, so finding one paint that would stick to and not
attack the PVC and resist the leakage was a pain.

One day, I hit a rather small bump and my load turned into a pile of
broken PVC and airplanes, with the sharp PVC edges slicing nice, clean
holes in some of the aircraft covering. 8^( UV damage had turned
the PVC extremely brittle after only a few weeks!

l

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 9:54 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
>############################################################
>
>Thanks guys, for all your input. I WAS thinking bandsaw, but wondering
>how
>to *halve* it so each half would be the same size & not wander.
>I could scribe the top and run it thru the bandsaw, but what about the
>bottom ?
>By the way, this is a new pc. of black PVC.
>I did tape it to a board & set a square against the ends to mark a
>verticle
>center line. This should make each half the same. Right ?
>
>Another thought. . . using the bandsaw, should I freehand it thru the
>cut,
>or lay it against the fence ?
>
>Smitty
>


Why didn't you say you had a bandsaw? :) What about making a wooden
"channel" or "U" with inside dimesion just big enough to let the pipe
slide through, maybe a foot or 2 long. Push it through the bandsaw
about 1/2 way, so the blade is cutting right through the middle of the
bottom. Clamp it in place on the bandsaw table, then use it to guide
the pipe.
--
Contentment makes poor men rich. Discontent makes rich men poor.
--Benjamin Franklin
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland - [email protected]

RC

"Rick's Cabinet Shop"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 1:03 AM

Maybe you could fill the cut with a piece of 1/8" scrap and re-tape the pipe
back together, re-tape it to the board again? If you don't take it off the
board after ripping the first cut, you could flip it over so that you have
both cuts the same distance from the fence.

--
Rick Nagy
Johnstown, PA

[email protected] - Remove nospam to email me
Be sure to check out my website at http://www.rickscabinetshop.com

.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
> Smitty
>

l

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

10/11/2006 9:45 PM

Reading Paul's suggestion, reminded me of some rigs I've seen for
fluting work with a router,

If the disks used to plug the pipe ends were in turn glued to squares
of about the same or slightly larger length/width, they would index
the pipe to exactly 180d when the pipe was flipped to cut the opposite
side.



--
Contentment makes poor men rich. Discontent makes rich men poor.
--Benjamin Franklin
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland - [email protected]

TT

"Toller"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 1:12 AM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>
I would just run it through a bandsaw. I had one explode in a CMS and would
approach it carefully.

BA

B A R R Y

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 1:20 AM

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 01:12:23 GMT, "Toller" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I would just run it through a bandsaw.

So would I.

No bandsaw? Build a quickie "gutter" jig and use a jigsaw and
straight edge. Tape it back together for the second cut.

PVC that's of the wrong formula or slightly UV destabilized can do
ugly things when the teeth of circular saw blades slam into it.

Gg

"George"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 11:02 AM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?
>

As others have mentioned, bandsaw. Clamp your beveled blocks either side of
the blade to guide the pipe, or one block and a strip along the side of the
pipe to ride the block.

Had to do a 6" x 8' chunk for a Science Olympiad water racing event one
year. Hollered to high heaven about the absurdity of specifying 6" PVC when
the Scouts had been racing in easily obtainable gutters for years, to no
avail.

Academic versus "technical" all over again....

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 2:02 AM

[email protected] wrote:
> I have a chore for a friend who gave me a 2 ft section of
> 3 inch PVC pipe to ripe lengthwise.
> I can make the first cut by taping the pipe to a board
> and run it thru the table saw, with the board against the fence.
> Then there's the problem of cutting the opposite side, so
> both halves are the same.
> Do one of you wizards have an idea that can help ?

Make some plywood plugs and glue them in both ends of the PVC.

When dry, set blade to 1" depth and rip, then flip and repeat.

A word of CAUTION:

If this is white PVC water pipe and has been exposed to sunlight for any
length of time, FORGET IT.

Throw it away and replace with a piece of PVC conduit (gray color).

Lew

MH

"Michael Hearn Anna Houpt"

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 7:23 AM

A bit hard to explain- fairly easy to do... If you can get the pipe
overlength it is better. also do you need two halves? or one? Drill a
hole 1/2" in from each end through both sides. Stick a screwdriver through
one side to fasten a screw through the other hole to attach it to a board.
If possible, use a 2x4 trimmed to a width equal to the O.D. of the pipe.
Then rip one side (or both at once if the blade goes up far enough), using a
fence with the wood between the fence and the blade. If needed, flip boarf
over and cut other size...

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "[email protected]" on 10/11/2006 4:55 PM

11/11/2006 4:00 AM

[email protected] wrote:
> ############################################################
>
> Thanks guys, for all your input. I WAS thinking bandsaw, but wondering
> how
> to *halve* it so each half would be the same size & not wander.
> I could scribe the top and run it thru the bandsaw, but what about the
> bottom ?
> By the way, this is a new pc. of black PVC.

Forget it.

What you have is ABS used for sewer pipe.

It consists of outer skins with a foam center.

If you rip it you will expose the foam core.

I'd use electrical conduit.

Lew


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