Cutting large diameter pipe with a table saw?

[shelburn61]

What's the best way to do this? Anyone have pics of a jig?

I also have a 14" chop saw...

[ooba]

make a sled, with a base running perpendicular to the blade, with a fence on the back at 90 degrees. make sure the fence is high enough to completely support the pipe. run it thru, rotate slightly, repeat. note: do not have the end of the pipe butted up to the tablesaw fence. it will bind and you could have an accident.
its still dangerous, so be careful.

[ooba]

you could also put carpet tape on the base so the pipe sticks better to it.

[cannarella]

Both good ideas. How exact are you trying to get?

[shelburn61]

Very exact. This is a 8" acrylic skimmer body so I need a perfect edge for gluing.

[Donw]

Put a splitter spline in your cross cut sled and the cut will be perfect and safe.

Don

[BeanAnimal]

I prefer to build a bed type jig that holds the pipe stationary over the blade. The blade should only be extened high enough to cut through the wall thickness of the pipe. The end stop of the jig should be as high as the pipe so that that an uneven end on the pipe will always ride against the jig and keep the cut perfectly true.

Don do you still have such a jig? I dismantled mine due to lack of space to store it.

[Donw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10891863#post10891863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
I prefer to build a bed type jig that holds the pipe stationary over the blade. The blade should only be extened high enough to cut through the wall thickness of the pipe. The end stop of the jig should be as high as the pipe so that that an uneven end on the pipe will always ride against the jig and keep the cut perfectly true.

Don do you still have such a jig? I dismantled mine due to lack of space to store it.

Nope dont need it any more. I cut alot of big wood columns 12 to 24" once I figured out that all you need is a scrap of 1/8 acrylic stuck in the kerk of a cross cut sled to get perfect cuts I junked the jigs.

Don

[wooden_reefer]

To secure a round object tightly.

Build a pair of V tracks on a carriage guided by the miter slots of the table saw.

Cut open two hose clamps. Secure both ends to each of the tracks at two points along the tracks.

The pipe will be very securely fastened onto the V tracks.

[rustybucket145]

Donw --> Splain yourself! please.... :D any pics? rough drawings.

[Donw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10897575#post10897575 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145
Donw --> Splain yourself! please.... :D any pics? rough drawings.

I use a incra 5000. If you look at the pics of them you'll see what I use. I make one pass then attatch a piece of 1/8 acrylic to the side of the left sled. The first cut rides on the 1/8 acrylic spline I raise the blade all the way up and make another cut and stop before hitting the spline, back up and do it again. If the tube is large like 12+ inches I use a tall fence on the miter.

Hope that makes sense

Don

[SquidHC]

I build cabinets for a living and Ive never built anything out of acrylic so Im no expert. However I do know a thing or two about saws. Why in the world would you ever EVER cut a pipe on a table saw if you have a miter(chop) saw as you stated at the beginning of your post. A miter saw is going to be MUCH safer, not to mention be much easier to get a clean cut on being its made for this type of application.

[Donw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10898582#post10898582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SquidHC
I build cabinets for a living and Ive never built anything out of acrylic so Im no expert. However I do know a thing or two about saws. Why in the world would you ever EVER cut a pipe on a table saw if you have a miter(chop) saw as you stated at the beginning of your post. A miter saw is going to be MUCH safer, not to mention be much easier to get a clean cut on being its made for this type of application.


Miter saw is not the right tool for the job. You will never get a clean cut in a 12" tube with a miter saw. unless you happen to have a 26" miter saw. Its perfectly safe to do this on a table saw assuming you support the work piece properly.

Don

[shelburn61]

Anyone have pics of jigs?

Don,
I'm having trouble picturing what you mean?

[Donw]

How big is the tube and is there one end that is already square?

Don

[SquidHC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10898775#post10898775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Donw
Miter saw is not the right tool for the job. You will never get a clean cut in a 12" tube with a miter saw. unless you happen to have a 26" miter saw. Its perfectly safe to do this on a table saw assuming you support the work piece properly.

Don

Or unless your good with a miter saw. =D

[Donw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10905345#post10905345 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SquidHC
Or unless your good with a miter saw. =D

:lol: Which of the two steps do you have to be good at, squeeze trigger or pull handle.

Sorry I couldnt resist. its not just the saw, its blade wobble, arbor runout and depth of cut all make it not a good tool to cut through large diameter acrylic tube. The blade needs to just go through the material or it gets hot. Obviously not a concern with wood but acrylic is a little different.

A big L shaped jig stuck to a miter gauge works just fine. You can go all out and make a steady rest with wheels. You can build a square box over the tube and just use your miter gauge. There are many ways to safely get this done on a table saw.

If I cut alot of acrylic tube I would just use my lathe but for the occasional tube the table saw is quick and easy.


Don

[reeferman75]

Here is the jig I used to cut up to 14" acrylic tubing
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o76/reeferman75/Picture067.jpg