Does anyone have a good method for splitting a 2″ dia. piece of PVC pipe ? I used a fence with my band saw but still get some wandering of the cut. I am using these for half round columns on a cabinet. Thanks.
Rob
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Replies
How about a long sled with a couple of long wedges faciing each other to create a cradle. Make the sled long enough to extend well beyond the ends of the pipe and let the leading end extend well beyond the blade so you can put a bridge across to hold it together.
If you want it, I could make a sketch.
Do you mean a sled to keep the pipe from rotating ? like a V block, can you sketch this. Rob
Rob, here you go. This was just a quick sketch but I hope you get the idea. This sled would ride along the fence or you could make the base wide enough to cover the miter gauge slot and put a runner on the underside. You would screw the block to the back end of the sled behind the blade to hold the sled together at that end. Since the sled would trap the blade and you wouldn't be able to back the sled entirely away from the blade, you need to make the sled long enough to get your work in place before it contacts the blade.
I didn't show it but there should be a block on the near end to act as a stop for the pipe. The wedges might be set at a steeper angle. I just sketched it in.
Thanks for the sketch, what program did you use to make the sketch, I have tried Sketch-up a few times, your sketch would have taken me a couple of days to do. I like this idea, and it is pretty safe on the band saw.
Rob
Rob, you're welcome. The sketch was done in SketchUp. If you learn some proper techniques and practice a bit, you can do what I did in very short order. I probably have about 10 minutes in it between opening the program and exporting the JPG.
I know someone who can help if you're interested. ;)
Edited 11/27/2007 10:52 am ET by DaveRichards
How about cutting it a bit more than half, then cleaning it up on the jointer?
-Steve
I was trying to be able to use both halves, plus I do not have a jointer, which I think will be the next machine I purchase. Rob
How about screwing or gluing it to a piece of wood, put the wood up against the fence?
Don
How long a cut? You can do this on a table saw with a high tooth count blade if you allow some extra pipe to hold on to during the cut.
For example, if you want a 24" length after splitting, start with about a 5' length. If you want, you can clamp a 1"x4"X5' onto one edge of the pipe by clamping with a C clamp on the back end only. This board is only to keep the pipe from rotating.
You can set up a guide by clamping some scrap stock to the table prior to the blade to keep the pipe tight up against the fence if you need to. You may also want to provide for a guide to hold the piece down against the table. (I've never used guides -- just my hands.) Then, put the wide side of the 1"x4" against the fence and run about two feet of the pipe through the saw. **Turn the saw off before removing the pipe**, and trim the now-cut pipe to the length you need. Did I mention that you need to turn the saw off before removing the pipe?
You can't (and shouldn't try) to cut the whole length, since the clamp will be in the way and/or the pipe will be unstable and hard to control if you try to cut it after the point where the end you are holding on to passes over the edge of the table. You should stop the cut when the uncut end approaches the table.
I do this without the guide board, but you have to be pretty careful not to rotate the pipe during the cut.
You end up with a lot of really nasty, clingy "snow" all over your shop, so be forewarned.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Don't use a toothed blade, use a cut-off blade on the table saw with a cradle. it will work very well. Just make sure you get a cu t-off blade that handles up to stainless steel. It goes through PVC like
butter.
this is a test
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
You passed, but in the future, please show your work!
Mel,
Test all you want, none of us is speaking to you, after what you did.
Ray
ps ;))
Ray,
Guffawww!
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Clamp two pipes together in a figure 8 pattern. Set the rip fence on the table saw to the center of the outer pipe. Cut just enought to get through the plastic wall. Rotate end for end and cut the other side.
I believe I saw a method somewhere that used a plate/guide on the backside of the bandsaw blade (similar to a riving knife on a tablesaw).
It was metal or plastic and was the thickness of the bandsaw kerf. Once the cut was started it would keep you from rotating/twisting the pipe. I think you would also need some side guides to keep the pipe centered on the cut.
It might work better than a sled type fixture as it would not be limited by length.
Hi rpholland,
Don's suggestion is the simplest. Take a 1x4 (+/-) that's reasonable straight and screw the PVC to it close to each end from inside the PVC keeping the PVC flush with one edge of the 1x4. Keeping the 1x4 vertical with the flushed edge down, against either your bandsaw fence or your tablesaw fence, run it through then trim to length.
Paul
Edited 12/14/2007 1:40 pm ET by colebearanimals
If the piece of pipe is not too long, you can fit or turn a dowel to fit the PVC ID.Then set your fence to make the center cut you want. The wood interior should keep the blade from wandering.
Start with a piece of pipe longer than you need. Place the pipe on a flat surface. Place a flat, straight 3/4 board, plywood or UHMW up against the pipe and square to the flat surface. Drive a screw thru the PVC near the end, fastening it to the flat board. Run it through the table saw or band saw using the flat board as a guide against the fence. The screws prevent the pipe from rotating. (You may have to pre-drill the PVC first.)
Cut both PVC halves to length cutting away each end with the screw hole.
Greg
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Edited 4/24/2008 11:46 am by Cincinnati
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