Need help: cutting a 315 mm PVC pipe

[hman]

For cut-to-length, I'd suggest using a piece of paper or thin cardboard, at least 6" wide and a bit over 1 meter long (ie, circumference of the pipe, plus some overlap). File folders are good for this. Wrap it around the pipe, aligning the beginning and end of one edge, and use that edge to mark the pipe.

+1 for Rich's suggestion about using angle iron to lay out any lengthwise cuts.

As for sawing the pipe, I've discovered that a Japanese-style "pull saw" is absolutely the cat's meow for PVC. Because there's no "set" to the teeth, the cut is a lot less ragged than you'd get with a hacksaw. The kerf is narrower, too, and the cut-on-pull action works very nicely. Whenever I have to do PVC plumbing around the house, etc., a small pull saw is always in my tool pouch. I got mine at Lowes, as part of a set (hacksaw blade, Sawzall-type blade, and ~4 1/2" pull saw blade, with handle). You may want to get a slightly larger saw for your big pipe, though they can be expensive, and a small can do the job.



If you have a jig saw (as Mike Nash suggests), I'd recommend getting a hollow-ground style blade. Again, with no set to the teeth, the cut will be very smooth. I absolutely love my Bosch jig saw, and often use the T101AO blades for PVC and other plastics.

 

[Marco Bernardini]

Re: Need help: cutting a 315 mm PVC pipe [SOLVED]

Here is my finished anvil cover:





I'll make a new wood base for the anvil (the current one was used for more than 40 years by a pro blacksmith) so I can place some screws to keep the cover locked.
To shorten the pipe I used an 1 mm iron wire with a couple of lump hammers and other weights hanging and a hot air gun. When I had I straight trace I finished it with a hand hacksaw.
The longitudinal cuts were made with a hand hacksaw until it was possible to reach, then with a bare hacksaw blade (HSS, 20 TPI). I know it's slow, but it's faster to recover mistakes
I guess I'll add a support for flower pots at the two ends, too… that white pipe is pretty ugly!

 

[Norseman C.B.]

Just a thought , if the anvil is to much of a concern you could send it to me
for safe keeping......:thumbsup:

 

[Marco Bernardini]

Just a thought , if the anvil is to much of a concern you could send it to me
for safe keeping......:thumbsup:

It pays to have a big anvil in the garden: all the neighbors use it, and bring me vegetables and wine for this!
But in the summer, when I have guests, I prefer to be on a safer side: I can't pay lawyers with vegetables and wine

 

[chips&more]

Now you need to find an artist to paint some decorative graffiti on it. How about making it look like a giant cat…Ciao