[frazelle09]

Hi there!

We've purchased a Milwauke 7 1/4" hand saw and would like to be able to fasten it to something so that we can (after purchasing the correct blade) cut 1 1/2" electrical pipe straight (our hacksaw cuts are terrible).

We've checked Lowe's and done some Gooing but haven't seen a ready-made bench available. Is this even possible?

Welcome all comments and meanwhile, have a great afternoon!

 

[ryan50hrl]

Wrong tool.....buy a cutoff saw if that's all you plan on cutting with it.

 

[Chris Curl]

I would take it back and get a small miter saw and a blade. Many places have miter saws that take 7" blades.

 

[frazelle09]

Wow, you guys are fast!

Uh, unfort. i've already used it to cut trees and such.

Have a super afternoon!

 

[Fastback]

Why not buy a pipe cutter? They cut fast and straight.

 

[jharris2]

I would take it back and get a small miter saw and a blade. Many places have miter saws that take 7" blades.

What type of pipe/conduit are you planning to cut, steel, PVC, ABS...?

A miter saw would be safe for PVC/ABS but not safe for steel.

If you're going to be gluing up plastic conduit w/ fittings just use a hack saw. Your cuts won't show.

Same thing with steel fittings.

I don't thing you need a power tool for this work unless your making ALOT of cuts.

 

[Manuka Jock]

Hi there!

We've purchased a Milwauke 7 1/4" hand saw

What they said , pipe cutter , cut off saw , miterbox with tenon saw etc ,
or more practice with the hacksaw.
And just so you know , thats' a Circular Saw , and its not the best saw to use on trees .

These are Hand Saws , and they will work with PVC ABS and the like

 

[jharris2]

A cut off saw is specifically designed for cutting metal safely.

Do not use a wood cutting miter saw on metal using a steel blade!

I apologize for chiming in but I just want this to be done safely.

If your really ambitious and enjoy a good workout use a hand saw for cutting trees.

I use one of these. It leaves me more time for other things.

Note: I hate yard work so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[GeorgeC]

What type of pipe/conduit are you planning to cut, steel, PVC, ABS...?

A miter saw would be safe for PVC/ABS but not safe for steel.

If you're going to be gluing up plastic conduit w/ fittings just use a hack saw. Your cuts won't show.

Same thing with steel fittings.

I don't thing you need a power tool for this work unless your making ALOT of cuts.

Why would a miter saw not be OK for steel if the appropriate blade is used?

Of course he does not want to buy another saw, he wants to use the one he has.

George

 

[ryan50hrl]

Miter saws have lots of plastic parts, and are most often 12 inch....cut off saws are steel to deal with the sparks, and use 14 inch abrasive wheels.

 

[frazelle09]

Thanks guys!! Maybe i bit off more than i can chew by using this wonderful forum! i'm getting ideas fast and furious!

A bit of a recap ... i just want to cut 10' sections of 1 1/2" (OD) outdoor electrical conduit down to size. We buy it by the 10' length and then cut it into smaller sections to make the base for our solar hot water heater. It sounds like a regular pipe cutter would do the job. i hadn't thought of this - talk about thinking outside of the box. i'll have to see if Lowe's has them.

Thanks again for so may suggestions and

have a wonderful evening!

 

[ryan50hrl]

Lowes will have them, buy the slightly better one 15-20 bucks.

 

[jharris2]

I've never put a metal cutting blade on a miter saw or tried to buy one for that purpose.

So it seems that I've been unaware of that possibility.

Please forgive my ignorance.

Not knowing the experience of the OP I just wanted to make a clear distinction between cutting steel pipe with a steel blade designed for wood (a practice that seems very unsafe) and doing so with a cutoff blade designed for that purpose.

Wouldn't using a cutoff saw and blade be preferable to using a woodworking miter saw with a cutoff blade?

Would using a cutoff blade on a woodworking miter saw put more wear and tear on the saw?

Do these different types of saws run at significantly different RPMs making one more effective at metal cutting than the other?

Would the sparks and heat inherent in metal cutting permanently obscure the the clear plastic blade guard found on woodworking miter saws?

I'm not asking for the sake of argument but because it appears that I have something to learn on the subject.

 

[ryan50hrl]

I don't know that I've ever seen a cutoff blade that would fit on a woodworking miter saw, and if you did find one, the sparks would destroy the plastic guards pretty quickly.

 

[Manuka Jock]

I don't know that I've ever seen a cutoff blade that would fit on a woodworking miter saw, and if you did find one, the sparks would destroy the plastic guards pretty quickly.

I thought the miter saw was being talked about was for the plastic piping

frazelle09
How about a miter box and hacksaw ?

 

[frazelle09]

"How about a miter box and hacksaw ?"

This also sounds like a fairly easy setup. We'll keep it in mind if the pipe cutter we just ordered from Lowe's doesn't do the job. It might even be faster - or perhaps less expensive than buying more pipe cutter wheels... ??

Thanks and have a great evening!

 

[jharris2]

I thought the miter saw was being talked about was for the plastic piping

The OP never specified.

For my own edumikashun;

Galvanized rigid/flex conduit is specifically for interior use yes?

Plastic conduit is specified for exterior and buried electrical runs?

Does your local code allow plastic conduit for interior use for wirring outside a wall?

 

[Manuka Jock]

The OP never specified.

A miter saw was was first mentioned later , the OP only spoke if a Milwauke 7 1/4" "hand saw" :icon_smile:

But yes , it would have been helpful if the type of "electrical pipe" conduit (?) had been specified from the outset .

Now that we know that the pipe is for a solar hot water heater , I hazzzard a guess that it is a type of plastic .
The home made solar heaters that I know of are made with black plastic water piping .
I wonder what this stuff is .

 

[frazelle09]

You guys have come up with some interesting speculations... So as not to leave you in the dark, the frame of the solar hot water heater is 1 1/2" OD electrical conduit. We like it because it looks "industrial/tough/heavy-duty", etc. and gives the units a little more weight and heft for rooftops. They are also silvery in color, which pretty well matches the reflector Mylar that coats the galvanized sheet metal parabola. Wood, in general, is more expensive in Mexico.

If we ever get any photos up, we'll include a link to them. The motor is also mounted on an electrical 1 1/2" frame and the idea was taken from a Canadian's setup, George Phalk.

i really appreciate all of your suggestions and hope you have a great afternoon!

 

[Manuka Jock]

You guys have come up with some interesting speculations..

We have to speculate , because you do not supply the correct informationn .
It must be obvious to you by now that some of us do not know what material you are wishing to cut .

What is 1 1/2" OD electrical conduit made from ?