The Do’s And Don’ts Of PVC Pipe Cutting
PVC pipes is a term that we all have heard quite often. It has got an extensive role in sectors where the requirement of pipes are common. PVC Pipes are cut into desired shapes and sizes using many preferred methods.
The Do’s And Don’ts Of PVC Pipe Cutting
In this article, let’s check the do’s and don’ts of PVC Pipe cutting But before that let’s check in detail more about PVC. and PVC pipe cutting machines.
What Is PVC?
PVC a.k.a Poly Vinyl Chloride is a chlorinated hydrocarbon polymer which naturally is very stiff and fragile. Combining it with other additives makes it durable. PVC’s are used as electrical insulation, signage, flooring or even used as a replacement for rubber. But the most common application of PVC’s are in pipe manufacturing for supply of water, irrigation ,plumbing, drainage etc.
What Are The Uses Of PVC Pipes?
PVC pipes are most associated with water supply. Pipelines employed for the main water supply are almost all PVC. Also, drainage and irrigation lines make use of PVC pipes.PVC pipes are made use of in plumping, sewage, electrical, agricultural irrigation, tele-communication lines as well as heating and cooling ducts in residential and commercial applications.
Benefits Of PVC Pipes
It’s normal to think why PVC pipes are most used in various industries. Let’s investigate some of the benefits of PVC pipes.
PVC pipes are the most favored medium for electricity and water transportation in a wide range of sectors. High heat resistance and resistance to corrosion makes it the idea choice. The smooth texture of PVC pipes contributes to less friction between the pipe and the liquids flowing inside thereby making it one of the most preferable materials for pipes.
Since these pipes are lightweight, it’s easy to transport in large numbers which in turn takes very less fuel to transport the whole lot required. PVC pipes are lucrative since much less money is required for their mass production.
Since molding into different shapes is extremely easy with PVC, it’s easily accepted by manufacturers in the production of pipes. Since its highly resilient to stress as well as its strength and durability makes it the best-chosen material for pipes to pass pressurized fluids.
PVC Pipe Cutting
PVC pipes come with a lot of advantages and hence they are mostly used in whichever way possible. Let’s check the different methods of PVC cutting machines available today. Even though PVC’s are much safer to cut, depending on the application, extra equipment for protection might be required in some cases. Since PVC pipes are very light weight, easy handling is possible and hence it’s not that tough a process when it comes to PVC pipe cutting.
What’s The Best Way To Cut PVC Pipes?
Theoretically speaking any average cutting tool can be used to cut a PVC pipe. But if you want exact shape, size and perfection you can use specially designed tools to cut PVC pipes. Here we discuss some of the PVC Pipe Cutting machines used.
Plastic Pipe Cutters
Most recommended pipe cutting tools today are the Plastic Pipe cutters. They are basically single bladed scissors with a handle without pointed teeth suitable for holding pipes of varied size and shapes and able to cut it precisely. Any normal pvc pipe cutter can cut pipes of size 1/2” - 3/4” to 1” - 1-1/2 or even larger size.
Hacksaw
Hacksaws are the most common way of PVC pipe cutting. Even though hacksaws can cut pipe with thickness in any range, it's best suited for cutting PVC pipe straight as well as making small and accurate cuts. Even though hacksaws are very economical, they are very time consuming.
Cable Saw
Cable saws are an uncommon method of PVC pipe cutting. Instead of cutting pipes for certain projects, cable saws are better suited to make cuts on already finished projects. The main advantage of using cable saws is its flexibility to reach extreme corners or joints which otherwise is hard to cut especially when it comes to plumbing.
Ratchet Cutter
In Ratchet cutting, the blades are compressed around the pipe to be cut by squeezing the tool handles. Upon squeezing it a few times, the PVC pipe will get a perfect cut. To get the perfect cut with a Ratchet cutter, the PVC pipe or the tool has to be continuously rotated during the process.
Do’s And Don’ts Of PVC Pipe Cutting
- To make your PVC pipe cutting experience efficient and effective, certain safety measures need to be followed based on the tool used.
- To make PVC pipe cutting easier and smoother, it’s a good idea to use either a spray lubricant or even cooking oils. This will help in easy pipe cutting and reduce the flakes that come out while cutting.
- It’s always a good idea to place some cotton or a piece of paper towel inside the pvc pipe to avoid loose pieces from falling into it. Or else you can spread newspapers on the floor for the same reason. Later a clamp or a vise or someone holding the pipe will help you keep the pipe intact.
- For non-plastic pipes, there will be a requirement to remove burrs after cutting. The easiest way to do so is to cut the edges with a knife that is sharp and further polish the edges with sandpaper. This is an alternative to using any deburring tool.
- Safety is of prime importance when using any tool. Always make sure you wear safety gloves and place your hands safely.
- During the cutting process, there are chances of small particles ejecting and hence it's important that you wear safety glasses to protect your eyes.
- Always make sure the blades of chopping saws are finely toothed.
- Always smoothen the edge of the cut piece of PVC pipe to prevent any alignment problems between pipes and fittings due to burs.
- Do not use a broken cutting blade since it can affect the accuracy of the cut PVC pipes.
- Do not use a lot of pressure when you use a power threading tool on PVC pipes.
- In cold climatic conditions, you need to check for any extra cracks after performing pipe cutting.
Conclusion On The Do’s And Don’ts Of PVC Pipe Cutting
We have discussed a lot of points here right from the basic information of what is PVC to the do’s and don’ts to be taken care while operating PVC cutting machines. It’s always best to choose the right tool to cut your PVC pipes depending on the project, the quantity of pipes to be cut as well as the preciseness required.
Also, never miss reading the instruction manual coming along with your PVC Pipe Cutting machines to get to know the specific information pertaining to each tool. It’s best to choose the right distributors like Hytek Marketing who offer the best PVC pipe cutting machines in India with excellent customer service. Buying machines from the right distributors will definitely change your experience with the machine.