Tools That Can Be Used To Cut PVC And CPVC Pipes
A PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe is a long lasting kind of pipe which will not rust or wear over time. Since it contains chloride in the molecular composition, PVC pipes resist burning, so it is not going to produce or spread out fire but will merely melt or deform in the event it can’t handle heat. This is the reason it’s the most preferred kind of pipe for use in water and wiring systems, both indoors and outdoors. PVC pipes are available in just about all plumbing or any hardware stores.
PVC pipes are measured by its nominal size which is standard in North America. PVC pipes are also classified according to the thickness. The thickness of a pipe is known as their schedule. Common thicknesses are schedule 40, 80 and 120. The greater the schedule of a pipe, the thicker it is. Varied thickness is needed for different applications. The thicker the pipe is, the higher the pressure it could withstand. Thicker pipes are also ideal if you need to have minimal temperature loss on whatever passes the pipes.
A more modern version of PVC pipe is available and it is the CPVC or chlorinated polyvinyl chloride pipe. It will resist temperature conditions as hot as 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of its capability to withstand high temperatures, you can use it with warm water systems. Additionally it is obtainable in exactly the same dimensions like the diameters as well as schedules just as the PVC pipes.
Since PVC pipes are offered at rather long lengths, they can be cut to certain lengths according to its implementation. There are many power tools you can use to reduce PVC pipes. The most typical tools utilized to cut them are hacksaws, reciprocating saw and reciprocating saws. Let’s compare each according to their performance in cutting PVC pipes in a variety of situations.
- Hacksaws – is a handheld manual saw that will easily cut PVC pipes. It is an affordable option as compared to power saws. To create a finer cut, make use of a hacksaw with an increased number of teeth in their blade. It may also cut PVC pipes in tight areas so you can use it in upgrading PVC pipes.
- Reciprocating saws – these are the most convenient saws in cutting PVC pipes. It has a small saw that goes back and forth therefore it doesn’t need lots of space to use. Reciprocating saws enables you to cut new pipes and will cut installed pipes in small locations easily.
- Chops saws – they’re tools with circular cutting blades having a main objective to cut. It can quickly cut a PVC pipe in several seconds. Because of its fast and precise cutting ability, it is suited in cutting vast amounts of pipes, beneficial in construction areas. The down-side of the chop saw is that it is going to be hard to be used in cutting and changing already mounted pipes in restricted areas.
Hacksaws, chop saws, and reciprocating saws are fantastic in cutting PVC pipes. These may be used in cutting pipes under different situations, however I would prefer the reciprocating saw such as the DeWalt DC385K, as it could easily cut pipes which are new and/or mounted.