Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Stainless Pipe Cutting

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a aggregate of complicated metal alloys for the purpose of rust resistance. The main ingredient is a aggregate of at least 12% chromium. When combined with Oxygen it forms a passive film layer unyielding to rust and stains.

Saw Bench

Stainless pipe is composed of a nonferrous metal. This makes the tube difficult to cut and drill with accepted tools. Different pipe grades and thicknesses growth these difficulties.

Cutting Stainless Pipes

When stainless pipe cutters contact a stainless tube it hardens thus production it difficult to cut. If the stainless tube over heats while cutting the tube may discolor or possibly distort the pipe.

Steps To Cut Stainless Steel Pipe straight and Burr-Free

Conventional, burr-free, straight cuts are accomplished as described below:
1. Cut the stainless steel pipe
2. Using a bench abrasive stone wheel de-burr the pipe
3. With wire wheel on bench abrasive clean the edges of the tube
4. Sand the tube with a sander until its flat
5. Clean with a wire wheel
6. Tig weld it to the other pipe

Repetition of some of the above steps may be required to make sure the cut is flat and burr free. Very time consuming.

Cutting Stainless Pipes - Two Recommended Methods

Orbital Pipe Saw

Orbital pipe saw is a recommended recipe to cut and bevel stainless steel pipes. The saw blades are small, rotate at high speed, inexpensive, and ready in Different versions for Different materials and wall thicknesses.

Cutting is executed by manually rotating the engine housing 360 degree around the pipe. Next, with a circular toothed blade, the pipe is cut with a singular rotation. The cutting activity takes mere seconds and end consequent is a straight and clean cut.

Saw Guide combined with transportable Band Saw

The transportable Band Saw cutter must have enough power and be sturdy. The Saw Guide eliminates most vibration. Steady feeds are most prominent to prevent tool riding on the stainless pipe.

Stainless Pipe Cutting

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