How to cut ABS pipe

Walter E.

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Jul 18, 2010, 9:42:34 PM7/18/10

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I need to cut off a toilet flange with a 4" ABS pipe in it, for a total wall
thickness of 1/2". (1/4" pipe thickness, 1/4" flange thickness)

Can I use my 4" HF angle grinder with a 4" thin metal cutoff blade to go
through 1/2" of ABS?

Any better solutions? Since the pipe is sticking out of the concrete slab
only by 3/4", I cannot use my circular saw or my Sawsall.

Thanks.

--
-
Walter
www.rationality.net

Dean Hoffman

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Jul 18, 2010, 9:52:52 PM7/18/10

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Would a cable saw work? > http://tinyurl.com/3yzray6
I don't remember mine costing as much as these.

Jack Hammer

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Jul 18, 2010, 9:56:23 PM7/18/10

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I mark the pipe all around the circumference and use a hacksaw.
Then I use fine sandpaper to smooth the edge so crap (pun intended)
does not adhere to it.

Doug Miller

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Jul 18, 2010, 10:43:51 PM7/18/10

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Is there some reason you can't use a hacksaw? That seems like the obvious
choice from here....

Malcolm Hoar

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Jul 18, 2010, 11:11:57 PM7/18/10

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In article <i20aid$7vj$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, "Walter E." <w...@example.com> wrote:

>Can I use my 4" HF angle grinder with a 4" thin metal cutoff blade to go
>through 1/2" of ABS?

As others have said, used a hacksaw. Cable saws can work
too but a hacksaw is likely to be easier.

Power tools don't work well on ABS (or PVC). They'll just
melt and burn the plastic making a mess.

DO mark up the pipe, make a jig, or otherwise take lots
of care to ensure a nice square cut. Unless you've done
a lot of pipe work before, it's real easy to cut the
thing way off square and it takes a lot of filing to
straighten it up!

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| ma...@malch.com Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve B

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Jul 19, 2010, 1:57:36 AM7/19/10

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"Walter E." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:i20aid$7vj$1...@news.eternal-september.org...

Just as a thought, one of those saws on a rope? About 1/8" in diameter.
One of the smaller ones. If you do it carefully, you should be able to get
a pretty good cut. And if that sticks out, take a grinder to it, but I'd
use a stringer brush, as it will take it off smoother. You might be able to
use a 4" sanding wheel on the flat side, unless it loads up too much with
melted plastic.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Bob F

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Jul 19, 2010, 1:53:09 AM7/19/10

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Malcolm Hoar wrote:
> In article <i20aid$7vj$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, "Walter E."
> <w...@example.com> wrote:
>> Can I use my 4" HF angle grinder with a 4" thin metal cutoff blade
>> to go through 1/2" of ABS?
>
> As others have said, used a hacksaw. Cable saws can work
> too but a hacksaw is likely to be easier.
>
> Power tools don't work well on ABS (or PVC). They'll just
> melt and burn the plastic making a mess.

I've used a chop saw many times for either with no difficulty.

For the OP, a standard woodsaw might work fine because you can flex the blade if
you want a flush cut. Use thin cardboard or something to keep the blade off the
concrete.

DD_BobK

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Jul 19, 2010, 1:54:19 AM7/19/10

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Use a long blade on your sawzall and gently bend the blade.

cheers
Bob

WW

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Jul 19, 2010, 10:19:10 AM7/19/10

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"Walter E." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:i20aid$7vj$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>

> Walter
> www.rationality.net
I would use the Harbor Freight Multifunction tool with off set blade. Have
done this and works great. The tool is about $40. WW

Harry K

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Jul 19, 2010, 10:57:03 AM7/19/10

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I'd say that is the best way. Hacksaw is pretty much out cutting that
close to a surface unless one wants some really beat up knuckles :)

Harry K

Wayne Whitney

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Jul 19, 2010, 11:17:26 AM7/19/10

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On 2010-07-19, DD_BobK <rkaz...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Use a long blade on your sawzall and gently bend the blade.

Good solution. If you have to do sort of thing repeatedly, get
yourself an offset adapter <http://www.theflushcut.biz/>.

Cheers, Wayne

Joe

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Jul 19, 2010, 3:00:51 PM7/19/10

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On Jul 19, 9:57 am, Harry K <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>snip<

> I'd say that is the best way. Hacksaw is pretty much out cutting that
> close to a surface unless one wants some really beat up knuckles :)

A hacksaw blade with one end wrapped in cloth to hold on to works just
fine for me. Blade lays flat, doesn't seem to scar the surface, works
quickly on ABS , a trifle slower on PVC.

Joe

dpb

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Jul 19, 2010, 3:13:59 PM7/19/10

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Harry K wrote:
...

> I'd say that is the best way. Hacksaw is pretty much out cutting that
> close to a surface unless one wants some really beat up knuckles :)

...

That's why they make the hacksaw frames w/ adjustable mounting angles
for the blade...

--

Lefty

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Jul 19, 2010, 5:06:33 PM7/19/10

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"Walter E." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:i20aid$7vj$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>

Ridgid makes an inside tubing cutter, with a blade available for ABS
specifically, but I'd be willing to bet you didnt want to spend that much.
There are also drill mounted inside pipe saws made by PASCO (and also
PlumBest) that work great on PVC or ABS, and they are very cheap.

BTW, you could also do that job with a hammer and chisel for free. What I
do is just use a wasted blade and the Sawzall, because the blade is goping
to be shot when you get done anyway. But that is the quickest method I have
found.

HTH, Lefty