Can I cut PVC pipe with the stock blade?

[JonW]

I tried a search but "PVC" is too short a search term.

I want to make just a few quick cuts in some 2" or 2.5" PVC tubing. The regular white, plastic stuff used for plumbing. Can I use the stock blade for this? Or maybe it will melt things. My saw is 1 month old and has the Chinese (not Italian) blade. Thanks.

-Jon

[Popeye]

I cut it on my MS all the time with no issues, no difference blade wise. Pat

[scorrpio]

The other day, rewiring my shop and hiding everything into PVC conduits, I used a regilar miter box and a handsaw to cut the pipe, rather than doing it on a TS. But that would have more to do with the fact that since it was an electrical job, so the shop power was off...

Seriously, I think you should be fine if you feeed the pipe smoothly and quickly. The carbide teeth sides on the blade are slighly proud of the blade body, which means that blade body will not be rubbing on PVC, melting it.

[Tom Miller]

It is possible to melt the pvc and get a little coating on the sides of your blade tips. So watch out for that.

Regards,
Tom

[JonW]

Thanks, fellas. Is there anything to do, in particular, to avoid melting? Maybe feed the pipe through quickly or slowly? I won't be doing much. Maybe 6-10 cuts in total. And it's small pipe, about 2.5" diameter.

[poolhound]

Hey Jon its Jon also a newbie

A hand PVC/plastic pipe cutter can be picked up at HD for $10 or less. Its quick, simple and leaves a clean cut which will seat perfectly in any weld joint.

Jon

[newbie2wood]

Unless you are looking for a perfect edge, a hack saw will do or a PVC cutter. A hack saw will make less mess than a table saw unless you have a great DC atttached to it.
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[LarryG]

Okay, but be wary.

I have cut PVC pipe on both my bandsaw and CMS, not on my BT, and most of the time there are no issues. But I have had the pipe shatter when using both of those saws, so be sure to wear eye protection. (Obviously you should ALWAYS wear eye protection; but if you're sometimes lax about it, while cutting PVC pipe is not recommended to be one of those times.)

[just4funsies]

PVC pipe will often shatter, especially at colder temperatures, and your machine will be a mess afterwards. If you dont have a ratchet-type PVC cutter, just use a hacksaw, and de-burr the pipe with a rag soaked in acetone afterwards.

[BobSch]

PVC pipe will often shatter, especially at colder temperatures...

That's a good reason not to use it for air line from your compressor, too.

[LCHIEN]

having cut PVC pipe with the saws (TS and MS) it'll work OK,
feed reasonably quickly and it won't melt.
Use dust collection because you'll think it was Christmas (Snow all over).

but I strongly recommend the ratchet-style hand cutters. They work great and it's much less messy and they only cost about $8.
No danger of shattering either.

[scorrpio]

You can always wrap masking tape around the spot you'll be cutting just to be on the safe side...

[wreckwriter]

It is possible to melt the pvc and get a little coating on the sides of your blade tips. So watch out for that.

Regards,
Tom

So what happens if you do get the coating? What harm does it do and is there a fix?

[Tom Miller]

So what happens if you do get the coating? What harm does it do and is there a fix?

You'll get poor quality cuts (with burning) until you clean it off. You might have to scrape the side of each tooth individually.

I've had this stuff melt onto the sides of a bandsaw blade, too (nice blue-green coating from S&D pipe ).

And, I've had a piece explode on the miter saw. Be mentally prepared for this so you don't cr@p your pants and/or get hurt secondarily (from being startled).

Or....

Use a hacksaw or a pvc cutter.

Regards,
Tom

[wreckwriter]

You'll get poor quality cuts (with burning) until you clean it off. You might have to scrape the side of each tooth individually.

see my thread "did I ruin my blade" to see why I asked....