How to cut a pipe at an angle

How to cut a pipe straight

To make the cut from a general-purpose tool even, you should use special fixtures to fix the workpiece. These can be templates, vices or miter boxes. In addition, it is very important to correctly mark the future cut and during work make sure that the cutting line does not go to the side.

For industrial use

Such equipment is used in industries, where the volume of work is large or it is necessary to cut pipes of large diameter. In order to cut exactly, use:

• Lathe. Suitable for high-precision cutting of workpieces, chamfering, making shoulders, transitions of diameters and other shaped machining. Allows lathe and threading, both internal and external. The length of the part is limited by the overhang of the machine head. Diameter. overhang of chuck jaws.
• Tape machines. They are used to cut a large diameter pipe without removing it from a trench or collection point. They also work on deformed products.
• Disc cutting machines. Highly automated machine with pendulum saw and workpiece feed mechanism. Often included in the production line, used for high-performance cutting of rolled steel into equal pieces.
• Manual disk installations. Mobile equipment is used to cut the rolled metal exactly right at the installation site. Equipped with a multifunctional clamp that allows you to securely fix products of different diameters and cut them evenly without damaging the edges. The rotary work table allows you to cut exactly at any angle. The most advanced models are equipped with an orbital welding system. This allows you not only to cut, but also to connect the segments.

CNC Pipe Cutting Machine

Cutting Angle Calculation Programs

A 45 ° cut template can be obtained by folding a square piece of paper in half. To form patterns for other bevels, you will need to perform more or less complex trigonometric calculations. For those who safely left sines and cosines in high school and are not going to remember formulas, there are many programs for calculating patterns for any required angle available on the net. The program performs a calculation for a user-specified diameter and angle of cut and creates an image of the piece, which should be printed on your printer.

Important: in the print settings, select the “full size” option and disable image scaling.

Thermal applications

In addition to mechanical, thermal methods for cutting pipes are widely used. Here, the tool is a gas torch (propane or acetylene) or an electric arc welder. Even the thickest large diameter pipes are subject to the torch. The performance is also quite high. In addition, only these methods provide exceptional mobility. you can cut the pipe in a trench, basement. in places where a high-performance stationary machine simply cannot be dragged and connected.

It should be noted that thermal methods do not allow achieving high accuracy, and it is also not always possible to cut off exactly. However, in a number of applications, such as operational repair of heating mains or main pipelines, it is not required. After a thermal cut, the resulting edges have to be additionally processed with mechanical tools, the cutting line must be aligned and the bevels must be removed to the design values.

Plasma cutting of pipes

The thermal cutting method is also used when working with polymer tubular products. In thermal guillotines, the cut is carried out by an oblique thin cutter heated to a high temperature, sliding in the guides.

The units can also cut at an angle and very smooth, but are only suitable for working with soft materials with a low melting point.

Techniques for cutting pipes at an angle

Non-perpendicular cutting techniques depend on the material being cut. Some techniques are suitable for plastic or thin copper. materials that are ductile and easy to work with. Thick steel will require a more serious approach.

Paper mold for pipe

To cut exactly at 45 °, you can make your own paper mold. To do this, you should:

• Measure or calculate the length of the outer circumference.
• Draw a line at an angle of 45 ° from the corner of a sheet of A4 printer paper. If there is no protractor, such a line can be obtained by folding together the edges of the sheet adjacent to the corner.
• Put the circumference on it.
• This will be the hypotenuse. Build an isosceles right triangle to it. One side will be the edge of the paper, the other should be lowered perpendicular to the second edge from the deferred point.
• Cut the resulting triangle. this will be the template for cutting pipes at an angle of 45 °.

Paper mold for pipe

It should be wrapped around the workpiece, aligning the ends of the hypotenuse. The cut will pass along the line of the legs Mark the line with a marker or paper tape. Further, along the marked line, it will be possible to exactly cut a piece with the required bevel.

The method is suitable for pipes with a diameter of up to 63 millimeters.

Large diameter pipe cutting

If you want to cut exactly a large-diameter pipe, for sewage or under the entrance to the site, use the following tools:

• Angle Grinder. An affordable, but not very secure way. A certain skill is required. Be sure to use personal protective equipment.
• Roller cutter. This is a rather complex unit specially designed for this kind of work. It is mounted on the pipeline, covering it from the outside. The pressing force of the cutting rollers is adjustable mechanically or automatically. Each diameter requires its own tooling.
• Gas cutter. The most commonly used method. The method is quite safe with sufficient qualifications of the gas welder and the observance of precautionary rules. Requires a torch, acetylene or propane cylinders.

How to cut a pipe at an angle

Cutting the pipe at an angle. a typical task in the manufacture of metal structures. There is often a need to cut the pipe at an angle. The cut pipes are welded at a predetermined angle to the walls of the structures, from which two-link bends are made.

Before cutting, using patterns (templates) applied to the pipe, outline the cutting line. For each diameter and each angle of the selected diameter, a separate unique piece (template) is required. The proposed Excel table allows you to obtain dimensions for constructing a pattern for marking pipes of any diameter, cut at any angles. Enter in the yellow cells of the table the outer diameter of the pipe, the cutting angle, the length of the segment and you will instantly receive the ordinates and abscissas of these points.

Transfer these points to paronite or cardboard and smoothly connect them together. The pattern (template) is ready. For the convenience of manual construction, the user himself enters the length of the segment on the X axis (multiples of 5, 10 mm) and receives up to 40 construction points, depending on the length of the segment and the length of the piece. You should get a curve like this.

When using a table with a macro, there is no need for manual construction. The program itself draws a sweep based on the entered data. It remains to print and cut it. The allowances on the printout are added by the user.

When making a knee, the cutting angle should be equal to half of the knee angle.

An example of determining the cutting angle for making a 135 degree elbow (9045). Not to be confused with a sharp 45 degree knee! Formula: 135/2 = 67.5. We cut the pipe at an angle of 67.5 degrees, we get two pieces of pipe with cutting angles of 67.5 degrees, we connect them along the cutting line with a tie to a common generatrix, we weld and get an elbow (67.567.5) at 135 degrees.

In the process of work, I made the following observation. When working with large diameters, the fabricated piece when wrapped around the pipe was clearly shorter, did not overlap the entire pipe, there was a gap of 20-30 mm.

The Gostovsky pipe diameter was specified correctly, and the pattern is shorter. In my opinion, this error is caused by the fact that it is impossible to press the piece tightly against the pipe and the outer diameter of the pipe has increased (rust, dirt). I had to measure the circumference with a “belt” and divide by π (3.1416). Enter the resulting diameter into the table.

Watch the demo

(Pictures, descriptions, formulas were taken from the book by I.Kh. Brodyansky “Marking of welded fittings of pipelines”, 1963)

Upon successful payment, you will immediately receive a link to download the worksheet.

How to cut a pipe at an angle

Sometimes you need to cut the pipe at a specific angle. In the article, the master plumber will tell you how such operations are performed and what cutting methods exist.

Techniques for cutting pipes at an angle

Considering the methods of work. cutting straight or at an angle. one should take into account the different material of the products being processed. So, sleeves made of polypropylene or thin copper are easier and easier to cut than thick-walled steel pipes.
Small diameter plastic products are cut at the desired angle using special scissors. In this case, you can control the angle with an ordinary protractor. Plastic pipes are also cut with a conventional hacksaw with a fine-toothed blade.
It is necessary to cut metal pipes very often during the installation process. A popular tool for such cases is the so-called grinder. Cuts straight and at an angle with this tool.
Find out which tools can be used to cut at different angles.
Paper mold for pipe
To perform a relatively accurate cut, you can use a simple technique, where a regular sheet of paper acts as a kind of pattern. For example, A4 printer paper is well suited for creating a pattern.
Previously, the sheet is marked out under a square using a ruler. The size of the diagonal of the square must be equal to the circumference of the pipe to be cut. The excess parts of the sheet are cut off.
Then the following steps:

• Bend the sheet diagonally by aligning opposite corners;
• Rotate the resulting triangle so that the hypotenuse line is perpendicular to the pipe axis;
• In this position, wrap the tubular surface with paper, aligning the extreme points of the hypotenuse together;
• Apply a marker of the cut along the line of any of the legs of the triangle;
• Cut the pipe to the marked line.

This way it is quite convenient to mark and cut pipes at an angle of 45º in the range of diameters from 32 to 63 mm. For better markup convenience, it is recommended to use thick, but soft paper. Paronite and similar materials can also be used.
Competently made patterns for shape cutting of pipes allow you to make cuts with extremely high accuracy. In this case, the gap between the prepared workpieces is still not excluded. In the connection of metal pipes, it is “closed” with a weld; when connecting plastic parts, a specialized cord for soldering is used.
Programs for calculating cutting angles
Curve cutting technology allows obtaining different cutting angles. But to form a piece at angles other than 45º, it will already be necessary to perform mathematical calculations and, according to the calculated data, cut a template out of paper or similar materials.

True, there are computer programs designed to save the master from the production of calculations. Patterns for cutting pipes such programs are printed on a printer.

A simple calculation program created on the basis of the MS Excel application allows you to calculate and compose a pattern for almost any values ​​of pipe diameters and required cutting angles.
All the user needs to do is enter the corresponding values ​​into the “Outside diameter” and “Cut angle” cells. According to these parameters, a pattern will be formed that can be sent to print.

Note! The calculation of the points of passage of the curve is carried out on the basis of only two specified parameters. the pipe diameter and the required cut angle. The disadvantage of the program is that it does not take into account the thickness of the sheet of the pattern, which leads to minor inaccuracies

Miter box for cutting pipes

There is a simple tool, often used in everyday life, mainly for working with wood. It is called. miter box. So, the same device is suitable for cutting pipes, and at different angles.
The miter box is commercially available, but if you wish, you can always make it yourself and adjust the structure to the required pipe diameter:

• Take a wooden board with a width equal to the diameter of the pipe, 400-500 mm long;
• Take two more boards of the same dimensions, but in width, increased by the thickness of the first board;
• From three boards to assemble a structure in the form of an inverted letter “P”, where the first board is installed as a base;
• In the central part of the structure, mark a rectangle, the two sides of which run along the inner boundaries of the side boards;
• Divide the rectangle with diagonals and along the lines obtained on the upper edges of the side boards, make cuts down to the base.

In this way, a template for cutting at an angle of 45º is made. But with the help of a protractor, you can mark almost any angle and make cuts for a pipe cut for a specific angle.
The advantage of the miter box is that the tool is suitable for repeated use. Working with the tool is permissible until the walls of the slots are worn to such an extent that they can provide high cutting accuracy. It is recommended to make the walls of the tool from a material of higher strength than wood.
The advantages of the method are obvious. simplicity, ease of making a tool (miter box), cost-effectiveness, versatility. The disadvantages of working with this type of equipment are the need to adjust the dimensions of the miter box to the pipe diameter, provided that an accurate cut is made. That is, for each pipe you will have to make your own instrument.
Also, using a miter box, you can only cut a pipe with a hacksaw for metal or pruning shears (for plastic products). This tool is not suitable for working with thick-walled metal pipes under the cut with a grinder.
Stand for grinder
Metal products of round and rectangular shapes, having sufficiently thick walls, are conveniently cut at an angle using a grinder fixed on the bed.

Pipe laying and cutting procedure:

• The turning mechanism sets the required cutting angle (for example, using a ruler and protractor);
• The found position is fixed with clamping screws;
• A pipe is laid between the short and long corners and pressed with a clamp screw;
• Voltage is applied to the electric motor;
• By applying a slight pressure to the cutter blade, the pipe is cut in the right place.

The advantages of this technique are fast work, accurate cut, the ability to process a large number of pipes in a short period of time.
Disadvantages: restrictions on use in domestic conditions, increased noise, work with pipes of only small and medium diameters. In addition, the process of cutting with equipment is carried out stationary at a distance from the installation site, which is not always acceptable.
The nuances of working with a rectangular section

To perform cutting of rectangular pipes, it is recommended to prepare template cuts of the corners in advance. They are easy to make from a metal corner, having previously marked with the same protractor.
Precision cutting machines

Among the branded devices that could be used in everyday life to perform an angle cuts, you can pay attention to the technique of Italian production.
The Mini Cut band saw from the MASS company is a small-sized device with a hand clamp, for working not only with pipes, but also with corners, rods, and profile elements.
The machine supports setting the cutting angle from 0 to 45º. The procedure is carried out using a tape belt at a speed of 45 reciprocating movements per minute. The device is equipped with a 370 W electric motor, which is powered by a household network. The maximum permissible diameter of the cut round pipe. 65 mm.
Numerous machines with electromechanical and electrical drives have been developed on an industrial scale for pipe cutting. Technically sophisticated devices allow high precision thermal, oxygen and plasma cutting.
Video
In the plot. Cutting pipes with a diameter of 35 mm and a wall thickness of 2 mm at an angle of 90 ° and 45 °

Industrial models (for example BSM)
There are dedicated industrial machines for precise bevel cutting operations. A good example: devices manufactured under the BSM brand. The machine tool is manufactured by the German company Rexinger.
True, the BSM series machines are designed exclusively for working with polypropylene pipes of sufficiently large diameters. Supports processing of PP, PVC, PE, PVDF products.
The cutting tool of the machine is a band saw, thanks to which a cut is made at angles from 0 to 67.5º. The precision of the process is ensured by a laser cut recognition.
Despite the configuration of the device for products of large diameters, a special table can be used, with the help of which pipes of small diameters (50. 200 mm) can also be successfully cut, which are easier to cut using a pipe cutter. A wide range of BSM devices is produced.
Video
In the plot. GR-BSM large pipe band saws

Thermal applications

In addition to mechanical methods, thermal methods are often used, where welding or cutting machines work as a tool. For example, an autogenous gas torch or conventional welding machine (AC / DC).
With the help of such devices, thick-walled metal pipes are available for cutting. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain a perfectly smooth high-quality cut using the electric welding or gas autogen method.
Usually, after cutting by a thermal method, the products are subjected to additional processing. The cutting line is aligned, the values ​​of the required angle are adjusted. This approach is economically unprofitable, since it is accompanied by additional costs for machining.
As a rule, a thermal cutting technique is used in an industrial-production sphere. True, housing and communal services also often resort to this technique.
Thermal cut is also used for working with plastic material. There are devices. thermal guillotines. The sharp thin blade of such devices is heated to a high temperature, after which a cut is performed.
Thermal guillotines support bevel cutting, and this is their advantage. However, for work with more rigid materials than PVC, wood, chipboards, these devices cannot be used.
Video
In the plot. How to cut a pipe at a 45 or 90 degree angle

In the plot. How to make a saddle for tapering pipe

For each individual installation case, you can choose the most convenient and less costly cutting method. The specific choice depends on the material of the pipe, its diameter, wall thickness.
Continuing the topic, see also our review of How to make a saddle for an angled pipe entry

Using a container with water

What if we are dealing with a small diameter pipe, and it is necessary to cut the pipe at an angle somewhere near the edge? A deep container filled with water will come to the rescue. Before starting work, it is necessary to calculate the angle of inclination and make a mark on the container. Next, we just have to carefully lower the edge of the pipe into the water and tilt it towards the mark on the container. We take out the pipe, mark the line of contact with the water, and boldly cut along the markings. This method is good for marking a large number of pipes. A ready-made template from a container with water will speed up the process of our work.

The nuances of working with a rectangular section

To perform cutting of products of rectangular cross-section, it is recommended to prepare template cuts of the corners in advance. They are easy to make from a metal corner, having previously marked with the same protractor.

Marking can be done at different angles. To use a template in business, it is enough to attach it to a rectangular pipe in the right place and mark the cutting line. Then, with any suitable tool, cut along the marked line.

Watch the demo

(Pictures, descriptions, formulas were taken from the book by I.Kh. Brodyansky “Marking of welded fittings of pipelines”, 1963)

Upon successful payment, you will immediately receive a link to download the worksheet.

How to Cut Pipe at an Angle Accurately – Kevin Caron

When installing a pipeline, it is often necessary to cut the pipe at an angle. over, the angle must have exactly the degree that is necessary for the structure. If the corner is made incorrectly, it is impossible to make exactly the dimensions of the pipeline that were supposed to be made. For example, the pipe will rotate 45 degrees during installation, therefore, you need to know how to cut the pipe at 45 degrees. To do this, we need marking tools, a grinder or a hacksaw for metal.

Easy Way How To Cut Pipe at 45 degrees without Cut Off Machine

Precision cutting machines

Among the branded devices that could be used in everyday life to perform an angle cuts, you can pay attention to the technique of Italian production.

The Mini Cut band saw from the MASS company is a small-sized device with a hand clamp, for working not only with pipes, but also with corners, rods, and profile elements.

The machine supports setting the cutting angle from 0 to 45º. The procedure is carried out using a tape belt at a speed of 45 reciprocating movements per minute. The device is equipped with a 370 W electric motor, which is powered by a household network. The maximum permissible diameter of the cut round pipe. 65 mm.

Numerous machines with electromechanical and electrical drives have been developed on an industrial scale for pipe cutting. Technically sophisticated devices allow high precision thermal, oxygen and plasma cutting:

Simple tooling for cutting

Round and rectangular metal products with sufficiently thick walls are conveniently cut at an angle using simple electromechanical equipment.

The cutting element of such a tool is a cutting disc or circular saw attached to the motor shaft. In turn, the electric motor with a cutter is part of the entire equipment, which includes a work table, a pendulum support, a clamp.

To install the pipe at the desired angle with its subsequent fastening, a conventional clamp and two metal corners are used. One corner (short) is attached to the base of the swing mechanism. the pendulum. The second corner (long) is in a free state.

Pipe laying and cutting procedure:

• The swivel mechanism sets the required cutting angle (for example, using a ruler and protractor).
• The found position is fixed with clamping screws.
• A pipe is laid between the short and long corners and pressed with the clamp screw.
• Voltage is applied to the electric motor.
• By applying a slight pressure to the cutter blade, the pipe is cut in the right place.

The advantages of this technique are fast work, accurate cut, the ability to process a large number of pipes in a short period of time.

Disadvantages: restrictions on use in domestic conditions, increased noise, work with pipes of only small and medium diameters. In addition, the process of cutting with equipment is carried out stationary at a distance from the installation site, which is not always acceptable.

If you are going to make a copper pipeline at home, then you will need special pipe cutters, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the selection rules.

Paper mold for pipe

To perform a relatively accurate cut, you can use a simple technique, where a regular sheet of paper acts as a kind of pattern. For example, A4 printer paper is well suited for creating a pattern.

Previously, the sheet is marked out under a square using a ruler. The size of the diagonal of the square must be equal to the circumference of the pipe to be cut. The excess parts of the sheet are cut off.

Then the following steps:

• Bend the sheet diagonally by aligning opposite corners.
• Rotate the resulting triangle so that the hypotenuse line is perpendicular to the pipe axis.
• In this position, wrap the tubular surface with paper, aligning the extreme points of the hypotenuse together.
• Apply a marker of the cut along the line of any of the legs of the triangle.
• Cut the pipe to the marked line.

This way it is quite convenient to mark and cut pipes at an angle of 45º in the range of diameters from 32 to 63 mm. For better markup convenience, it is recommended to use thick, but soft paper. Paronite and similar materials can also be used.

How to correctly choose a pipe cutter for plastic pipes and how to use it in practice is described in detail in our article.

Competently made patterns for shape cutting of pipes allow you to make cuts with extremely high accuracy. In this case, the gap between the prepared workpieces is still not excluded. In the connection of metal pipes, it is “closed” with a weld; when connecting plastic parts, a specialized cord for soldering is used.

Thermal applications

In addition to mechanical methods, thermal methods are often used, where welding or cutting machines work as a tool. For example, an autogenous gas torch or conventional welding machine (AC / DC).

With the help of such devices, thick-walled metal pipes are available for cutting. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain a perfectly smooth high-quality cut using the electric welding or gas autogen method.

Cutting technology using electric welding and autogenous cutting is widespread. The technique does not provide high cutting accuracy, but when installing pipes, this factor is often not decisive

Usually, after cutting by a thermal method, the products are subjected to additional processing. The cutting line is aligned, the values ​​of the required angle are adjusted. This approach is economically unprofitable, since it is accompanied by additional costs for machining.

As a rule, a thermal cutting technique is used in an industrial-production sphere. True, housing and communal services also often resort to this technique.

Thermal cut is also used for working with plastic material. There are devices. thermal guillotines. The sharp thin blade of such devices is heated to a high temperature, after which a cut is performed.

Thermal guillotines support bevel cutting, and this is their advantage. However, for work with more rigid materials than PVC, wood, chipboards, these devices cannot be used.

To cut metal-plastic pipes, pipe cutters are needed that can evenly divide products with a multilayer structure into parts. The article recommended by us is devoted to their varieties and methods of application.