At some point in time, we all conduct some plumbing-related home improvement. However, not everyone has a specialized PVC cutter for this task. You have to utilize whatever tool you have. You can use the circular saw, miter saw, Sawzall, hand saw, string, or hacksaw.
The circular saw is not the most prevalent tool for cutting PVC out there; however, it is powerful. Nevertheless, if used correctly, it may be a valuable tool. Here’s how to cut PVC pipe with a circular saw without any trouble.
Table of Contents
4 Steps to Cut PVC Pipe With Circular Saw
As simple as cutting PVC with a circular saw appears, do not be fooled by this thought. It is easy to use a circular saw. However, you must first ensure that your workplace is stable. Furthermore, it would be best to have a suitable saw blade relevant for cutting plastic pipes.
With this in mind, these are the four steps that you should follow to cut the Pvc pipe with a circular saw.
Step 1: Clamp your PVC pipe
Clamp all of the PVC pipes you intend to cut to get started. Clamp the pipes in a vice tool that has two jaw clamps. Clamping will, in turn, help to ensure that the PVC pipes are stable as you cut through them.
Tip: While you are clamping your PVC pipe, it is advisable that you ensure that the point of clamping is just a couple of inches away from the point of the cutout. This is a safety precaution as it will increase the stability of the pipe, thus reducing movement while cutting the PVC pipe.
Step 2: Label the cut
After properly clamping the PVC pipe, the subsequent step is to label the PVC pipe at the spot where you intend to cut. Make precise measurements and draw a visible line using a marker depending on your requirements.
Check further that the drawn markings that you have made accurately show the section of PVC pipe which you will cut. This is relatively important since the action is irreversible once you have cut your PVC pipe and can’t be undone.
Step 3: Install the correct blade
Now that you have labeled your PVC pipe and it is properly clamped take your circular saw and then install the correct PVC cutting blade. Note that there are special saw blades made specifically for cutting PVC pipes.
To install the correct blade, you should take the circular saw and unbolt the arbor nut using the blade wrench. Install the correct blade for cutting PVC and fasten the arbor nut again using the blade wrench. However, ensure that you have installed the correct blade correctly. The blade’s teeth should point in the same direction as the orientation of spinning of the circular saw.
Caution! – The circular saw has very sharp blades. Therefore, take extreme care when handling the blades to avoid getting harmed.
Step 4: Cut Through the PVC piping
Align the saw blade along with the label you made and grasp the circular saw tightly. Gently but firmly apply pressure down from the upper side of your circular saw. Applying pressure is important since it will force the teeth of the saw blade to push through your PVC pipe, thus cutting it.
Guide the blade along the marking slowly. Furthermore, concentrate on cutting the PVC pipe and be patient too to achieve the desired cut. Hold the circular saw firmly to avoid drifting from the marking you should cut.
You have now completed cutting the PVC pipe with a circular saw. If you implement all four stages properly, you should get an excellent cutting of your PVC pipe without causing any injury to yourself.
Caution! – Cutting PVC pipe generates dry dust. Consequently, this may get into your eyes, nose, and mouth, thus bringing irritation. Therefore, you should wear safety gear to avoid this.
Ensure that you put on dust masks and protective glasses. In addition, there may be so much noise from the circular saw; therefore, earplugs will also come in handy.
We Think You’ll Like:
How to Rip 2×4 Using a Circular Saw: 5 Easy Steps
How Deep Will a Circular Saw Cut? Learn in 3 Easy Steps
How to Smoothen Cut PVC Pipe
The blade of the circular saw leaves the PVC pipe with a rough end that may not fit well with another pipe. Use a special tool known as a deburring tool to smoothen the end of the PVC pipe that you have cut.
The use of a deburring tool is pretty easy. However, you must choose the right type of deburring tool for this job depending on the diameter and number of pipes.
Here is how you should smoothen your cut PVC pipe:
1. Take safety measures
Wear appropriate protective equipment such as eyeglasses and hand gloves to protect you from dust and any other form of injury. Your safety is important because the circular saw is a very powerful machine that can harm you.
2. Select appropriate tools
There are different types of deburring tools. There are those that are electric, and they smoothen the PVC until it is fine. On the other hand, there are mechanical deburring tools that are hand-held and mostly require the use of sandpaper to make the PVC smoother. Select the appropriate deburring tool for your PVC pipe depending on the size and number of PVC pipes you want to cut.
3. Secure your PVC pipe
Secure your cut PVC pipe, preferably with the clamp, before you can smoothen it. This applies to both the mechanical and electric deburring tools, depending on the size of your PVC pipe.
4. Smoothen the PVC
If you use the electric deburring tool, switch it on and start smoothing the surface. On the other hand, if it is a mechanical deburring tool, start working on your PVC pipe carefully until you have entirely smoothened it.
Safety Tips When Using a Circular Saw to Cut PVC
You should exercise maximum care when you are using the circular saw. Here are the safety tips for using the circular saw to cut PVC.
- Ensure that you are wearing protective gear such as earplugs, protective goggles, and dust masks. This will help you stay as safe as possible during the whole process.
- Clamp the PVC pipe properly to do the job to cut the PVC without any incidence of the circular slaw slipping.
- Reduce dust by lubricating the PVC pipe before cutting it with a circular saw.
- Use a blade designed to cut through soft materials like PVC. Other blades, such as a wood blade, will destroy the PVC or get destroyed.
- Learn how to correctly handle a circular saw.
- Always adjust the depth of the circular saw to the correct diameter of the PVC pipe.
- Examine the circular saw for damages or blade deformation before you put it to use.
We Think You’ll Like It: How Many Watts Does a Circular Saw Use?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is it mandatory to cut PVC pipe straight?
Fortunately, the basic rule is the cut on the PVC pipe does not necessarily have to be straight. However, it should also not be too out of place.
Q2. Can I use string to cut PVC pipe?
Yes, you can. However, this is possible in only narrow and thin pipes. A string that is nylon braided is the best for this job. Pulling the string over a single point on the PVC pipe repeatedly generates heat as a result of friction which melts the pipe, consequently cutting through it.
Q3. What is the price of a deburring tool?
The deburring tool is relatively cheap in the market, and you are guaranteed that it won’t cost you a dime. However, you can always use the cheapest option available: sandpaper.
Q4. What is the specific saw blade to cut PVC pipe?
PVC is a soft material. Therefore, soft materials like plastic are cut with a saw blade that has special teeth which are designed to cut soft materials like plastic. Such saw blades have reinforced edges with circular patterns. You can get such excellent saw blades in the market.
Q5. Is using a circular saw to cut PVC a good idea?
PVC pipes are soft therefore a circular saw may not be the best alternative since the blade can get damaged. However, with the appropriate blade for cutting through soft materials such as PSV, the circular saw just works as perfectly as any other PVC cutter out there.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, a circular saw can cut PVC pipe and other PVC cutters out there. Take care because the circular saw is a loud machine. Furthermore, use the right blade to cut the PVC.
When you use a blade that is not designed to cut through soft material such as PVC pipe, the pipe, and the blade are damaged. Also, take safety precautions as you are going to use the circular saw.
Now that you know how to safely cut PVC pipe with a circular saw, go ahead and get your work going to fix those PVC pipes.