Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Dust Collection: jig to cut 6" PVC drain pipe

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Salem, Oregon
    Posts
    93

    Dust Collection: jig to cut 6" PVC drain pipe

    I use 6" PVC drain pipe for my dust collection system. One of the problems I faced was making a clean and perpendicular cut of the 6" pipe. I tried making a miter box to accommodate the 6" pipe, but it didn't work as I hoped. I then tried this vise/holder design and when used with an 18" PVC saw, I'm able to get good right angle cuts.

    I used two 3/4" plywood boards and screwed them together. One of the dimensions was 2" larger than the outside diameter of the 6" pipe -- this is to minimize the space the facing takes against the blade, the less facing, the move distance of a cut I can make. Then I place a section of pipe on the board and drew a circle. I drilled a pilot hole for my scroll saw and did a rough cut removing most of the interior of the circle. I then cut into the circle with my band saw (the band saw kerf is thinner than the jig saw) and carefully cut up to, but not including, the pencil line. The fit is very tight, you cannot just slide it down the pipe, the vise has to be jiggled down.

    Then, to make a cut, I simply line the blade up against the housing and carefully start a cut to get a good perpendicular cut started. The remainder of the cut goes well and keeping the 18" Lenox blade against the housing works fine.
    DSCN2271_96dpi.jpgDSCN2270_96dpi.jpg

    Hope this proves helpful to other building a PVC duct system.
    John L. Poole

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Red Deer, Alberta
    Posts
    918
    A quick guide is a screw type hose clamp and a hack saw. Tighten the clamp, cut along the clamp...
    Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    4,563
    You could cut the jig in half now, and use a couple clamps--would be a lot easier than shimmying that down 5' of a 10' length of PVC. Maybe even drill a couple holes at the split and insert some dowels as alignment pins.
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    League City, Texas
    Posts
    1,643
    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Westfall View Post
    A quick guide is a screw type hose clamp and a hack saw. Tighten the clamp, cut along the clamp...
    I've done the hose clamp bit with good results...
    Trying to follow the example of the master...

  5. #5
    I had good results making a simple plywood miter box with 7" high sides. I left a gap the width of the saw blade on both sides of box. I used a DeWalt 18" PVC saw that I bought from Amazon. I did have to sand the edges a bit with one of those 3M sponges to remove the burrs. By the time I finished cutting all the 6" PVC for my cyclone install, the miter box got a bit raggedy but I was still able to get good, straight cuts.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Washington, NC
    Posts
    2,387
    In my shop I cut shorter sections and fittings, for my DC ducting and blast gates inlets/outlets on the tablesaw. I attached a simple 45 "V" cradle to my miter gauge. I add a miter stop so when the cradle is advanced it stops centered over the blade. I raise the blade just enough to penetrate the bottom of the pipe/fitting. I feed the pipe sled and once over the blade I roll the pipe towards me until it is cut all the way around. You can use an adjustable stand to support the end of longer pipe, but I usually don't care if the ends aren't perfectly square on main ducting runs.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    6,393
    I cut PVC on the bandsaw whenever possible. I just put a tick-mark on it, and go after it. It always comes out "close enough" to being perpendicular for the fittings/connections to still work just fine, even though not a dead-square cut. Other times, when I have to cut by hand, I'll put a line all the away around the circumference, and just go get it. Again - there is enough length in the mating fitting for it to work fine, even though it ain't perfect.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  8. #8
    We used to use a pipe wrap when cutting plastic and ductile iron. pipe wrap.jpg Lets you cut square, angles, etc. About $10-12, well worth the price. Comes in various sizes, I think 48" was as large as I've ever cut.

    Rich
    *** "I have gained insights from many sources... experts, tradesman & novices.... no one has a monopoly on good ideas." Jim Dailey, SMC, Feb. 19, 2007
    *** "The best way to get better is to leave your ego in the parking lot."----Eddie Wood, 1994
    *** We discovered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence........
    *** Student of Rigonomics & Gizmology

    Waste Knot Woods
    Rice, VA

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •