Hi,

I have those Tamiya plastic pipes (8mm) and trying to scratch a gun tube from it. I use a small toothed saw to cut it to size but I end up having edges that are not level. What's a good way to ensure that the cut is even?

Cheers

Tat

Hi Tat. You could try wrapping a piece of masking tape around the tube to provide a guide for cutting with your small saw.

Hope this helps, Damian

I use a hobby knife to whittle it down to an even edge when I come across as uneven edge, though I admit that "cut it" is my response to just about everything

My solution to straight edged pipes is to use a mitter box made from aluminum. It has groves on the bottom that I can roll the tube around and I just press a knife to it as I rotate it. Works most of the time and if it's a bit out of shape, the dremel takes care of it. Hope that helps you.

Thanks for all the responses guys. Damian, I was thinking about the tape or a piece of wire as a guide right after I posted -- will have a go at that. Cut, cut, cut -- David I've cut so much till I realized am out of pipe Bob, that's a neat solution, will go for that if all else fails. I guess the key is that one should carefully whittle or sand down the uneven edges. I probably was a bit hard on the sanding that the uneveness became more pronounced. Add to that is that is the compulsion to get a perfect even edge whenever I look at it under a magnifying lens Cheers, and all the best for the holidays. Tat

Tat, one thing I do is try and find a piece of pipe with a slightly larger diameter and use it as a guide. Just put the pipe you're cutting inside of the larger pipe, file or sand the pipe until it is uniform all the way round with the "guide" pipe.

Hermon

Or you could visit a tool merchants or plumbing suppliers and ask about pipe cutters.
I have several and they cut brass,copper.aluminium and most plastic tube/pipe down to 3mm OD.

Paddy

I, myself, use a miter box and a razor saw, then a quick reaming to deburr and a couple of swipes with a sanding stick.
But,
mecanix has a good point. K&S metals has a small tubing cutter available through e-hobbies.

E-Hobbies K&S tube cutter



Up to 5/8" O.D.

Might, indeed, be what you're looking for.

Hope I've helped,
Cuhail

Cuhail,

Thanks for that, I should have included a photo.
Must do something about my computer illiteracy.
However going to the next level, my children tell me that if I feature on Santa's Nice list I can hope to find a new Proxxon mini cut- off saw at the bottom of my bed tomorrow morning.
Paddy

I'd take the proxxon over the K&S cutter everytime!

Merry Freakin Christmas, man!

Cuhail

Cuhail

They do say it's more saw than one man can handle!
Happy Christmas to you too

Paddy

Another option for a tool such as this is a plumbers cutter, which may cost a little more, but will be of better quality and will cut all the brass tubes with ease as well.

Then I present Harbor Freight Pipe cutters for anyone perusal!

I LOVE Harbor Freight!

Cuhail

Guys, thanks again for the added advise. Never thought about those plumber's cutters -- I guess it can used for plastic as well. Will try to see what's available at the DIYs on this side of the world. Merry Christmas! Cheers -- Tat