Tubing Cutters

[tr23]

Can someone clarify someone I've heard about tubing cutters? Some of the guys at the shop we're laughing at someone telling them that a tubing cutter should cut in one direction only. I think I read about that on here somewhere, but I can't find it. Any truth to this?

[markwolf]

It depends on what you have I suppose.I.E.If you turned my speed cutter with four cutting wheels in one direction it would track.If you were to use it in a back & fourth motion it would cut fast & nicely.I was taught to always pull to the closed side of a standard cutter & not to push towards the open side though.

[amickracing]

I've always been taught to pull it too (like above). But I've done it both ways, and it seems to work lol.

If'n you have a good tubing cutter it'll probably work good either way. But if you have the Menards clearance rack cutter, it won't work either way.

[secorp]

Some cutters have a screw holding the cutting wheel. it's best with these cutters to go counter clock wise as well as clock wise to keep the screw tight.

[oloenneker]

There are few reasons why your tubing cutter will start tracking. One is a loose screw holding the blade/wheel the other is a dull blade or wrong wheel/blade. they do make wheels/blades for plastic pipe, Copper tube and steel pipe depending on the cutter you have.

I have always turned it whichever way I wanted, and never really had any problems, But I ONLY use REED or RIDGID cutters and Wheel/Blades. (more REED than RIDGID these days)

[rubberduck]

Originally posted by oloenneker
There are few reasons why your tubing cutter will start tracking. One is a loose screw holding the blade/wheel the other is a dull blade or wrong wheel/blade. they do make wheels/blades for plastic pipe, Copper tube and steel pipe depending on the cutter you have.

I have always turned it whichever way I wanted, and never really had any problems, But I ONLY use REED or RIDGID cutters and Wheel/Blades. (more REED than RIDGID these days)

No problems with Rigid. I see problems with Imperials or it could have just been an operator error.

[oloenneker]

Originally posted by rubberduck

Originally posted by oloenneker
There are few reasons why your tubing cutter will start tracking. One is a loose screw holding the blade/wheel the other is a dull blade or wrong wheel/blade. they do make wheels/blades for plastic pipe, Copper tube and steel pipe depending on the cutter you have.

I have always turned it whichever way I wanted, and never really had any problems, But I ONLY use REED or RIDGID cutters and Wheel/Blades. (more REED than RIDGID these days)

No problems with Rigid. I see problems with Imperials or it could have just been an operator error.

Possibly a combination of both. Of all the Imperials I have used (never owned any, but borrowed co-workers, etc.) I thought that they where garbage as far as tubing cutters go. They did tend to track and not cut very well, and seemed pretty flimsy compared to my Ridgid or Reed cutters. I have never broken or had problems with Ridgid or Reed cutters other than blades wearing out and loosing the tool itself (which really sucks)...

[jtrouse]

I've used Ritchie cutters for copper and aluminum tubing. They seem to cut faster and cleaner. I think the cutter wheel has a sharper cutting angle than most others and usually leave less "flashing" in the ID of the tube. Steel tubing quickly ruins the Ritchie Yellow Jacket cutting wheels. I like Ridgid for steel tubing. If I had to have only one tubing cutter in each size, Ridgid or Reed would be my choice.

[bdclark]

I have seen the larger Rigid cutters "thread" or track on larger cuts unless you turned them clockwise (I believe)

[shaun66]

Sawz-all makes a great tubing cutter - I have heard from other supermarket guys, never tried it myself

[freezone]

I bought 1/8"-1 1/8" and the imps very nice!!

[gear junkie]

It's kinda like a crescent wrench; turn it one direction and it twists on the bottom of the jaw and stays tight, go the wrong way and it twists on the top of the jaw and becomes loose. The right direction for tubing cutters is the open part on bottom and the tension wheel on the left side and turn in a counterclockwise direction. Any time my cutters start to track off it's because the wheels and cutter need oil. As far as rigid is concerned; 10 of 1000's of plumbers who cut way more copper than us can't be wrong.

[droopy]

i prefer my lennox cutters for speed and non-tracking