I keep a 5" wide piece of 26 gauge sheet metal at my shop to wrap around it and make the mark to be sure it's square, the rest is up to you brother.

I clean em up with a 7" grinder with a 40 grit flap on it and it goes pretty quick


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Definatly a pipe wrap.

 

Yes a wrap a round is best . As for cutting ,here's what I do . Set pipe horizontally at a comfortable height, [ pipe stands make this easy ] mark, and then I have my left hand turned up with torch cutting head resting in it and arm on pipe. Right hand is is on barrel and cutting head with thumb on lever ready to depress. I lean over the pipe and start cut at about 3 or 4 o'clock. Then I move both hands along the pipe going to 12 o'clock. By leaning over for me, it gives better control and body weight is on pipe making it steadier. Only other way is practice and more practice until you find what works best for you. Some find it easier going from 12 o'clock down to 9 . What works for one guy may not be best for you. Then upon cut completion I brush slag off with my hanky . :laugh: Ah, you need to know that I've been doing this for many many years.

 

Cut out a ring from a piece of plate, a little bigger than the diameter of your pipe. Tack 3 or 4 nuts to the ring so you can thread bolts in towards the middle. slide it over the end of the pipe and thread the bolts into the pipe so it holds itself up on its own. That will be your guide.

 

Great info! Doug do you have a pic of that tool?


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A pipe wrap can be found at your local lumberyard. Only the will insist that it is called "coil stock" or "flashing".

 

I like the plate-ring idea and pipe wrap from a lumber yard. I typically use a metal citting circular saw and use gasket felt from automotive supplier. Though the gasket material is only 3ft.

 

A Curve O Mark will also lay a straight line but a wrap around is easier.

As far as cutting big pipe, I like using my gas chop saw to make the cut. Cut a tracer line to get things lined up the let it eat. Easy clean up.

Dan D.

 

Looks like to me you need to hone your cutting technique. What did you cut that with, an alligator?

 

you are quite the comedian tim but right on the money. i would find or bend something to slip over the pipe and use that as a burning guide. getting good with a torch will save a lot of trouble down the line.

 

make sure you have nice clean tips. what size tip are you using? a nice smaller tip will give you a small kerf may work better for what you are doing. a scribe is more accurate to follow than soapstone, or even try a welders pencil

 

Hilarious! I'm working on it.


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Here is an easy / lazy way to cut pipe straight.

 

Quote Originally Posted by TimmyTIG View Post

What did you cut that with, an alligator?

I was thinking chain saw.

I thought a saber toothed tiger just bit it off. Like I said some of us have been cutting pipe with a hand torch longer then you guys have been living. :laugh:

 

Here is a link to a pipe wrap this is what I use http://www.toolup.com/Nasco-ww17-me...N=pla&catargetid=120204890000399676&cadevice=t&gclid=CK2XtJ6R7MoCFYsAaQod7XEBjg I used to be steady and could hold a good cut I shake so bad now that I will us the wrap then mark with pencil then cut with a zip wheel

 

crude but it was a life saver.

 

crude but it was a life saver.


View attachment 1343191 View attachment 1343201

Nice!!!! Gonna get on it!


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I was working on a marina expansion, we were tying into another pier. We were driving 2 pilings every 20'. On top of the pilings we would put a piece of formed channels to set the aluminum pier sections onto. The water was rising everyday so we would drive the pilings within a few inches of the set depth, and leave them until we could bring a transit out and mark out the final height. The first couple we cut free hand, but with the rough water and boaters going by we couldn't keep a steady enough hand. we came up with the ring idea, it worked. Wasn't pretty but it worked. All the channels were welded to the pilings overhead, I was standing on a 4x8 raft, reaching overhead when I started. 2 weeks later the water came up I was pretty much laying on my back to finish. The problem with welding on a raft is when you put the rod to the pipe you push yourself away, and every wave and every wake, every gust of wind will screw with you and you cant see it coming. Oh ya it rained too, so could barely see either. I don't care what you draw your line with, its hard to get a straight cut in those circumstances. CEP You been there I know!


Heres a link to a satellite image of the dock system. We started out add on at the Y shape you can kind of tell where it changes color.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/50...1"N+118°58'34.8"W/@50.8205289,-118.9770076,222m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

we put in the extension that leads out to the giant square, including the square. I did almost all the field welding on this project. the pontoons were built somewhere else and the aluminum piers were built by another company, although I do recall having to help weld out some of them to get it ready. I built all the joists (galvinized steel studs) and then welded them to the pontoons.

 

CEP You been there I know!

Oh yeah! You gotta love working on the water.

That is a slick idea! I need to remember that!

 

Bandsaw.


Can't tell what size the pipe is but if its 5" or less, portable bandsaw.

If you can use the above methods to mark a straight line, a sawzall is also a valid option for a nice clean cut.

 

It's 16" diameter pipe. 3/8 thick


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Jeeze Doug, that's shear genius!!

 

more like welding/fitting 101.

 

I had a 12" pipe that I needed to cut perfectly square, and put a bevel in for welding. I happened to have a few extra disc bearings laying around, so I made a quick pipe roller, rigged the torch up on a little stand, then sat at the other end of the pipe and slowly turned it as the torch cut. It worked perfectly, and I was able to set the torch at an angle to cut and bevel it at the same time. I just had to knock the slag off when I was done and it was ready to send off to the customer.