Your ideas, please

NodakGary

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Hi all,
I have a problem I am hoping some of you can help me with. I cut a 6 inch length of 2 1/2 inch diameter exhaust pipe on the metal cutting band saw. Of course, the ends are not at 90 degrees but, I would like to machine them to be 90 degrees. I tried mounting the pipe in the 3 jaw chuck on my 9x20 HF lathe, but, of course, as soon as I touched the cutter to the end, it tore the pipe from the chuck. Not totally unanticipated, but, irritating. Next I checked the steady rest for the lathe and it will accept up to a 7/8 inch diameter round. I tried to mount the pipe vertically in the mini-mill vise but could not clamp it tight enough without collapsing the pipe. I was thinking of making an arbor and mounting it on that, but how do I cut just the pipe?
This is not an earth shaking event but I am curious as to how those-in-the-know would do something like this. Thank you for reading a rather wordy post but I thought I should include what I have tried. Does anybody have making a larger steady rest information?
NodakGary
 
I would just use a disk sander or a belt sander to true it up--If you don't have one of these sanders---you can use a hand held 4 1/2" angle grinder with a flap wheel disc on it--they work real good and don't bounce like a grinding stone does---Dave
 
Hi Gary,
i have a simple solution that doesn't involve using a lathe at all.
i know it's a shame to wanna use it, so it's gonna be tough to hear this...

take a large hose clamp and lightly tighten it to your cut zone,
scribe a line around the pipe until you get to the tightener.
turn the clamp and finish scribing the line
(you can blue up the pipe before you scribe ,if you wanna take the extra step)
take your favorite saw or cut off wheel
and go to town on the waste side of the pipe.
grind to where you feel comfortable and hand dress it, or all the way up to the clamp if it ain't got to be to the gnat's short hair.
but keep in mind you'll have to rotate the clamp to get the tightener out of the cut zone.
i have utilized this method for 1/2 pipe all the way up to 12" boiler tube.
has not failed.the lines are dang straight , good enough to tig weld.

i hope the method helps out
 
Hi Gary,
i have a simple solution that doesn't involve using a lathe at all.
i know it's a shame to wanna use it, so it's gonna be tough to hear this...

take a large hose clamp and lightly tighten it to your cut zone,
scribe a line around the pipe until you get to the tightener.
turn the clamp and finish scribing the line
(you can blue up the pipe before you scribe ,if you wanna take the extra step)
take your favorite saw or cut off wheel
and go to town on the waste side of the pipe.
grind to where you feel comfortable and hand dress it, or all the way up to the clamp if it ain't got to be to the gnat's short hair.
but keep in mind you'll have to rotate the clamp to get the tightener out of the cut zone.
i have utilized this method for 1/2 pipe all the way up to 12" boiler tube.
has not failed.the lines are dang straight , good enough to tig weld.

i hope the method helps out

I never thought of that idea. Thank you for posting. I learn something new here every day.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I would scribe a cut line and use a angle grinder and new cut off and be done in about 2min. Or clamp down a fence and bandsaw it or angle the saw clamp and band saw it
 
If you are totally stuck on machining it, you could turn a mandrel to slide in the pipe to keep it from collapsing when you tighten the jaws. otherwise, i would get it close and fill the gap with weld.
 
Along the lines of the mandrel idea, an inexpensive tailpipe expander from Harbor Freight placed inside the pipe where it's chucked up would work.
 
You could turn a short pice of al or mild steel to asnug fit then chuck it up tight in the lathe.
 
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