What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

On Jan 17, 12:59*pm, dicko wrote:
What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. *So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! *The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? *Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

I just use my linesman pliers to debur it and use a hack saw for
cutting. I grab the end of the pipe with the pliers and twist, the
edge of the plier jaw knocks off the burr smooth enough to not cut my
finger if I stick it in the pipe and rim the circle. Souds like your
pipe cutter is actually compressing the end of the pipe and its not
really a burr.

On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko
wrote:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

What you're doing wrong is using a tubing cutter. Use a hacksaw. EMT
is not that hard to saw thru, at least the smaller sizes. Thats all I
have used all my life. You could probably use an angle grinder too
but that requires clamping the emt in a vice or having a helper hold
it steady. By the time I go thru that whole ordeal a hacksaw cut is
dont. Just hold it over a couple 4x4 blocks, or over the edge of some
steps, and saw saw saw...

Tubing cutters crush the pipe. They're made for SOFT materials like
copper tubing.

BTW: I have always deburred with my side cutters or even plyers.

dicko wrote in
:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

Heck, I've used a sawzall and even a chop saw if it was out handy to cut
plastic pipe. Yea I know. Chop saw probably invites trouble and is really
stupid without safety glasses on.

dicko wrote:
What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

Wow, so far you've gotten a couple pretty silly responses so far, but
that seems to be the norm for this group lately; no idea why.

One good possibility for the tool not fitting is that you are being too
aggressive with the pipe cutter. The more aggressive the cut, the
larger and deeper the burr.
Another is using a copper tubing cutter for thinwall/EMT etc.. The
better ones have larger wheels and better rollers for gripping the
pipes.

You're right to use a deburring tool as it's usually the quickest and
easiest way to deburr the stuff.
Personally I use a reamer for deburring; it starts out at about 1/4"
diameter and ends at about 3/4" diameter, so it fits the job well and
leaves a nice smooth surface when you're done. Very similar to what you
have only it's a straight cone shape, not stepped in between, so you
have to pay attention.
With a reamer though you have to be careful or you'll actually create
a knife-edge at the end, which doesn't bother the wires but is kind of
dangerous for the old fingers (all 9 of them)g.

So, I'd assume the tool you bought is OK, just use a little less
aggression when doing the cutting; allow for a few more revolutions to
complete the cut-off; it should go nice and smooth.
Make sure the cutting wheel is sharp; replace if you're not sure. If
it has so much as one tiny chip, the cutting wheel is NG and must be
replaced; it'll never cut right again.
Never "bend" the pipe apart; let the tool do ALL of the cutting.
Hold the pipe steady as sometimes it'll cut open on one side of the
pipe but not the other; the rollers will hold the depth right, just keep
cutting until it falls in two. Never force it apart.
Then your tool should deburr it fine. Properly cut, there will be
very little burr from the cutting.

In a pinch, you might have to use something larger like a plier-end or
large straight slot screwdriver to start the deburr, and then finish it
with the tool. Just never let a job be "good enough" because until it's
right, it's not good enough.

Experience counts; try it, you'll see.

HTH

Twayne

sounds like your cutter may be so dull that's it's rolling the end in as it
cuts.


s


"dicko" wrote in message
...
What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

dicko posted for all of us...

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm

Get new cutting wheels, yours are dull. Or cut & de burr like the other posts.
--
Tekkie Don't bother to thank me, I do this as a public service.

wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko
wrote:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool?
Is this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with
my cutting technique?

-dickm

What you're doing wrong is using a tubing cutter. Use a hacksaw. EMT

Pipe cutters are made expressly for this purpose.

....


Tubing cutters crush the pipe. They're made for SOFT materials like
copper tubing.

Or galvanized water pipe, or ABS, or ... any number of materials. The
right tool for the job is the name of that game. I assure you I'll run
circles around your hacksawing with my pipe cutter in at least a 3 to 1
ratio. In fact, I'll have the first cut done before you make the first
hacksaw nick, and I'll have less of a burr too. You will end up with a
one-sided uneven burr that's more difficult to properly prepare without
excessive thinning of one side of your conduit.


BTW: I have always deburred with my side cutters or even plyers.

I know a guy who's always picked his nose and wiped it on his shirt too;
does that make it an approved and proper thing to do?

I'm glad you only do work in your own house; that's a pretty iffy and
inefficient way to deburr. I'm hoping it's only been for minor small
jobs and never of any magnitude of conduit.
Most pipe cutters also as a rule will have a little triangular
"knife" that folds out of them on the backside to deburr the pipes, even
galvanized pipes. With the right cutter and the right wheel in it, it's
a snap to cut and deburr a pipe. It's called right tool for the job.
Unfortunately those little knives aren't good hard material though and
wear out, so a proper deburring or reaming tool is a godsend if there
are many cuts to make.

Twayne

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko


Tubing cutters crush the pipe. They're made for SOFT materials like
copper tubing.

BTW: I have always deburred with my side cutters or even plyers.


A tubing cutter is able to crush SOFT materials just as well as EMT. I
usually use a 'step drill' mounted on the end of my portable to quickly
debur the conduit. Really fast and really nice.

Ivan Vegvary

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:20:24 GMT, "Twayne"
wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko
wrote:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool?
Is this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with
my cutting technique?

-dickm

What you're doing wrong is using a tubing cutter. Use a hacksaw. EMT

Pipe cutters are made expressly for this purpose.

...


Tubing cutters crush the pipe. They're made for SOFT materials like
copper tubing.

Or galvanized water pipe, or ABS, or ... any number of materials. The
right tool for the job is the name of that game. I assure you I'll run

Yes, they make large heavy cutters for galvanized pipe, and they are
made to cut solid wall steel pipe, and will also indent and crush in
the sides of EMT.

There is likely a special (expensive) "tubing cutter" made for EMT,
for people in the business, but for the average homeowner, a hacksaw
is all you need.

circles around your hacksawing with my pipe cutter in at least a 3 to 1
ratio. In fact, I'll have the first cut done before you make the first
hacksaw nick, and I'll have less of a burr too. You will end up with a

You know it all don't you..... IDIOT

one-sided uneven burr that's more difficult to properly prepare without
excessive thinning of one side of your conduit.


BTW: I have always deburred with my side cutters or even plyers.

I know a guy who's always picked his nose and wiped it on his shirt too;
does that make it an approved and proper thing to do?

I'm finished reading your trash......

************ PLONK ***************

I'm glad you only do work in your own house; that's a pretty iffy and
inefficient way to deburr. I'm hoping it's only been for minor small
jobs and never of any magnitude of conduit.
Most pipe cutters also as a rule will have a little triangular
"knife" that folds out of them on the backside to deburr the pipes, even
galvanized pipes. With the right cutter and the right wheel in it, it's
a snap to cut and deburr a pipe. It's called right tool for the job.
Unfortunately those little knives aren't good hard material though and
wear out, so a proper deburring or reaming tool is a godsend if there
are many cuts to make.

Twayne

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:10:27 GMT, "Ivan Vegvary"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko


Tubing cutters crush the pipe. They're made for SOFT materials like
copper tubing.

BTW: I have always deburred with my side cutters or even plyers.


A tubing cutter is able to crush SOFT materials just as well as EMT. I

You're right. I had a few of those cheapie ones that did. Then I
bought a good one. Actually if you look at the end of any copper pipe
cut with a cutter, there is a bit of an indent (crushing) of the pipe.

usually use a 'step drill' mounted on the end of my portable to quickly
debur the conduit. Really fast and really nice.

Yes, that would work too, and I own a large reamer that works fine.
But like any job, the object is to use as few tools and steps as
possible to get the job done. If I was working on installing
thousands of feet of conduit in a large industrial bldg. I'd have a
jig setup with a motorized deburring tool. But when you're just
installing a few feet in a home, about 10 turns with the sidecutters
(already in my toolbelt), does the job just fine.

Ivan Vegvary

Twayne wrote:
wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko
wrote:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool?
Is this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with
my cutting technique?

What you're doing wrong is using a tubing cutter. Use a hacksaw. EMT

Pipe cutters are made expressly for this purpose.

I've never seen an electrician use anything but a hacksaw (or sawzall)
to cut EMT. Tubing cutters aren't used - they roll a sharp edge on the
inside. Like several others, I use Kleins to debur.

--
bud--

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:51:13 -0600, bud--
wrote:

Twayne wrote:
wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:59:52 GMT, dicko
wrote:

What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool?
Is this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with
my cutting technique?

What you're doing wrong is using a tubing cutter. Use a hacksaw. EMT

Pipe cutters are made expressly for this purpose.

I've never seen an electrician use anything but a hacksaw (or sawzall)
to cut EMT. Tubing cutters aren't used - they roll a sharp edge on the
inside. Like several others, I use Kleins to debur.

Same here. Although I did try an angle grinder with a cutting wheel,
and it worked, but requires a securing the conduit securely and is a
bit hard to make an accurate cut, plus leaves burrs. By the time I do
all of that, a hacksaw is easier. Kleins and other wire cutters and
even plyers if they are shaped properly deburr just fine. That Rolled
Edge from a common tubing cutter is one way to cause the wires to be
sliced and cause a short. Far too much deburring is required to
eliminate them. Some people like to make a mountain out of a mole
hill, and/or seem to think that a power tool is needed for everything.

On the other hand, the OP posted a link to the deburring tool he
purchased. For the heck of it, I looked at that tool.
Then I searched the same website and found they do sell an EMT cutter
(like a tubing cutter), that claims to make a clean cut without a need
to debur. Here's the link:
http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/11915

I'm curious how this works, and if it's worth the $32?
It looks much like a standard tubing cutter, but must have a special
cutting wheel. Most of the issues with tubing cutters are all due to
the angle of the cutting edge of this wheel.

If I was in the business, I would probably buy one just to see how
well it works, but for the occasional conduit I cut, a one dollar
hacksaw blade works just fine.

dicko wrote:
What am I doing wrong?

I'm using a tubing cutter to cut 1/2" EMT. Works great, but leaves a
burr on the inside surface of the conduit. So I bought a Greenlee
deburring tool.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/greenlee/54696/

But I cant fit it into the conduit to get the burr off! The burr is
of such a size that it narrows down the inner diameter of the conduit
so much that the tool wont fit into the conduit to do its thing.

Is there a different deburring tool to use? Different cutting tool? Is
this just a crappy deburring tool? Is there something wrong with my
cutting technique?

-dickm


You are using the wrong type of conduit reamer. A traditional conical
shaped reamer is what you need if you insist on using a tubing cutter to
cut the thin wall conduit. If you switch to using a twenty four teeth
per inch hack saw blade then the Greeenlee deburring tool on the conduit
fitting screw driver will work fine for removing any shards of metal
that might damage the insulation of the conductors to be installed.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:20:37 GMT, Tom Horne
wrote:

If you switch to using a twenty four teeth
per inch hack saw blade

Blade tooth counts. It really makes a difference, Imo.

You are the first to mention the tooth/teeth of hack saw blade(s);
that, might be used.

Oren
--

Oren wrote:
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:20:37 GMT, Tom Horne
wrote:

If you switch to using a twenty four teeth
per inch hack saw blade

Blade tooth counts. It really makes a difference, Imo.

You are the first to mention the tooth/teeth of hack saw blade(s);
that, might be used.

Oren
--

An eighteen teeth per inch blade will hang up in the work and break. A
thirty two teeth per inch blade makes a burless cut but takes too long
to make the cut. The twenty four teeth per inch blade will cut quickly
and the few shards or burs it leaves are readily removed by the reamer
on the conduit screw driver or the open jaw of a pair of Kliens.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison