Cutting plastic pipe with Copper pipe cutter ?

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I've mistakenly bought a Rothenberg Automatic Pipe cutter for copper pipe.
Its the type that is circular and you twist it around the pipe to make a cut.

Could I use the cutter to cut a 22mm Speedfit plastic pipe, would it cause me any problems.

I read the review of the Pipe cutter and it said it was a very good item and only when I picked it up I realised its for copper pipe.

Thanks for any info you can give me.
 

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No, you need the proper cutter which has a sort of guillotine blade. That one will just depress the pipe rather than cutting it.
John :)
 
Whilst they are not designed for plastic I find that most of mine do work to an extent.

Tony
 
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It will work, obviously not designed for the job and the proper cutters will be much much better. I've used it once when making a manifold just to pressure test my pipework (never for the actual install) it very slowly cut it and held up to 10bar on the test.
 
Use the scissor or ratchet type designed for plastic pipe.

The pipeslice type are designed for use with copper tube and have rollers that could score or mark the plastic, this could be where the "O" ring sits and potentially cause a "weep".
 
I find different makes work to different degrees on plastic.

Because I normally have the pliar style cutter then I normally use that for speedfit pipe.

But I often use the pipeslice for the overflow plastic pipe as it works fairly well on that.
 
With push fit, certainly speed fit, the insert seals to the inside of the pipe and the fitting, so it doesn't matter how scored the pipe is as long as the insert is in good condition.
I guess they developed the super seal inserts for that reason
 
But to be watertight, the outside of the pipe needs to form a seal against the 'O' ring inside the fitting. A score on the pipe won't be guaranteed watertight.

The clue is in the description of the fitting components

The 'O' ring surrounding the exterior of the pipe is "Main O ring seal"

Superseal O ring "gives a secondary seal"

twist-fitting.jpg
 
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With push fit, certainly speed fit, the insert seals to the inside of the pipe and the fitting, so it doesn't matter how scored the pipe is as long as the insert is in good condition.
I guess they developed the super seal inserts for that reason

You obviously don't understand how a pushfit fitting works, the main "O" ring sits on the outside of the pipe and any scratches/ scores on the pipe may cause the fitting to weep.

Yes, the super seal may have an "O" ring but it is a "secondary" seal not the main seal, speedfit also do a standard insert (no "O" ring) so relies on the main seal.
 
Call it primary, secondary, or whatever, the fact is it seals to the inside of the pipe and the fitting so no matter whether the main o ring is working it'll stop the fitting leaking.
 
Of course if you use standard inserts or copper pipe then the primary o ring will have to do its business because it's got no friends to help out
 
Call it primary, secondary, or whatever,

It's the manufacturer who calls it primary - which suggests that is the main seal on the fitting.

From the MIs

"Make sure to always use a Pipe Insert when
using Speedfit Pipe.
This makes the pipe completely
round ensuring the best
possible seal between the ‘O’
ring and the outside diameter of
the pipe."

"Always use a Pipe Insert when connecting
Speedfit Pipe.
The insert provides greater rigidity of the pipe within the fitting
and ensures the pipe is completely round to make for a better
seal between the ‘O’ ring and the outside diameter of the pipe.
The stem of the insert gives greater rigidity of the length of
pipe within the fitting, reducing the chance of leaks if a side
load is applied."

"WHAT NOT TO DO.
Don’t use damaged or scored pipe."

Feel free to disagree

http://www.johnguest.com/contact-us/
 
In contrast to most other posters, I have found a simple (rotating blade) copper tubing cutter produces excellent, straight cuts on most sizes of standard PEX B tubing-- including one-inch. There have seen no score lines or plastic burrs, and I am left with a perfectly uniform cut. In fact, the results have been so good, I have put my standard PEX/PVC blade cutter aside.
 

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