Ridgid 29963 Stainless Steel Tubing Cutter

I nearly bought one and became hesitant reading the two negative reviews. Found out a mate who's a plumber bought one to do SS pipe in a hospital job. He still had it in the box and dropped it around. I've cut up 5 6m lengths of 300 50.8mm 316SS pipe (19 cuts).I watched the Rigid YouTube on how to use that said to start with a light score to ensure it is on the same track and straight which is the best advise. If you don't you may get some swarf in the rolled cut which will make the rolling lumpy. Or it will roll a helix onto the pipe. I used an old tooth brush to clean out any swarf and it was then smooth again.After cutting about 16 cuts I did stuff a blade, I'd say as I over tightened the cutter. It more or less ripped off the edge and embedded it in the ... MoreI nearly bought one and became hesitant reading the two negative reviews. Found out a mate who's a plumber bought one to do SS pipe in a hospital job. He still had it in the box and dropped it around. I've cut up 5 6m lengths of 300 50.8mm 316SS pipe (19 cuts).I watched the Rigid YouTube on how to use that said to start with a light score to ensure it is on the same track and straight which is the best advise. If you don't you may get some swarf in the rolled cut which will make the rolling lumpy. Or it will roll a helix onto the pipe. I used an old tooth brush to clean out any swarf and it was then smooth again.After cutting about 16 cuts I did stuff a blade, I'd say as I over tightened the cutter. It more or less ripped off the edge and embedded it in the rolled cut. I picked out as much of the hardened material I could but could not get it all so used a grinder to complete that cut. I imagined trying to cut over the hardened cutter material left behind it'd just stuff the next blade.So every next rolled cut I made I used some grease in the groove to ease the cutter and used much less pressure on the cutter. More or less wizzed it around until it got easier and pressure was gone, then only less than a 1/4 turn on knob... seemed to cut much better that way.Less pressure / turns is better and make sure it's tracking...if cutting hard material wipe a little grease into the rolled cut.Great tool I've just now bought my own.

Excellent tool. It does exactly what it says, cuts stainless steel tubes fairly easily and with no sparks or loud noises. I had a 1" diameter stainless steel shower guide rail with 1/8" thick walls to cut, and wanted to do it myself. I probably took longer to do than needed, trying to be careful, but honestly the cut never wavered or moved and the tool steadily worked through it until it was cut. It's not a perfectly straight cut, but that may have more to do with my amateur technique. I will say that I wouldn't try to cut anything thicker than this 1/8" inch wall as I was very very near the end of the cutter wheel's depth by the end, and had some resistance from the sheel itself against the outside of the tube.

I do Industrial Hydraulic plumbing installation. we use tubing for most of the plumbing we do. Stainless Steel and Carbon steel, from .065" to .120" wall. over the years I have used many different brands of tube cutters. This is one of the tube cutters that I/we use because it is built to handle Industrial use. The bearings make for a smooth cut and the cutter seems to not walk down the tube, as other brands seem to. I do recommend this cutter for anyone who needs a good tube cutter. It is a heavy duty, well made tool. Make sure to get spare cutting wheels, they do dull and sometimes break with heavy use (that's why they are called consumables)