wire saw / folding chain saw

[Cupboard]

Has anyone got any experience with these? I'm not after a "survival" thing but something to cut through PVC pipes in confined spaces.

Wood saws work well but I've had a few pipes recently that have been really tricky to get at but I'd have been able to get a wire round them.

[sawman]

I've used them years ago for cutting wood but never PVC pipe. TBH, I'm not sure how well the teeth would hold up for that.

[Taxi Dad]

they do clog up a bit but I've done it a couple of times "to get me out of a tight spot" excuse the pun !
a good quality wire saw will cut pretty much anything like a hacksaw blade IMO but they do over heat real easy


* I once cut a copper pipe I think  got to give it a try tomorrow now, I have a reason to get up tomorrow thanks Cupboard 

[Smashie]

I've never managed to cut anything with them without them breaking 

[Taxi Dad]

got to be worth a punt ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Wire-Saw-Bushcraft-Army-Commando-Emergency-Camping-Hunting-Survival-Tools-/350915762088?_trksid=p2054897.l5667

[Taxi Dad]

  you know you want to 

[captain spaulding]

While I don't have any personal experience with them I have seen Les Stroud as well as his son use them on his show and it broke on two separate occasions.

[Sparky415]

How confined? 

I've found these to be good

 http://www.screwfix.com/p/plastic-pipe-cutter-26mm/59590

[Cupboard]

I've found those (and similar) good too, but I'm talking about a 6" waste pipe in a hole with more pipes inside it.

A normal saw would have been fine if I wasn't trying to look after the contents of the pipe. As it was I got 90% of the way round and kicked it a few times, which then broke the end off at a funny angle.

We use waste pipe as ducting because it's cheap - we get huge discounts at Jewsons on it, up to 90% on the fittings.

[Sparky415]

Ah! cutting pipe with stuff inside (50pair telephone cable) Woops 

Good luck 

[Cupboard]

you wouldn't be the first or the last, smurf happens.

A few years ago one of the guys at work took out the power to the whole of Wells next the Sea (a small town near me) and ended up with his tractor dangling in the air after going under the main feed not realising that the trailer was tipped up. We've had contractors putting a barn up dig through our main power cable whilst carefully avoiding all the warning tape that had been cleverly laid no where near the electric cable