Deburring Plastic Pipe

JoeEngineer74 · Aug 14, 2007

I have a few general questions related to deburring plastic pipe.

How often do most plumbers actuall deburr the Pipe ID and/or the pipe OD when using plastic pipe?
What tool do you use to deburr the ID and OD of a plastic pipe?
What types of plastic pipe do you deburr?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Cwhyu2 · Aug 14, 2007

After every cut.Use sand cloth.file or your fingers.YOU only need to get
rough stuff off.Glue and cleaner will take the rest.

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Furd · Aug 14, 2007

I'm not a plumber but I have fitted a lot of plastic pipe. I de-burr EVERY piece of pipe I fit. I have tried a de-burring tool but I find that a regular utility knife does the best and fastest job. Do not take too big a "bite" with the knife or you will compound the problem.

If you have any particulate matter in the water that flows through the piping (my systems did) then leaving an internal burr will cause the particulates to build up.

Leaving an external burr will interfere with a properly cemented joint. I like to de-burr to the point of just breaking the sharp corner either inside or outside of the pipe end.

Jadnashua · Aug 14, 2007

Some of the PEX fittings use O-rings. Not deburring the pipe can lead to all sorts of problems.

Dunbar Plumbing · Aug 14, 2007

cwhyu2 said:
After every cut.Use sand cloth.file or your fingers.YOU only need to get
rough stuff off.Glue and cleaner will take the rest.

I just roughed in a full bath for a relative and he sanded every cut piece of pipe handed to me.

I actually liked it as he cleaned the pipe well.

What I didn't want to tell him was that when you push-fit glued connections....sometimes a layer will peel and leave ridges inside the joint. Unavoidable most times and you have to look hard to find it.

Had a bar sink install that had cpvc supplies, the solvent weld connection nearly closed the connection up. Knowing this possibility.....I just removed the stop and pushed some solder wire through and it opened right up.

Markts30 · Aug 14, 2007

For 3" and larger pipe I use a file - a couple quick strokes and you are done...
For 2" and smaller I use a cone shaped reamer...
For drainage pipe, reaming the inside prevents the waste from catching on the edge of the pipe... Bevelling the outside makes the glue joints easier to fit up...

Basement_Lurker · Aug 14, 2007

For plastic drain pipe as well as for potable copper, Ridgid makes inner/outer reamers. I have found that a spiral reamer for copper tubing does the best reaming job for plastic pipe.

Cwhyu2 · Aug 14, 2007

reaming

For sch 40 pvc any methed you use will work.Tubing cutters have a built in
reamer.No need for a spiral unless you working with iron pipe.

Old Dog · Aug 14, 2007

Gave one of my houses to a new father/son plumbing team...went to check on their progress.they used a 12" power mitre box with a 80 tooth blade to cut all their ABS for rough in.The Father called out measurments,son cut/cleaned it(very little to debur with the 80 tooth).One of the cleanest,fastest rough ins I've seen done in 20 years.The father told me he likes the straight cuts from the saw,gets more accurate measurements that way...now if only my excavator hadn't dug the pit for the septic tank on the wrong side of the house!

JoeEngineer74 · Aug 15, 2007

Thanks for the feedback guys. Much appreciated.

Deburring Plastic Pipe

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