Ridgid 632-32870 42A Hd Pipe Cutter, Price/1 EA

I grew up in a Mom Pop Sons plumbing business and was cutting and threading pipe long before I could drive a car--and Dad had the wisdom to use mostly RIDGID tools, which he never had to swear at or throw to get them to work properly.But I considered returning this cutter because I also found it hard to keep the 4 wheels on track when starting a cut. Instead, I decided to replace the 2 cutters on the tool body with rollers so that the 2 moveable cutters did all the cutting--and the rollers would hold it on track due to the much greater contact with the pipe. But RIDGID rollers were difficult to find or way too expensive, so my MacGyver idea was to substitute steel flat washers for rollers. Any hardware store will have flat washers that are 1 diameter with a 3/8 hole. Stack 10 into each cutter slot--they'll be a little loose since the pin is 5/16 diameter. The washers will turn freely and keep the cutting wheels tight to the pipe and in perfect alignment. I'm cutting chain link line posts and top rails, and the cuts made with the washer-rollers are perfectly perpendicular to the pipe and started straight on the first turn.I do have one post close to a tree, so I'll need to start the cut using the washers and 2 cutters, then install all 4 cutters to cut the entire circumference of the pipe--but a minor inconvenience since the pins tap out with a small hammer and pin punch or Phillips screwdriver, so that it takes just a few minutes to swap cutters and washer stacks.So, do I get a RIDGID TOOL calendar for this great review?

well built Large Cutter

I used this to make 3 cuts in 1 1/2 inch cast iron drain pipe. It worked very well for me. I could not rotate the cutter far enough to get a full cut all the way around the pipe, but the pipe still broke very cleanly, especially considering the poor condition of the pipe. While I only made 3 cuts, I imagine it should last for many more cuts. The T handle was very easy to turn, and the length was sufficient to rotate the cutter around the pipe after tightening. I had purchased two sets of replacement cast iron cutting disks, but the ‘stock' cutting disks that came on the cutter worked just fine.