Milwaukee Tool has provided an early look at their new M18 Fuel cordless steel pipe cutter, model 3469-20.
The new Milwaukee cordless pipe cutter can be used to make “the easiest, consistent, clean cuts” on steel pipe 1/2″ to 1″.
It can be used on steel pipe with an outer diameter up to 1-5/16″.
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The pipe cutter can be used to make cuts on both installed pipe and new pipe.
It can access pipes with a minimum clearance of 2.5″.
The support arm helps align the tool perpendicular to the pipe and can be folded back for more compact storage.
Users can make up to 200 cuts on 1″ steep pipe per carbide-tipped blade, which is user-replaceable with saw blade model 48-40-4062. “Minimal burring reduces prep time.”
The pipe cutter can make up to 50″ cuts per charge with an XC 5Ah battery.
Milwaukee says that the new M18 Fuel pipe cutter can reduce the need for residential plumbing and mechanical contractors to carry multiple steel cutting tools to the job.
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Press materials emphasize that this is a dedicated cutting solution for steel pipe applications. The tool and blade are exclusively to be used on steel pipe 1/2″ to 1″ nominal, or 1-5/16″ max diameter.
Price: TBA
ETA: Q2 2025
Jim Felt
I’m still patiently waiting for their Red Lightsaber. Come on!
JoeH
It would work well with their M12 battery!
MM
Very interesting, it looks like a handheld “jump saw”. I’m sure it will be expensive, along the lines of Milwaukee’s other specialty tools, but I imagine it will be a lot better than a recip saw if you have to run a lot of pipe.
fred
Recip saws are OK for rip-outs – but you can’t expect that the cut end will be suitable for threading. For clean cuts we’d use manual wheel cutters from Reed, Ridgid or Wheeler Rex – like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/RIDGID-32820-Heavy-Duty-Cutter-8-inch/dp/B001ASEX90
but you need enough room to swing the cutter around the pipe.
4-Wheel pipe cutters can operate with back-and-forth motion and reduced swing – but they can wander in the cut
https://www.amazon.com/32870-Ridgid-Heavy-Duty-4-Wheel-Cutter/dp/B0DJCK2B2B
Unlike tubing and small copper pipe cutters – I don’t recall ever seeing a close quarter or ratcheting pipe cutter to handle steel or black iron pipe.
If this Milwaukee tool produces clean cuts suitable for in-situ threading – it will find a market/
Matt_T
Pretty sure you’d have to be doing a lot of in situ threading to justify the “TBA” cost for that application.
And FWIW good tubing cutters will work on steel pipe. Just have to go slow.
Josh H
I’m betting it will come in around the same cost as that second cutter.
It’s basically a circular saw with an additional mechanism to move the blade. There’s a little more plastic, and probably the same amount of metal that a circular saw has. Given that it’s more specific to a certain type of job than a circular saw, it’ll probably be lower volume (which means higher cost). So I think $400 for just the tool only, which is a lot more than most of Milwaukee’s circular saws, is a reasonable guess for this tool.
If it’s the same cost as a nicer cutter and if (big if) the marketing claims are true, then it seems like it’d be a good buy.
Saulac
Yes indeed. Look like the blade is normal hidden and would come out to cut when the button is pushed. Why have such a complicated mechanism? Alignment still depends on the tool being hold correcty.
Matt_T
Stuart,
Have Milwaukee said what the target application is for this saw? I don’t see it being justifiable for running threaded pipe. Guessing it’s aimed at the guys using IPS press fittings.
Stuart
“residential plumbing and mechanical contractors”
fred
The picture they show sure looks like a residential application with wood framing, I still think that the tool may fill a niche as a problem solver and productivity enhancer in some very specific applications.
One part of our plumbing business worked a lot more on commercial, hi-rise residential and industrial sites. In that business we employed both union plumbers and steamfitters and had quite a number of tools (roll grooving equipment comes to mind) that would have had no use in our suburban business where residential plumbing was our mainstay. I suspect that Milwaukee had some insight about the potential market before they developed the tool – and will likely price it to recover their costs across that limited market.
eddiesky
Milwaukee says, “Clean cuts are critical to making quality press and threading connections, and the Steel Pipe Cutter delivers square cuts and minimizes burrs.” So I’m thinking both IPS and threaded. I can’t see a threader working on installed pipe, since most thread and then install.
I’d like a version with different plates for say, angle iron, or square tubing for welding.
Matt_T
You can thread installed pipe with a drop head or pony. Only something you’d do for repair and modifications when there isn’t a better option.
Josh
I’ll be able to use the crap out of this, my job constantly consist of making 2′ to 3′ pieces of 1″ and 3/4″ black pipe. It’ll sure beat having to load a 21′ stick in the threader just for a 2′ piece of pipe.
MFC
So it shows cutting out a section to add in a T (assumably). I have always used a bandsaw and it works great. There have been some times where the pipe is recessed in a stud bay or chase, or where other pipe is in the way, so I just use an angle grinder or sawzall, but this tool is going to be the same. You will need other tools to reach certain areas. I’m sure it cuts more quickly than my bandsaw, but I can use my metal cutting saw as well… I’m sure someone will buy it, but most of us won’t ever need it if we have other tools already.
Bob
Cheaper and easier to use a cordless bandsaw, which also has more uses, instead of this new contraption that solely cuts pipe
fred
I can visualize a bandxaw in use for Josh’s application – especially if you mount it so that it can make square cuts. But in the picture shown – would you be able to handhold a band saw and insure a square cut. While the geometry (and advertising) of the Milwaukee tool promises square clean cuts – I’d want to try it out to see if that’s true over its range of pipe sizes and cutting situations. When I use my old, corded bandsaw in a Milwaukee stand (sort of making it into a poor man’s DoAll) – I get decent results – but I clamp the pipe or angle iron down during the cut.
Scott Davis
Maybe we can design a 3D printed attachment to go on the bandsaw to make clean square cuts on pipe.
Jimbo
I’ve used an m12 band saw followed by deburring prior to using megapress fittings. Works great. I imagine this new tool will make a bit of a mess.
Billy R
Does anyone have a confirmed answer if this will work well on electrical conduit, being EMT? We use a bandsaw and reamer currently, but this would be undeniably quicker AND safer for my guys. Plus, easier. I asked in another form and some people guessed it would work but I’m hoping someone knows for sure. We mainly use 1/2″ – 1″ EMT. Thank you in advance. I’m a long time reader first time commenter.
Stuart
I asked and hope to get an official answer for you.
Update: “Sounds like conduit should be fine with this tool as well!”