What is a Mini Tube Cutter?

A mini tube cutter also called Hobby Pipe Cutter is a compact and versatile hand tool designed primarily for cutting small-diameter pipes and tubes. This hobby tool is widely used by professionals and hobbyists alike for tasks involving scratch-building, crafting, and DIY projects. 

This powerful Mini Tube Cutter will mainly cut plastic but it is also suitable for soft metals such as brass, copper, or aluminum tubing from >3mm (1/8") to 22mm(7/32") diameter.

The construction features a sturdy body made from aluminum alloy to ensure durability, with a sharp, rotating blade designed to score the tube's surface as the tool rotates. The cutting wheel is positioned between two guide rollers, which stabilize what you are cutting during cutting to ensure precision and consistency. The user can produce a clean and uniform groove by gradually tightening the blade and rotating the tool. Once the groove is deep enough, a slight manual twist can cleanly break the pipe.

Mini tube cutters are specifically designed for small-diameter tubes, ranging from 3 mm (1/8 inch) to 22 mm (7/8 inch), making them suitable for materials like plastic, copper, brass, and aluminum. These cutters often feature an ergonomic grip and a smooth-turning knob or screw to adjust the cutting blade.

How to Use a Hobby Pipe Cutter?

By following proper usage steps, users can achieve consistent and reliable results. You can confidently tackle tasks requiring cutting small plastic, copper, brass, or aluminum tubing, making it an invaluable addition for anyone involved in plumbing or DIY crafts.

1. Before using the cutter, ensure that you have chosen the appropriate size for what you intend to cut, which is, >3mm (1/8") to 22 mm (7/32"). Verify that the cutting blade is sharp and free of debris to guarantee a clean cut. Check that the rollers are also clear of obstructions to ensure smooth operation.
2. Place the tool over the section where you want to make the cut. It should sit snugly between the guide rollers, with the cutting blade resting on the surface. Make sure it is securely held in place, avoiding excessive movement that could lead to uneven cuts.
3. Begin by slowly tightening the adjustment knob or screw until the cutting blade lightly touches the surface of the tube. Take care not to overtighten at this stage; applying too much pressure too early can cause the blade to dig into the material and create an uneven cut.
4. Rotate the tool, allowing the cutting blade to score a continuous groove on the tube's surface. Keep the rotation smooth and consistent to ensure an even groove. After each full rotation, tighten the adjustment knob slightly to deepen the groove, and then continue rotating. Repeat this process until a substantial groove is created.
5. Once a groove deep enough to weaken the material has been established, you can apply pressure by gently twisting or bending along the scored line to break it cleanly. For softer materials like plastic or aluminum, this should be easy. For harder materials like copper or brass, ensure that the groove is deep enough before attempting to break it manually.
6. After it is complete, the edges of the new parts might be rough or contain burrs. It's a good practice to use a deburring tool or file to smooth out these edges. This step ensures that the cut tube will fit securely into its intended fitting and prevents injury during subsequent handling.

This set includes 1 pipe cutter

Warning: The function of this tool is not that of a guillotine to completely split a pipe in 2, at least not with most materials. This cutter is merely for cutting a groove in the tube and consequently splitting it with your hands. The product is not sharpened to work as a crosscut guillotine as it would wear out over time and use.