Steel Dragon Tools H4 Hinged Pipe Cutter 2"-4" Capacity fits

This is a nice looking tool --but the only thing is, this is a big tool. It requires a significant amount of space around the pipe. If the pipes are near a stud, or inside a wall there might not be enough clearance to place the hinged collar around the pipe, a chain cutter or a reciprocating saw might be better in close quarters. Probably around 3-4 inches around the pipe on both sides, and having the pipe 2 or more inches away from a wall or surface. Certainly 1 1/2 inches, as I found out, is not enough.(I am giving it four stars as I think that the collar could be built so that it not only opens and closes, but so that it could be rotated 60-90 degrees when open, to go around pipes. I think that design change would make this an awesome tool).

We had to cut a 2.5" galvanized conduit with electric cables in it. The conduit was embedded in a slab and in the space between two studs. Using a reciprocating saw was out of the question. If we cut the wires, we would have had to dig up a driveway and slab to pull new ones, it would have been a disaster! We slipped a piece of PVC into the pipe to protect the wires. Then, this cutter went through the pipe "like butter" with only a ninety degree turn. PERFECT! if this job is the only one we use it on, it will have already paid for itself. No problem with the wheels getting damaged, although we only made two cuts so far. It has the heft and feel of a name brand tool, at a third the price.

They work well just as good as the more expensive brands excellent

I like that you don't have to have a lot of space to go all the way around to cut

Unit is a little heavy, works great in tight area as needed.