cutting carbon fiber pipes

[Raux]

ok, damn. got the new pipes on and with the angel and the length of the pipes i ended up pretty much covering my turn signals with the tips.

i need to shorten the pipes about 100mm or about 1/3 of the length of the round tube.

how do i do that?

[Mash]

umm, chop saw?

I've been thinking about doing that myself.  Just use a chop saw (with a fine tooth blade) and cut the damn things in half.  Then drill out the rivets on the end cap and rivet it back on to the good half.

There's several posts on coring mufflers that you can find here with a search.  I've looked at them all and from what I can tell, we should just be able to chop the dang things in half and refit the end caps.

good luck and let us know what you come up with.   

 

[Rob Hilding]

I used an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel-    worked great for me

I also used tape - masking tape for me - around the can - marked my cut line on the tape and fired up the grinder.

Drill out the rivets in the end cap and you may have internals, baffles and or pipe to contend with.

Not rocket science - you can handle it

[Monstermash]

As Mash stated a chop saw is the way to go. However, make sure you use a metal cutting blade which is basically just like a big cutoff wheel for a dremel.

 Also, be sure and use some sort of respirator as the dust is toxic.

[JTMOTO]

I want to do this as well..Where do you get the rivets.  Do you buy the tool or is there a better option?

[Rob Hilding]

I want to do this as well..Where do you get the rivets.  Do you buy the tool or is there a better option?

You'll probably want stainless steel rivets - depending on your end caps, etc.

McMaster-Carr is a good source for rivet and rivet tools - not the cheapest, tho

www.mcmaster.com

[Monstermash]

You can buy a rivet gun/tool at Sears for under $20. Stainless steel rivets are available locally at Home Depot and hardware stores.

 I think I may have some extras around. Let me know if you need some. 

[Raux]

cool. thanks all. i shop i know didn't want to touch it saying it would fray all over the place.

[He Man]

this may sound dumb, but dont forget the drill bit to drill the holes for the rivet.

Chop saw is the way to go, but make sure you get a nice clamp down on it so its secure, other wise as you push down the unsecure end of the pipe will lift and cause you get a crook cut. 

[JTMOTO]

this may sound dumb, but dont forget the drill bit to drill the holes for the rivet.
Chop saw is the way to go, but make sure you get a nice clamp down on it so its secure, other wise as you push down the unsecure end of the pipe will lift and cause you get a crook cut. 

What type of blade would you use? 

[w7ck7d]

What type of blade would you use? 

you can use 14"x1/8"x1" General Purpose Chop Saw Wheel ..Any home depot or lowes have em..

And ive used 3/16 x 1/4" grip aluminum rivets coz home depot or lowes here where i live doesnt have the stainless rivet.They work pretty good as well so far my termi tip still holding up.But if you find stainless rivet better.
Heres the aluminum rivets looks like..(excuse my bad photoshop)

[mookieo2]

3/16 x 1/4 in rivets are the norm I think. I got mine at West Marine. boating stores have tones of stainless. They are stonger than the aluminum. The bands are ss anyway so I would match it so they look the same. I would take the endcap off first then cut. There might be a perfed tub inside that needs to be cut longer and the packing had to come out in mine too.

[He Man]

Id use a metal disc, never tried using a GP on CF.
The only thing id say to stay away from would probably be wood, they have large teeth that could possibly get caught in the fibers.

[Raux]

ok maybe this is a dumb question, but i've seen those small hand held solid disk circular saws. the disk is about 4 inches diameter. would that work?

also, it does have packing and perforated pipe. so i know i have to take it apart before cutting.

is it hard to cut the packing and put it back it? is there a trick to it?

[Monstermash]

ok maybe this is a dumb question, but i've seen those small hand held solid disk circular saws. the disk is about 4 inches diameter. would that work?

also, it does have packing and perforated pipe. so i know i have to take it apart before cutting.

is it hard to cut the packing and put it back it? is there a trick to it?

 If you want the cut to come out straight/even I wouldn't recommend using andthing hand held. The pipes MUST be fully disassembled before cutting. It should be just the CF tube in your hand when you get it all apart.
 If your unsure of what your doing you should let someone who has some experience do it for you.