Measuring and

Cutting
Galvanized
z

Steel Pipe
 Measuring and Cutting
z

Errors committed in the measuring and

cutting of pipes, may mean additional
pipes and fittings, cost of labor, and the
risk of water leakage. The face-to-face
methods of measuring and cutting of pipe
connection is considered the most reliable.
 z Cutting and Threading
Operations
On cutting and threading operations, steel
pipe should be held rigidly with a proper
holding tools. Cutting is done by using a
14-teeth per inch hacksaw blade applying
forward strokes at the rate of about one
stroke per second. Remember that fast
cutting will overheat and break the blade.
After cutting, the burrs are removed from
the inside edge of the pipe with files or
reamers. Threading of steel pipe entail a
very tedious process. Hence, it is
important for one to know before hand the
basic rules governing the threading
operations enumerated as follows:

1. Never hold threaded parts with a

wrench. It will surely damage the
thread.
2. Put two nuts on them, lock tightly, and
continue the threading operations.
3. During the process of threading, apply
motor oil regularly to protect both the
threader and the thread of the pipe.
4. To ensure tight and rigid connections,
the threads should be slightly tapered
so that the turning of the fitting will be
harder the deeper you screwed.
5. Provide the threaded portion of the
pipe with a Teflon tape in a clockwise
direction before turning the fitting joint
to obtain a water-sealed connection.
6. The use of ready made nipples ranging
from 2 inches to 12 inches long was
proven economical than fabricating
them on site. The amount of cutting
and treading as well as the time of
installing is reduced substantially.
TABLE 1 LENGTH OF SCREWED PIPE INTO THE FITTING
Pipe Diameter Standard Fitting Drainage Fitting
mm in cm cm
12 ½ 1.2 ----
20 ¼ 1.2 ----
25 1 1.6 ----
32 1¼ 1.6 1.6
38 1½ 1.6 1.6
50 2 2.0 1.6
75 3 ----- 2.2
100 4 ----- 2.5
Not all threads are screwed into the fitting, by forcing through may
results in splitting of the pipe fitting.
From Figure 1, determine the length of
galvanized steel pipe required to connect
the installation using 12 mm or 1/2-inch
pipe.
SOLUTION
1. The face-to-face distance is 4.30
meters. Refer to Table 1 the additional
length of the screw inside the fitting for a
12 mm pipe is 1.2 centimeters.
1.2 cm. x 2 ends = 2.4 cm.

2. Add to the face to face clear distance

430 cm. + 2.4 = 432.4 centimeters.

 Determining the G.I. Pipe
Diameter
The size of galvanized iron pipe is the
diameter of its hole not the outside
diameter. In the absence of a measuring
caliper, the inside diameter of a pipe can
be known by measuring the outside
circumference of the pipe with a string.
With the aid Table 2, the inside diameter
could be found easily.
TABLE 2 LENGTH OF SCREWED PIPE INTO THE FITTING 

Circumference
54 67 83 113 133 150
String Length

Pipe and Size

10 13 20 25 32 38
mm

Equivalent in
3/8 ½ ¾ 1 1¼ 1½
inches
z END