Tube Cutters

Tube Cutters for Australian Plumbing, Refrigeration and Trade Work

Tube cutters produce clean, square cuts on copper, plastic, stainless steel, and similar tubing without the burrs and angled cuts a hacksaw would leave. The cutting wheel rotates around the tube, cutting progressively as the wheel is tightened, until the tube parts cleanly. For Australian plumbers, refrigeration technicians, and trade workers cutting tubing daily, the right tube cutter matched to the tubing material and size is essential. AIMS Industrial supplies tube cutters from Bahco and approved trade brands.

The tube cutter types we stock

• Standard tube cutters — adjustable-jaw cutters with a single cutting wheel; the everyday workshop choice
• Mini tube cutters — compact cutters for tight-access work in restricted spaces
• Ratcheting tube cutters — quick-action cutters that rotate to cut without operator handling
• Plastic pipe cutters — purpose-designed for PVC, PEX, and polyethylene tubing
• Stainless tubing cutters — for cutting harder stainless steel tubing without damage
• Internal tube reamers and deburring tools — for cleaning the cut edge before fitting
• Replacement cutting wheels — for keeping cutters in service when wheels wear

Where tube cutters earn their place

• Copper plumbing — water pipe in domestic and commercial plumbing
• Refrigeration tubing — copper refrigerant lines in HVAC and refrigeration installation
• Hydraulic and pneumatic tubing — small-bore tubing in industrial fluid systems
• Plastic pipe (PVC, PEX, polyethylene) — water service, drainage, irrigation
• Stainless steel tubing — food-grade, sanitary, and chemical-resistant tubing

Why tube cutters over saws

• Square cuts — the cutting wheel rotates perpendicular to the tube axis, producing clean square cuts every time
• No swarf — the wheel displaces material rather than removing it; no metal chips contaminating the system
• Cleaner working environment — no metal dust, no flying chips
• Faster than hacksaw — a few rotations cuts cleanly through the tube
• Better starting point for fittings — the clean cut accepts compression and flare fittings without rework

Sizing — match to tube range

Tube cutters are sized by the tubing diameter range they handle. Common ranges:

• 3-22mm (mini cutters) — small tubing in restricted access
• 3-32mm (small cutters) — domestic plumbing and refrigeration tubing
• 5-50mm (medium cutters) — general workshop and commercial work
• 50-110mm (large cutters) — larger pipe and tubing

Match the cutter capacity to the largest tubing you'll routinely cut. Don't push cutters beyond their rated capacity — the cutting wheel binds and the cutter can be damaged.

Cutting practice

Position the cutter on the tube at the cut location. Tighten the cutter so the wheel just contacts the tube. Rotate the cutter around the tube, then tighten slightly more. Continue rotating and tightening progressively until the tube parts cleanly. Don't over-tighten in a single rotation — that crushes the tube rather than cutting cleanly. After cutting, deburr the cut end with a deburring tool to remove the small lip raised by the cutting wheel.

Cutting wheel materials

• Standard tool steel wheels — for copper, brass, aluminium, and soft tubing
• Carbide-tipped wheels — for stainless steel and harder tubing; longer service life
• Plastic-cutting wheels — purpose-shaped for plastic pipe; finer cut than metal wheels

Match the wheel to the tubing — using metal wheels on plastic pipe produces poor cuts; using plastic wheels on metal tubing damages the wheel.

Brands stocked at AIMS

Bahco covers the everyday tube cutter range with strong product depth across sizes and ratcheting designs. Other approved brands fill specific roles. Replacement cutting wheels are stocked alongside the cutters — keep cutters in service rather than replacing them when only the wheel has worn.

Companion ranges at AIMS

Tube cutters sit alongside our broader plumbing tool range — see plumbing tools, pipes, tubes and fittings, pipe saw blades, and saws and hacksaws for the related products.

Need help speccing tube cutters for plumbing, refrigeration, or specific tubing work? contact our team — we'll match by tubing material, diameter range, and cutter type.