pipe beveling setup

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Hey guys i really want to start practicing my pipe welding, the only problem i seem to come across is that pipe bevelers r so expensive and the other day i seen a lathe being used to bevel a pipe. My question is what do use reckon the cheapest lathe set up would cost to bevel pipe. Thanks Steve
Reply:How big a piece of pipe? Diameter and length?.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:A pipe threading lathe like a Beaver, and a grinder.Beveled a lot of pipe that way. Fast and cheap if you have the threading drive. Stripped threading lathes (no holders or chasers, etc... just the motor drive and chuck) show up cheap pretty often. The style that rotates the pipe rather than the die is cheaper and is what you would want, unless you are working with lengths of larger pipe. The Beaver at work will run 1-1/2" lengths through the spindle, but will grab up to 6" (I think) internally, though it won't cut threads (not enough power) on anything larger than about 3".
Reply:I work at a power plant and most of the guys use a grinder with a flapper disc to sand the bevel in instead of a beveler. They can usually do it faster by hand. The machines are heavy a take time to set up.
Reply:id suggest getting a length of pipe, cutting into coupons and taking to a local shop and having them beveled on a lathe, by far the best way to do it. I also work at a generating station and i bevel all my 2" sch 160 pipes on the lathe. I have 5 different pressure tickets so doing them all with a grinder to practice is way to time consuming
Reply:hey guys thanks for all your help i did think about cuttin them to coupon size and taking them to a shop but its pretty expensive down here and consdiering this is going to be a on going think me practicing all postions etc i think i might get lathe if they r to expensive can you guys recomend any models or what to look out for when buyin a lathe
Reply:If you don't know how to use a lathe it's tough to tell you what to look for. You want everything to be tight with little wear usually. I've seen lathes that are crap go for big bucks used and I've seen like new machines go for pennies. It's some what going to be a crap shoot for you most likely.If you want small stuff, say 6" and less in dia. the HF lathes may work ok. Personally I'd get a better one than that myself. I'd get a nice quality import from MSC and know I got a good solid machine. Used industrial machines can be had cheap sometimes. However they are often VERY large and heavy and frequently 3 phase as well as often being well worn. Smaller single phase units show up from time to time, in decent shape but often command premium prices as they are in more demand for small shops and hobbiests.I'm lucky, I know 3 guys with decent sized lathes. Two I met thru my local tech school in my welding class. One of those will let me use his in the shop anytime he's there and not using it to bevel pipe. I'd start pounding the pavement and talking to guys at shops looking for someone to just run a few dozen off for you. It won't take all that long once he's set up and going. In this economythere's lots of guys willing to do a small easy side job at a decent rate if you supply the precut sections and all they've got to do is chuck them up and turn them..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:What the heck is wrong with beveling by hand? Its not very difficult.
Reply:I've always done it with a grinder by hand. Since I haven't figured out how put elbows in a lathe :PI have always wondered though. Is the glue of flap discs going to contaminate it?P.S.SR20steveDo you drive anything with an SR20 in it? Last edited by driftstar; 10-21-2009 at 10:51 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by driftstarI've always done it with a grinder by hand. Since I haven't figured out how put elbows in a lathe :PI have always wondered though. Is the glue of flap discs going to contaminate it?P.S.SR20steveDo you drive anything with an SR20 in it?
Reply:There is nothing wrong at all with using a grinder, Apart from the fact that my neighbour's will probaley not appreciate all the noise lol. So pretty much all i have to look out for is common sense things like not to much wear and tear. Also ye its just dawned on me i might have to take a machining course or something to figure how to lathe but all i really thought you had to do was put the cutting part of the lathe on a 37degree and slowly start cutting the pipe lol i spose its not that simple?i would be using 2 4 6 inch pipe wall thickness about 10-12mmThanks again for all your helpfull posts
Reply:Hey guys i just had a look at a couple of lathes and to be honest i was wat ahead of my self i dont think i would be able to operate it. So i have come to the decesion that im going to go to the small shop near by and get my pipes beveled and hopefully it wont cost to muchThanks for all your help guys really appreciate it this is the best forum around  and in the mean time i think i might go do a night tafe machining course