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Band saw for pipe and conduit

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are an electrician or an HVAC installer with a bundle of steel conduit, a length of copper or steel pipe, and a ceiling void that a hacksaw will punish your shoulder for. A band saw for pipe and conduit is worth buying only if the stated cut depth clears the largest tube you actually meet, and only if you can hold the tool overhead without inventing a clamp. The [metal band saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/metal-band-saw) ranks five amazon.co.uk listings from 20 October 2026, including a bench saw this page sets aside. Peter F. did not cut pipe with these tools. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are an electrician or an HVAC installer with a bundle of steel conduit, a length of copper or steel pipe, and a ceiling void that a hacksaw will punish your shoulder for.

Our top picks

ONEMANA ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw

Best overall

ONEMANA ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw
6.2/10about £99.99
View offer
Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 FBS127 Gen 2 deep cut bare

Rank 2

Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 FBS127 Gen 2 deep cut bare
8.8/10about £299.99
View offer
Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 FBS85 FUEL bandsaw kit listing

Rank 3

Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 FBS85 FUEL bandsaw kit listing
7.1/10about £319.08
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Measure the largest tube before you compare saws
  2. 2.Overhead work wants a portable, and the bench saw stays downstairs
  3. 3.What each portable in this set can and cannot claim
  4. 4.Burrs, fumes and the point where the pipe should go to a workshop

Measure the largest tube before you compare saws

The depth that matters is the largest outside diameter you cut in a normal week. Common UK steel conduit is often 20 mm or 25 mm, which these stated capacities clear on paper. The decision gets serious on larger pipe and on Unistrut. The FBS127 title claims 127 mm. The ONEMANA bullets claim 2.5 inches, about 63.5 mm. The FBS85 extract states no depth. A 25 mm cut does not prove the saw will open a larger tube later. A fine pitch tracks a conduit wall, and a coarse pitch can grab. Clamp the pipe so the offcut does not close on the blade.

Overhead work wants a portable, and the bench saw stays downstairs

On an install the pipe is cut where it is going, not on a garage table. You want a cordless portable with a stated depth, a light and a hook. The FBS85 lists an LED, a rafter hook and 3.9 kg. The ONEMANA lists an LED and 4.77 kg. The FBS127 weight row of 12 g is not usable, so it is not the lightest overhead saw even though it leads on stated depth. If the tool feels awkward above shoulder height, stop and use a second person. The Bucktool is the wrong machine here. It is 16.7 kg at 240 V, and many sites want 110 V centre-tapped tools. Cutting loose conduit across your knee is how the band grabs. A stand vice, or someone supporting the offcut, is the minimum. Cut-stop does not hold the pipe. Setup is on how to use a metal band saw.
ONEMANA ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw

Testsieger

ONEMANA ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw
6.2/10about £99.99
View offer

What each portable in this set can and cannot claim

Shortlist the FBS127 bare tool at £299.99, with 4.5 from 25 reviews, when the largest pipe fits 127 mm and you already own M18 packs. The title is bare. It is a poor choice if new packs wipe out the saving. The ONEMANA at £99.99 is the lighter conduit saw if 63.5 mm covers the tube. Bullets mention pipe, conduit, PVC and a Makita-platform claim, while the title says tools only and another row says battery. Five reviews at 5.0 are not a trade history. The FBS85 at £319.08 is a candidate only if you accept a missing depth and the 2 × 2 Ah line is real. Three reviews and a 24-tooth line are not a diameter. The Generic listing at £548.99 claims 12 cm with no reviews, no voltage and a title that also says wood.

Burrs, fumes and the point where the pipe should go to a workshop

A band cut on conduit is usually cleaner than an abrasive disc, and the burr still cuts a hand and stops a connector seating. Deburr inside and outside before you couple. Copper and thin stainless need a lighter feed or the wall collapses. Oily tube can still fume when a bullet says cold cut. Hand the pipe to a fabrication shop when it is structural, when the diameter exceeds the stated capacity, or when the end must meet a weld procedure. PUWER still applies if employees use the portable. A 20 mm drop in a house is the work these saws are bought for. A heavy wall at the limit of the frame, overhead and with no vice, is the work to refuse. Portable rows do not give a reorder length as clearly as the Bucktool’s 1143 × 12.7 mm blade.

Common questions

What band saw depth do I need for conduit?
You need a stated capacity larger than the biggest pipe, with margin for the frame. The FBS127 title says 127 mm and the ONEMANA bullets say about 63.5 mm. Typical 20 mm and 25 mm conduit sits inside both. The FBS85 extract states no depth.
Can I cut conduit overhead with these saws?
Only with a portable you can control, and with the conduit held so it cannot spin. A rafter hook, an LED or cut-stop does not replace a vice. The Bucktool bench saw is the wrong machine for a ladder.
Will a band saw leave a burr on steel conduit?
Yes. The end is usually tidier than a grinding disc, and still sharp enough to cut skin and foul a fitting. Deburr inside and outside. The listings do not include a deburring tool, and cold-cut wording does not mean the end is smooth.
Is the cheap portable enough for installation work?
The ONEMANA at £99.99 is enough for light conduit when the largest section fits about 63.5 mm and the box is confirmed. It is not enough for tube that needs the 127 mm claim. If extra cells cost as much as the Milwaukee bare tool, the saving has gone.
When should an installer stop and send the material out?
Stop when the diameter is above the stated capacity, when the pipe is structural, or when the site allows only 110 V tools and you have a 240 V saw. PUWER still applies if you employ the person cutting ordinary conduit.

Related pages

Metal band saw buying guide

Cordless vs corded metal band saw

Metal band saw

Best metal band saw UK: site, bench or budget pick

How to use a metal band saw: tension, speed, clamp

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 20 October 2026.

  1. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. HSE INDG271: Buying new machinery (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. Axminster Tools: metal cutting bandsaw buying advice (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. amazon.co.uk Best Sellers: Band Saws (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. amazon.co.uk listings for the five ASINs in this set (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. amazon.co.uk Makita portable band saw listing B0009OMYEC (reference, not in this set) (retrieved 20 October 2026)