It's stool legs about 3/4" in diameter. What equipment am I looking for? Preferably cheap. Metal saw?

You need a hacksaw with a metal cutting blade. And be sure to install the blade so that it cuts only when the saw is being pushed away from the user. It should slide easily when being puled back toward the user.

Another option is a pipe cutter. It will probably be slightly more expensive, but takes no skill and your cuts will be exactly 90° to the pipe. Go with this only if you need a nice cut and plan on doing a lot of them.

This. I love pipe cutters, always a great cut.

Thats what I was going to suggest.

:p

I used one of these to custom fit some bathroom towel bars once. If the stool metal is thin enough, this would be my first plan.

Cutting something perfect with a hacksaw without the help of a vise can be difficult.

It's a stool. Lay it on its side and the legs will stabilise it while you cut.

Not the way a gentleman treats his stool.

Regardless. If it is the right kind of stool, you can turn it upside down. Then it will seat 4.


http://www.restaurant-services.com/images/stool/Stool_19.jpg

Well, if he just wants to shorten the legs, that would actually be a bad thing, assuming the legs are somewhat tilted, which they probably are. Think about it.

That's a possibility, depends on the construction of the stool and if there are plugs with those ball jointed skids to go in the pipe and make the stool sit level. I'm sure the OP will figure it out though.

If you want to cut the legs angled with a hacksaw parallel to the floor, cut a wooden block to the length you want cut off, and tape a sharpie to the top. With the stool and the base of the block on a level surface, move to block around the legs so as to mark where to cut, and it will be at the exact angle needed for the pipe to hit the floor nice and flat.

Actually, it's not the legs I'm after. I used the example for ease of reference. The chair has legs that sorta extend AFTER the seat up and join at the top to form a "back." Actually, it doesn't even extend. It's like a upside down "U" welded to where the legs meet the seat. I just want to get rid of that "U"

hacksaw is a good choice if its a thin pipe.

i would personally use an angle grinder with a cutting disc though. those pipe cutter things seem like such a unitasker

Angle grinder and you'll be done in a sec, remember to remove any burrs or sharp edges.
You can easily use a cutting disk for all of it...

A hacksaw or pipe cutter shouldn't cost much though, at least a hell of a lot less than an angle grinder, but an angle grinder has more uses than the two other tools.

If you don't own a hacksaw, you should go buy one. If you don't own an angle grinder...well, you also should probably buy one, because they are so damn useful. But they are a LOT more expensive (for a good one, at least, and you don't really want to buy cheap with power tools).

oh yeah, with the hacksaw, i recommend you get blades thats marked 32T (teeth per inch i think), as opposed to 18T or 24T. 32T can cut metal properly. the lower ones cut wood quicker, but will bounce around when cutting metal

Thanks for your replies. I can't afford the angle grinder. I'll buy the hacksaw though. 38TPI blades. If I find a higher number, would that be better?

Thanks for your replies. I can't afford the angle grinder. I'll buy the hacksaw though. 38TPI blades. If I find a higher number, would that be better?A higher TPI would give you a cleaner/finer cut, but would take a little longer to cut with.
I'd look for blades that are labeled as for metal and see what range of TPI they cover. I'm thinking they'll say if they give a 'rough' or 'fine' cut, so check them all out and find one with a description that best fits what you want.
You may even be able to find a variety pack, which is what I'd recommend.

Not the way a gentleman treats his stool.

Regardless. If it is the right kind of stool, you can turn it upside down. Then it will seat 4.


http://www.restaurant-services.com/images/stool/Stool_19.jpg


reminds me of a gay joke.

'how do you fit 4 homosexuals on a stool?'

i think you can guess the rest.