Manual pipe cutter - video

[Jon]

Manual pipe cutter. By Rom's Fabrication. 8:04 video:

[nova_robotics]

Gah. Don't weld to bearing races.

I bought one of these years ago and I love it more than my family. Also it allows me to moonlight as a catalytic converter thief. Not saying I would, but I like to leave my options open.

[hemmjo]

There are no words to describe my thoughts on this one. At least that I should put on this family oriented site. I did feel a few brain cells die off as I watched in disbelief.

[desbromilow]

'scuse my ignorance, but what is the "market" for all these catalytic convertor thefts? we don't seem to have the issue where I live, but the video I see shows people cutting them out of cars and running off with them... but who actually buys them, and what for?

other than replacing one which is stolen, I don't really see a big market for them...

[hemmjo]

Big dollars for them on the black recycling market. There is not that much platinum in them, typically less than 1/2 ounce, but there is some.

Right now Pt is over 1,000 per ounce. Of course they do not get 500.00 for a stolen converter but even if they get $25 they are making money. Cats are easy targets and low risk. Even if they are caught, nothing happens to them here in the US.

[nova_robotics]

'scuse my ignorance, but what is the "market" for all these catalytic convertor thefts? we don't seem to have the issue where I live, but the video I see shows people cutting them out of cars and running off with them... but who actually buys them, and what for?

I know a guy who owns a junk yard. During the pandemic he said a larger catalytic converter from a truck was worth $1600 CAD in scrap, less for smaller cars. So an old junker truck with a V8, which should normally be worth a couple hundred bucks, would be worth $3200 if the only thing you did was cut the cats off of it.

[desbromilow]

thanks for explaining it - all I see from here is memes about dopers/meth heads stealing them... so little context.

thanks,
Des

[IntheGroove]

You could end up dead stealing a catalytic converter...