Easiest way to cut open a filter?

[cwilliamsws6]

When my car is due for an oil change likely here in the fall with how much driving I'd been doing recently I'd like to do a C&P of my filter and was wondering the best way to go about it without killing myself. I don't have an actual filter cutter and I'm not spending the money on one as I'd literally probably use it once a year so I was thinking of putting my filter in my vise and hacksawing the baseplate off.

 

[FordBroncoVWJeta]

Tin snips.

 

[deoxy4]

Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
Tin snips.


+1

Just had to open one and used tin snips. Works! Here is a video, not mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrH92W6ODy4

 

[CR94]

Switch to a vehicle that uses cartridge filters. Then you can easily examine the condition of the guts of the filter without bothering with a messy cutting routine, not only after use, but before use as well.

 

[joegreen]

I tried to use tin snips on mine but the steel was too thick. I ended up taking my grinder and grinding the lip off the top of the can.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Originally Posted by deoxy4
Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
Tin snips.


+1

Just had to open one and used tin snips. Works! Here is a video, not mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrH92W6ODy4


Thanks deoxy4 that's the first time I ever seen this. I will try it next time. I learned something new already today!

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted by joegreen
I ended up taking my grinder and grinding the lip off the top of the can.


+1. With a flap disc you can grind the crimp off from mounting surface end and see the line when you go through the metal, nice and clean.

 

[Donald]

Spend the money for a filter cutter.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted by Donald
Spend the money for a filter cutter.

Yep.

I remember one BITOG member cut his finger and needed to go to the ER for a few stitches.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Originally Posted by joegreen
I ended up taking my grinder and grinding the lip off the top of the can.


+1. With a flap disc you can grind the crimp off from mounting surface end and see the line when you go through the metal, nice and clean.


A cut off disc wheel, right next to the crimp, works great.

 

[DGXR]

Originally Posted by joegreen
I tried to use tin snips on mine but the steel was too thick. I ended up taking my grinder and grinding the lip off the top of the can.

This is what I did too. Was concerned about metal bits grinding into the can but didn't see hardly any there (I looked very closely). Hacksaw would be even messier. But yes the tin snips would produce minimal debris, if you can manage this method.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by DGXR
... Hacksaw would be even messier. ...
Not necessarily by much. Back when I had spin-ons to open, I used a hacksaw, and got very few steel particles in the media. The trick is to stop promptly as soon as you're barely through the first layer of metal at any point on the circumference, and to break the end plate off before you've cut completely through the can, by striking the seam sharply.

Actual drawbacks of the hacksaw method are that it's slow, and holding the filter steady is awkward without some sort of special fixture.

 

[kstanf150]

$40 bucks

 

[danthaman1980]

I use an exhaust and tailpipe cutoff tool. Works perfectly.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by danthaman1980
I use an exhaust and tailpipe cutoff tool. Works perfectly.


They are sooooo hard to find anymore....

Thieves love 'em - - makes it easy to steal cat converters.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

With a filter cutter, what else?

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by cwilliamsws6
When my car is due for an oil change likely here in the fall with how much driving I'd been doing recently I'd like to do a C&P of my filter and was wondering the best way to go about it without killing myself. I don't have an actual filter cutter and I'm not spending the money on one as I'd literally probably use it once a year so I was thinking of putting my filter in my vise and hacksawing the baseplate off.



Easiest way: send filter to me to cut open and post it for you

 

[Garak]

I was going to suggest that.