I started with Hardiebacker for the first time today for the wall of a shower, and was greatly impressed by the ease of the score-and-snap method for getting the large pieces I need. However, I also require some thin strips of Hardibacker for a few places (e.g., 3.5 inches wide for the entrance on either side of the curb; 1.5 inches wide in a corner). In those cases there isn't a lot of board to provide much leverage to snap, so how can I make such thin strips reliably?
How to cut thin strips of Hardiebacker
cement-boardcutting
Related Solutions
I don't know about the UK, but in the US I'd look in the phonebook or online for "portable lumbermill service". There are indeed devices which can be brought to a jobsite and set up to slice boards from a felled trunk. Definitely worth considering for hardwoods, if you have a place to store the resulting lumber until it dries (typically a year per inch of thickness for air-drying). Cost per board-foot is usually quite reasonable.
The tools can also be purchased, of course. Some are as simple as a guided chainsaw with a longer than usual cut and a chain ground specifically for ripping. Others are guided bandsaws. The guides can be as simple as rollers following the surface of the previous cut (using a 1x12 nailed to the log to guide the first cut), or can be full frames with built-in tracks for the saw and mechanisms to assist with rotating the log to obtain the best grain patterns.
Or, if the wood's at all interesting, you could see if any local sawmill would be interested in buying the logs, and ask them if they could cut the slabs you want as part of that deal.
I think the answer in both cases is a handsaw in a mitrebox. For 200mm pipe, that's probably going to be a home-made mitrebox with 250mm tall sides and 200-202 mm between the sides.
The simplest solution to the second problem for relatively short segments is to make the box long enough to cut both angles without moving the pipe, and clamp it in place - perhaps with wedges, or perhaps a strap clamp or hose clamp attached to the bottom of the box.
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Best Answer
After scoring, place the sheet on the floor as usual, then cover the thin strip with a stiff board or straight stud as long as the score line. Align one edge of the board with the score. Kneel, or have someone stand, on the board. Pull up on the larger piece.
In other words, score and snap as usual, but trap the thin piece between your work surface and a stiff strong board.