Are you getting the most out of your cut-off wheels?

[Youngster]

There was a seminar at the meet about tips and tricks. One I thought was interesting was about cut-off wheels. Most all of us know they cut best in a forward motion. By trying to cut while backing up you are mostly jus waring your disc down faster. What most don't concider is they are designed to cut at 20,000 rpm. When you use one on a air die grinder, you might be turning 20,000 rpm at first but as soon asyour air pressure drops, so do the rpms causing more ware on the disc.

Concider this, an electric die grinder turns 20 to 25,000 rpm constantly! You can make your cut without waiting for the air compressor to catch-up, your disc will last longer and you will make the cut faster. A comment was made that electric die grinder are much more expensive than the pneumatic type. This is true but for the hobbiest, Harbor Freight come to the rescue. $35 and you too can be the proud ower of a fine piece of equipment. If you do a lot of cutting, the savings alone in disc's and elictricity make this a viable option. I would agree there are times when an air type will best do the job especially one with a 90 degree head but for all other cuts....

Ron

 

[EX JUNK]

Thanks for the tip, Ron.

Jim

 

[Northstar T]

Good tips there Ron. thanks for sharing! there is also a tremendous difference in the lifespan of different brands of cut off disks. I've found Razor brand to be by far the best of those that I've tried. the HF disks and many others are just penny wise and pound foolish IMHO.

Russ

 

[Youngster]

In that same discussion Dan cut a 3" wide piece of 1/4" crs with a disc half as thin as a HF wheel. Then he cut a 1 1/2" wide piece of 1/4" with the HF wheel. When the wheels where compaired to a fresh one, the thin one lost about 1/8". The wider HF wheel lost nearly 3/8".

Ron

 

[lkeuten]

I've used cut-off discs in my 4.5 inch angle grinders for years works well for 1/4" or less and you need a steady hand so you don't get the disc in a bind. The 1/16" wide seem to make the best cuts and last the longest.

 

[Ted Brown]

I use a laminate trimmer (small hand router) for most of my cut off wheel jobs, they are nice and strong and fast, 27.000 RPM... Now and then I need a 90 degree cutter for tight places, and then the air unit will have to do the job... Like you said, speed and power is needed to make cutoff wheels last, as long as they don't bind and break, so be very careful, as they can kill... or at least make you wish you were dead... I have seen the damage they can do, not fun...

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[Dino]

Harbor freight cut off wheels are no good. They come apart way to easy . Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Todd]

I have the HF electric cut off tool and am very happy with it. Also, I make 3 or passes instead of trying to take all in one cut.

 

[fletcherson]

I have the HF electric cut off tool and am very happy with it. Also, I make 3 or passes instead of trying to take all in one cut.

I learned that the thin blades that are rated for stainless steel (they have more reinforcements) seem to last the longest for me, but they do cost more.