3" cordless cutoff tool

[Ron_J]

I have been using my 4 1/2" grinder as a cutoff tool forever and am sick and tired of swapping back and forth between the cutoff disk and grinding wheel. So, I was planning on picking up a cordless grinder this weekend and see that dewalt (that is the color of the rest of my tools) has a 3" cutoff tool.

20V MAX* XR® Brushless Cordless 3 in Cut-Off Tool (Tool Only) | DEWALT

Cut a wide range of materials with the 20V MAX* XR® Brushless 3 in. Cut-Off Tool. With a no-load speed of 20,000 rpm, this durable tool is designed to cut through a variety of materials like metal, ...

www.dewalt.com

Anyone have any experience with this tool? I am a little suspect that first, as a battery tool, it will die rather quickly cutting thicker steel. Second, will it have the power I am used to with the grinder. I suspect not, but maybe the better question would be will it have enough power for most of my jobs. I can always fall back on the grinder for the big jobs I guess.

I put off getting a second grinder because it seemed silly to get something I already had, even though most people are big proponents of having multiple grinders. Just looking for some honest reviews from those that have used it.

 

[WillyBoy]

The first thing that comes to me is how long the disks will last. The amount of use you can get from a 4-1/2 inch angle grinder disk before it wears down to an unusable diameter seems like it will be longer than the amount of "useful diameter" on a 3 inch disk. If you use it a lot, you may be changing disks more often.

 

[Ron_J]

The first thing that comes to me is how long the disks will last. The amount of use you can get from a 4-1/2 inch angle grinder disk before it wears down to an unusable diameter seems like it will be longer than the amount of "useful diameter" on a 3 inch disk. If you use it a lot, you may be changing disks more often.

I thought about the, and that's a good point.

 

[Jlanciani]

I have one and love it for threaded rod, conduit, sheet metal, etc. I use an inexpensive diamond grit wheel that cuts faster and cleaner than a regular abrasive and lasts a long time.

 

[duneslider]

Nobody here knows how much you use a grinder so it's hard to answer if the battery will be good enough for you. I love my battery grinder but I also have 3 corded grinders with different media on them. (Diamond blade, cutoff, flapper) I wish I had another 1 or 2 to keep a grinder disk on and maybe a wire wheel. I personally mostly use the battery grinder for smaller jobs that I don't want to pull a cord out to. In the garage I don't mind the cords but if I am out in the yard or driveway the battery is nice. 2 of my grinders are cheap ones. One is a dewalt. Oh, I just forgot I also have a makita variable speed that I use for polishing tile/stone edges. I guess I have more than I can remember...

 

[dougf]

I've been wondering the same thing. If you go through with the piurchase, update this thread for the rest of us please!

 

[rdoty]

I started off with one grinder and quickly discovered how useful they are. Like you, got tired of swapping discs. Bought a second grinder. Learned about the range of discs available and what you could do with them. I'm now up to 5-6 grinders and a large assortment of discs. Grinders aren't expensive and it is so convenient to grab what you need. Especially in a project where you are using multiple discs, such as cutting, grinding, and finer sanding.

Amusingly, 4-1/2" angle grinders ended up being complemented by die grinders on an air hose. Die grinders are light and precise. And Roloc is a major game changer! Seems like the cool kids are going cordless and I'm stuck on a leash...

 

[WillyBoy]

They sure are handy. I have (only) three. Two DeWalts, one with a thin, dished cutting wheel, and one with an overlapping flap disc.
The Makita has a knotted cup brush for rust removal. This is the one to keep careful control of!

 

[Fav Onefour]

I do see some advantage with the smaller version having a different configuration. I do run into situations where that part may be handy. It is an interesting tool. I'd love to see a ******** use review.

I'm also in the school of using multiple grinders myself. Each one is loaded with a different wheel or brush. One more thing to note is the cordless factor. My last couple of grinders have been corded versions. Part of that reasoning is the type of use. Quick cuts, or cleanup are fine with batteries. Running hard for long periods is easier with a good corded grinder. (The cheap buggers burn up when you need them.) I also like the smaller bodies on the corded grinders.

The fact that I prefer using multiple grinders makes the 3" tool interesting. Maybe . . . .

 

[Shiftless]

I keep a knotted wire cup brush on my Dewalt corded grinder and a cut off wheel on my corded Metabo. Like others, I don’t feel the need to have a cordless cutoff tool although it IS the preferred tool for bicycle thieves.

 

[Spud McGee]

Depends on what sort of jobs you want to do. I have the cordless milwaukee one. Even with the big battery, it doesn't hold enough juice to get through anything besides a small task. If you use it moderately, you'll be running through batteries faster than you can recharge your spares.

 

[KansasArt]

I was in the same camp as you. Pulled out my grinder and it had the grinding stone on. So I timed myself as to how long it took me to put on my cut off wheel. 4 minutes with a few seconds to spare. I laughed at myself and said I can spare 4 minutes!! But I only use mine maybe once a week. If I had to switch multiple times a day I would definitely get 2 tools!

 

[Ron_J]

I was in the same camp as you. Pulled out my grinder and it had the grinding stone on. So I timed myself as to how long it took me to put on my cut off wheel. 4 minutes with a few seconds to spare. I laughed at myself and said I can spare 4 minutes!! But I only use mine maybe once a week. If I had to switch multiple times a day I would definitely get 2 tools!

The time isn't as much of an issue, as I don't make my living with them. But, it does get old swapping them out. If I had to guess, with the project I am working on now, I've gone back and forth a couple dozen times.

 

[Ron_J]

I've been wondering the same thing. If you go through with the piurchase, update this thread for the rest of us please!

Right now I am leaning towards a cordless grinder for the grinding wheel and the cutoff disk for the corded one, and if I have to swap them around for a specific project, so be it. Or, just buy another corded and cordless. I think having a cordless would come in handy.

 

[06 DIESEL]

I have two cordless grinders and I think five or six corded grinders plus at least one air grinder. Being able to have a grinding wheel on one and a cutoff wheel on another is a huge time saver when you have a project that you need both. I have seen these little cuttoff tools and thought they might be handy but I can not yet justify the cost of one. If I saw a deal on a red one I might pick it up since that is the battery platform I already have, but until then I think my drawer full of the others will probably suffice. Who am I kidding, this is GJ, of course I want one, and have looked at them a few times, just haven't had the correct project to justify the purchase yet....

 

[Yankeefarmer]

I have the Milwaukee M12 Fuel one, and it’s one of my most used and loved tools. Battery life is not a concern, because I’m usually only cutting small stock (under 1/8” x 2) or using it to shorten fasteners or cut sheet metal too thick for my small shear. I bought it to save dragging out the air hose for my pneumatic one. When I’ve needed to make longer cuts, like along the length of steel tubing, I use a corded angle grinder with an attachment I bought at harbor freight to serve as a depth and edge guide.

 

[duneslider]

I was in the same camp as you. Pulled out my grinder and it had the grinding stone on. So I timed myself as to how long it took me to put on my cut off wheel. 4 minutes with a few seconds to spare. I laughed at myself and said I can spare 4 minutes!! But I only use mine maybe once a week. If I had to switch multiple times a day I would definitely get 2 tools!

I can swap a disc in a couple minutes but it takes me 15 minutes to find the special wrench for it.

 

[Rusted Nut]

I bought a 3” cordless Milwaukee for work. Under powered for hollow metal door frames and anything larger than 20 ga. Just buy another 4” or 5” grinder.

 

[nadogail]

I have three cheap Harbor Freight corded grinders and one DeWalt professional grade corded grinder.
One of the HF Grinders stays in my service van, the others usually stay in my shop. I am going to get another professional grade grinder when somebody else will pay for it. Cheap disposable grinders have been “good enough” but if someone else is buying I will take a good one.

 

[littlefan]

I have a ryobi one because that is my battery system it is not a replacement for an angle grinder it does have a place in my tool box just not as good as a grinder I have about 8 corded grinders and 2 battery ones It is handy for lite short cuts but does not have a lot of power Good angle grinders are not all that expensive if you watch for deals

 

[fourjeepin]

if you use grinders much, it is well worth getting one for each of the most commonly used discs. I picked up a second, then there was the 2 pack Ridgid deal that I couldn’t pass up. Now I keep one with a cutting disc, grinding disc, sanding disc, and one with a braided wire brush.

it is nice to only change when the disc is worn out!

 

[Goikification]

At work we have a couple of the 3-1/2" cutoff tools you mentioned and I like the ergonomics of them a lot. For big and heavy projects they aren't ideal but in the right application they are a great tool and the horizontal shaft arrangement is more comfortable for me. Better quality cutoff discs are better and for lighter work or smaller cuts they are hard to beat. The dust collection port is also awesome.

Grinders in general are battery hogs but the 5ah and 8ah DeWalt batteries are a bit of a game changer. If you look you can find good sales on occasion Ace recently had a 2pack deal that was very fair.

 

[Monza Harry]

I'm not much for cordless tools I've scrapped way too many, when batteries and/or chargers go dead and/or obsolete and/or cost more than the newest "next best thing". I have been trying to justify one of
these though for tighter spots:

https://www.princessauto.com/en/searchresults?Nr=product.active%3A1&Ntt=3%22%20straight%20cut%20off%20wheel%20tool*&Nty=1&No=0&Nrpp=50&Rdm=500&searchType=simple&type=search

Harry

 

[PlanB]

The reviews on the Princess auto one mr
entuon the body diamter is too big relative to the 3" blade. Not enough cutting depth.

I picked up the
dewalt last week, first impresdion were very good on sheet metal...

But you need bigger (and good) batteries.

 

[PugetDude]

I have the 3" M12 Cutoff tool. It's fine for thin sheet metal, but I reach for a corded grinder if I'm doing anything over ~16 gauge.

A second 4.5" angle grinder would be my recommendation. Much more versatile.
I can change a wheel on my 1380 Bosch grinders in less than 30 seconds- no wrench required. I just depress the spindle lock button anbd give the used wheel a quick twist counterclockwise (wearing gloves....) 90% of the time they unscrew easily. The new wheel goes on hand-tight; they self-tighten under load. I very seldom have to use a wrench.

 

[IndyGarage]

I was looking for a thread on these.

A couple months ago, I picked up the Milwaukee M12 3 inch cutoff tool because I've seen a youtuber using one several times.

I find myself very often using a my cordless rotary tool (dremel) to cut off bolts or to cut some sheetmetal or other thing where a large angle grinder won't go. I've found the Milwaukee 3 inch cutoff to be much more capable than the rotary tool for such jobs, probably because the 3 inch discs are so much better.

For example I've used it recently for cutting a heat shield that was in the way of getting to a bolt on an engine that I needed to get out. Similarly I used it to cut away some sheet metal that was bent and keeping me from removing a bumper on a wrecked car I'm dismantling - and I used it to cut off a few screw heads that were stripped out and sticking out of some rough lumber on my pallet rack. I find it incredibly handy for little jobs that I would normally have to get out a full size grinder for.

However it is not a replacement for a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder. It has much lower capacity and capability. The motor isn't nearly as powerful. You aren't going to cut even thick sheetmetal very much with one of these. It will cutoff a corner or a notch, but it's not going to be used to do larger work.

I liked it so much I bought the Bosch version for my home shop and It's even more compact than the Milwaukee. If you haven't tried one of them, I recommend it.

 

[bobg03]

Depends on what sort of jobs you want to do. I have the cordless milwaukee one. Even with the big battery, it doesn't hold enough juice to get through anything besides a small task. If you use it moderately, you'll be running through batteries faster than you can recharge your spares.

I have some Ridgid 18V tools including the 3" cutoff, it's slick as poop for small jobs.

I have an m12 hacksaw handheld it's great for light light brush but I had some small limbs it was fighting with, took the same blade put it on the 18V ridgid reciprocated saw and lopped em off like a hot knife thru butter.