angle grinder what do I need

[BurtEggley]

have some soft steel tomato cages that are poorly made and I want to cut them up to recycle them. The steel is soft but it will ruin the good quality wire cutters I have, and I do not have a bolt cutter. One solution is the Dewalt sawzall with a metal blade but it would require using the vise all day I think to keep the pieces from vibrating. The other option is to use my Milwaukee angle grinder. Right now I just use 4 1/2 type 27 flap discs on it to sharpen lawn mower blades, and other garden implements. It came with a 6" type 27 guard and a 6" type 1 plastic clip on guard. I am thinking that a cut off wheel would cut the tomato cages quickly and I could just have the other half hold one end a couple feet from where I am cutting. Plenty of safety glasses, hood etc., but I don't know if I get a 4 1/2" type 27 wheel it would be safe in the 6" guard. Any one familiar with angle grinder have a suggestion? It is a Milwaukee 3670-20. The manual lists a 4 1/2 guard part for type 27 part # 43-54-1200, and for type 1 part number # 43-54-1210. Amazon only lists clone aftermarket guards and the big box orange store, the blue store, and the Ace stores etc don't stock guards. I'd rather not mess with a six inch wheel for this unless someone says that is the only way to go. A science experiment a long time ago tells me that a six inch wheel will be slightly harder to control.

 

[pi_guy]

Step on them and fold them into small packages.

 

[BurtEggley]

Step on them and fold them into small packages.

Thanks - already been there. Each one is 4 each 3'x 2' panels. About half the welds are broken and they poke at you a dozen different ways.

 

[Torque&Recoil]

I have that grinder, and yes, I bought the smaller guard. Sorry, I don't recall exactly where I bought it, but it might have been Zoro. I thought the 6" guard was too clumsy for smaller wheels and the smaller guard wasn't very expensive. I don't think a sawzall is a good tool for your job. Why don't you just use "aviation snips" to cut the tomato cages? I kinda like Midwest, but there are other good brands out there.

 

[BurtEggley]

Thank you . I bundled them so a whole bunch were together to cancel each other out, and took the sawzall to them with a fine blade then cleaned up all the filings with a magnet so it doesn't stain patio. It's done although the arthritis in the hands is going to smart for a day. That said, T&R you answered my question. I will get a 4 1/2 cut" off wheel to put with the angle grinder for next time. And yes, Zoro has the type 27 4 1/2" guard. I'll get one ordered tonight. First I'll have to see if I have a 20% coupon. I know I have a 10% one that just came in the other day.

 

[Bucko]

Scrappers take anything metal around here if its set out a day before trash day. Our trash pickup includes bulk stuff including appliances and tires. I put a fridge out and it lasted 30 minutes before 2 guys in a pickup grabbed it.
Some scrap guys even run posts on Facebook marketplace.

 

[PCustoms]

12" bolt cutter

 

[BurtEggley]

12" bolt cutter

yes but I lack one and will likely never use it again. Thank you for the suggestion because I did consider one, and it would have been the easiest tool to use.

 

[PFSard]

If I didn't have bolt cutters (which I do have), I'd probably try a hammer and a cold chisel.

 

[Viper98912]

I'm a little confused by your post; why don't you just buy and use a 4-1/2" cutting disc?

 

[Cheesy1]

What’s a guard on an angle grinder?

 

[whateg01]

Bolt cutters show up all the time on cl and FBmp for little money. Use them, then resell for what you paid.

 

[The Cobbler]

just use "aviation snips" to cut the tomato cages

good way to ruin the snips....

 

[PugetDude]

Knipex mini bolt cutters.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm a little confused by your post; why don't you just buy and use a 4-1/2" cutting disc?

This would make quick work of them.

I'm surprised that anyone owning a 4.5" angle grinder doesn't have cut off discs.

 

[WWheeler]

12" bolt cutter

yes but I lack one and will likely never use it again. Thank you for the suggestion because I did consider one, and it would have been the easiest tool to use.

The Pittsburgh 12" and 18" bolt cutters at Harbor Freight are only $10 & $12 respectfully, and that's if there's not any sort of coupon or sale on them. They are not heavy-duty tools by any means but would make quick work of this and do come in handy for a lot of other things too.

 

[KnurledNut]

 

[finn]

This would make quick work of them.

I'm surprised that anyone owning a 4.5" angle grinder doesn't have cut off discs.

His grinder isn’t a 4 1/2”, it’s larger, and he wants to use 4 1/2” cutoff wheels.

 

[PugetDude]

As much as I hate Knipex for their Noodle Nose Pliers, their mini bolt cutters are so far ahead of the knockoffs that it isn't really even a fair comparison.

 

[PCustoms]

His grinder isn’t a 4 1/2”, it’s larger, and he wants to use 4 1/2” cutoff wheels.

And he's currently using 4 1/2 flap discs on a 6" grinder, asking if running a smaller cutoff is safe.

Yes, as cutoffs wear.

This is one of those "If you have to ask" situations

 

[NUTTSGT]

OP says it's a Milwaukee 3670-20. According the website, it's a M18 4.5-6" grinder.

 

[PCustoms]

OP says it's a Milwaukee 3670-20. According the website, it's a M18 4.5-6" grinder.

Yep, I didn't read the far.

A 4.5" wheel with a 6" guard is fine. Does anyone toss their 4.5" wheel at 3" because the guard is too big?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yep, I didn't read the far.

A 4.5" wheel with a 6" guard is fine. Does anyone toss their 4.5" wheel at 3" because the guard is too big?

Guard only got in the way one time.

 

[cosmokenney]

Was just going to reply about these. They have a 1001 uses beyond "bolts". I got a similar pair to cut welding filler rod.

 

[Wamsutta]

All you need is a regular guard and a cut-off wheel. Rotate the guard to where it will block the disc if it explodes.

 

[danielbuck]

What’s a guard on an angle grinder?

the thing that lets you put your arm on it and press down for more cutting power

 

[danielbuck]

if you're using this to cut up cages, you'll likely be using the grinder single handed almost the entire time. keep that in mind, these battery grinders get heavy after a while of using them with 1 hand. If it catches, it'll probably want to jerk the cage towards you, so you'll want to have 1 hand on the cage and one with the grinder

 

[Beerhippie]

Just get a 4 1/2" cut-off wheel and get to it.

Any twisting action will likely shatter the wheel. Wear a face mask AND goggles. A good coat can be good armor. Some folks won't wear gloves while running a grinder due to the possibility of the gloves becoming entangled with the wheel. I wear gloves and have never had a problem (knocks on wood).

Watch which way the sparks spray--they should spray directly back at you. While this seems wrong, it means the angle grinder will launch AWAY from you--the direction opposite the sparks--should it bind.

Cut off wheels cut flesh very well and leave a wide gash that's slow to heal.

 

[PugetDude]

Cut off wheels cut flesh very well and leave a wide gash that's slow to heal.

At least they are usually hot enough to cauterize the wound.

 

[American Locomotive]

There is no problem with using a 4.5" wheel in a 6" guard besides the guard sometimes getting in the way.

However, 6" angle grinders usually spin slower than 4.5" grinders, so you will get better performance by putting a 6" disc in it.

 

[danielbuck]

There is no problem with using a 4.5" wheel in a 6" guard besides the guard sometimes getting in the way.

However, 6" angle grinders usually spin slower than 4.5" grinders, so you will get better performance by putting a 6" disc in it.

he's cutting probably 1/8" or 3/18" rod. whatever the speed it spins it'll go right through

 

[B_Bimmer]

It's already been said but deserves repeating until obeyed. Use this as an excuse to buy a pair of knipex mini bolt cutters. I'm not a knipex fan. They are all that. Buy them. You will find many other uses.

 

[JradM]

Knipex cobolt pliers are the $50 solution to your $5 problem - but they feel like in-use too. They're just that much better than most mini bolt-cutters and make tough cutting less tiring. I feel like there was a Project Farm video where Capri's version performed well too, but I don't own those to compare.

If the wire is thick enough that your disc/blade has to pause at each cut (as opposed to just zipping through a panel in one motion), then the cobolts would likely be faster than powered cutting.

I bought the cobolts originally to use for barb wire fencing. They cut through the double-stranded wire, or the thicker staples, without issue. There's a serrated version that looks even better in some respects (would keep things from pushing out of the jaws), if the cut quality doesn't matter. That's the kind of cutting task I'm suggesting - e.g. you could cut that with an angle grinder, but it would be slower than a quick snip.

 

[csp]

I run my 4.5" cutoff discs until they're too small to reach what I'm trying to cut. It's no different than running a 4.5" cutoff wheel in a 6" angle grinder as long as the arbor is the same size.

 

[tarbellb]

stacked slightly mangled awkward heavy wire, one handed-

I'm pretty confident w a angle grinder but this sounds like a sketchy cut session

Mini bolt cutters would be my choice

 

[BurtEggley]

as indicated, the sawzall did the deed. I cut a bunch of the grids at a time bundled, and the vibration canceled out. A new T27 4-1/2 Milwaukee guard came in today from Zoro. The 6" one is now retired to the case the grinder lives in. Thank you all for the suggestions. Had someone suggested a $7 bolt cutter before they cages were cut, I would have tried it. I have a plethora of one time use heavy things that make the bottom drawer on my tool bin a workout to open and close. Didn't want a set of larger ones.

 

[partsguy5768]

What’s a guard on an angle grinder?

Lol I have more then a dozen angle grinders as I hate changing wheels.. keep something different on each one. Guard 1st thing in the garbage impractical to do real work with them on.

What’s a guard on an angle grinder?

 

[whateg01]

... Guard 1st thing in the garbage impractical to do real work with them on.

Yeah can't use an angle driver with a guard for anything. Except all the stuff I use my angle grinders for with the guards. Must be like the Bridgeport thing

 

[partsguy5768]

Yeah can't use an angle driver with a guard for anything. Except all the stuff I use my angle grinders for with the guards. Must be like the Bridgeport thing

Sure.... you keep your guard and work and I'll keep throwing them in the garbage and keep getting my work done quickly.

 

[Dagny]

linemans plier