Angle grinders...

[BigRAWesty]

1mm turbo wheels, a grinders best friend.

Most sites I have been on ban 9in grinders BUT.... You can use a 7in grinder which has the same size motor but smaller disk.

It's a joke hay..

My favorite 2 tools in my shed..
The 5" is my file and the 9" is my grinder..
As mentioned alloy melts into the disk pores, so grab a 1.6mm inox free disc. This is a finer disc with a good reinforcement layer. I use 1mm disc but you have to be steady. To much side load and boom..
Don't stick it all the way in!!! Contrary to belief a little is better.
Only have the disc just cutting the bottom of the plate, the less disc in the alloy, the more fresh disc you have..
Use a handle, you get more control.
Do short stints, alloy the alloy to cool to avoid excessive build up on the disc.
And goes without saying, correct ppe.

[NP99]

Good words mate, if I knew last month....

[threedogs]

Would use those metal diamond wheels for alloy , my mate rips into me if I dress a piece[small] aluminium on the 8" grinder..
He says the wheel will explode. I have taken that advice on board. I have 4",5" and 9" grinders
The 5" I use with the cutting disc on and the 4" has a flap disc. mainly for cost. very rarely use the 9".
Years ago on a Job site a mate was told to grind a piece of steel that was freshly oxy cut. After cooling it he knelt on it and used the 9' with no guard
needless to say it grabbed and cut very deep across the top of his knee, no blood could see the bone he cut through. and he never returned to work

[kevin07]

From my understanding and from what I've been told, when ally is cut and heats up it can clog the normal cutting discs (mild steel) which can cause them the catch on what your cutting and then shatter. I've been told if you rub plenty of surfboard wax on the discs it will help prevent clogging but you have to keep the disc waxed up. I've been told cutting discs for Ally are not for the faint hearted either and it's probably best to use a saw............

Not my opinion but just passing on what I've been told by someone in the know.

yes clunk you are correct the aluminium will clog a standard cutting grinding disc by way of melting and getting caught inbetween and boom can occur one of the first things I was told in the hire industry the way to get around this is with a green disc specific for ally.kev

[MudRunnerTD]

We cut allot of tube and use a drop saw with a blade with a high tooth count. 80teeth. Works a treat.

Most shop fitters doing partition work will use a drop saw for their cutting on site. ( well did back in my day, been offsite for a long time though)

For cutting sheet like checker plate I would have no hesitation pulling out my 9" Makita power saw with a fine tooth blade. The trick though is to set the blade depth to only a little more than the cutting depth required so the face of the tooth is hitting the stock at a broad angle as far from 90d as possible. A 90d cut will cause some deformation in the sheet as the tooth is smashed through.

I have used my 6-1/2 Makita 18v to cut ally a couple of times and also used my scroll saw to cut square slots in a 5mm thick sheet of aluminium switch panel when building my GQ. Worked a treat. Lots of teeth, ally is soft.

[Winnie]

If I want to cut ally I go to my mates place and use his old man's milling machine =]

[threedogs]

Please explain,
but a 9" grinder is not a tool for a first time user, geees even turning them on can be a chore.
I stand on them to start just in case on/off is iffy. Can see why they are banned though.

[MudRunnerTD]

Please explain,
but a 9" grinder is not a tool for a first time user, geees even turning them on can be a chore.
I stand on them to start just in case on/off is iffy. Can see why they are banned though.

Hi John,

Wha did you need explaining?

When using a 9" angle grinder I am a big fan of being in the standing position with both hands on the machine in the operation grip, elbows in and braced to you body, one foot slightly forward like you are ready for a fight. Good balance, a firm grip and respect for the unit will see the job done safely.

As I See it the problem with standing on the unit is when your trying to the lift the bloody thing into an operating positionwhile it's spinning. Nasty bit of kit.

I remember sitting at the Christmas table about 10 years ago while my then 15 year old nephew told me how he and his mate were doing a heap of work on cars and his mates dad let them use his 9" angle grinder in-supervised and how his mates Dad had removed the guard cause it was in the way! I hit the farking roof at the Christmas table!!

He is my nephew by marriage and my wife is the youngest of 4 girls and this young fella did not have a dad so no male figure. I am that guy now. My sister inlaw's all just looked at me. No idea. Needless to say he never used the grinder again. His friends Dad should be bloody shot!! D1ckhead! Right there!

[threedogs]

Nah trying to figure out how a milling machine can cut alloy sheet or alloy.
Agree with what you're saying, brace yourself
Need the guard on regardless if it cant cut deep enough.
You cant take short cuts as you said its a bit of Kit

[growler2058]

Angle grinders are my pet hate in construction as far as getting blokes to do the right thing when they use the things. Use 2 hands all handles and guards attached don't cut above your head, use a visor. We had a kid get a battery 4" kick on him and smacked him in the mouth, not a pretty sight. Plenty of people tell me that battery A/G doesn't kick back I reply bullshit then show them the photo.