Which is the best type of cut off tool to use in a typical K5 floor repair? Soon I will be cutting and replacing part of the floors at the tailgate and behind the front seats. I own a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder, but is there a better tool?
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Cut off tool
- Thread starter hammermachine
- Start date
if you have air, just get a straight die grinder and run a cutoff wheel arbor.. way better than "muffler cutters" with the shield...
but if your electric only, it's hard to beat a 4 1/2" grinder with the appropriate wheel.. you can buy straight electric die grinders, and run the aforementioned arbor with good results.. heck, we run the super cheapy Harbor Freight one at work, and tho a POS, it does the job..
here's an arbor for die grinders
but if your electric only, it's hard to beat a 4 1/2" grinder with the appropriate wheel.. you can buy straight electric die grinders, and run the aforementioned arbor with good results.. heck, we run the super cheapy Harbor Freight one at work, and tho a POS, it does the job..
here's an arbor for die grinders
Tools
I've never used a die grinder, only a 4 1/2 grinder. I only have electric available so its probably going to be either one or the other. Which offers more precise cuts?
if you have air, just get a straight die grinder and run a cutoff wheel arbor.. way better than "muffler cutters" with the shield...
but if your electric only, it's hard to beat a 4 1/2" grinder with the appropriate wheel.. you can buy straight electric die grinders, and run the aforementioned arbor with good results.. heck, we run the super cheapy Harbor Freight one at work, and tho a POS, it does the job..
here's an arbor for die grinders
I've never used a die grinder, only a 4 1/2 grinder. I only have electric available so its probably going to be either one or the other. Which offers more precise cuts?
the die grinder imo...
What about a sawz-all? I know they make quick work of sheetmetal with a decent blade, will it work better than a cutoff wheel?
4.5" cutoff blade in electric makes short work of most everything though, this I know.
4.5" cutoff blade in electric makes short work of most everything though, this I know.
owenst7
1/2 ton status
What about a sawz-all? I know they make quick work of sheetmetal with a decent blade, will it work better than a cutoff wheel?
4.5" cutoff blade in electric makes short work of most everything though, this I know.
They are difficult to do accurate curves with and they warp sheet metal a lot more. They don't fit in nearly as tight of places either.
IMO it's easier to make a nice straight cut with a grinder and cut off wheel than a sawzall
I agree on the sawzall, they also have a tendency to bind up in certain instances and will wreak havoc on sheet metal if you are trying to keep it flat.
4.5" grinder is definitely a do it all tool, grab a good assortment of wheels, I like to do stupid stuff with them (no guards, 6 " wheels etc, Ryoken knows what I mean) grab some nice thin cut offs, some 4.5's, maybe a 5", some grind wheels, flap wheels etc. Get a nice arsenal ready, also think about drilling out some spot welds, so at the very least some good new drill bits or a spot weld specific bit.
4.5" grinder is definitely a do it all tool, grab a good assortment of wheels, I like to do stupid stuff with them (no guards, 6 " wheels etc, Ryoken knows what I mean) grab some nice thin cut offs, some 4.5's, maybe a 5", some grind wheels, flap wheels etc. Get a nice arsenal ready, also think about drilling out some spot welds, so at the very least some good new drill bits or a spot weld specific bit.
tourus
Registered Member
If you have air available a die grinder is the best. all in all use a real good wheel. I would highly recommend a nortin or sait use any thing cheep you will not be happy. the wheels make up the difference in the tool.
I went to a grinder after seeing my electric bill skyrocket from using an air powered cut off tool,my compressor gobbles killowatts ,but a grinder can run all day and use about as much as light bulb...air tool might work faster,but it'll piss off the neighbors faster too!...and wheels cost more for them than a electric grinder...when I need to chop bolts off or large sections of metal I use my 9" grinder with a circular saw cutoff abrasive wheel on it...
I was getting used 14" chop saw blades from a welder after he wore then down to about 7" and they became useless for his chop saw for free...they are thick but last a long time..I now try to use the grinders before air tools or torches to save money on oxogen refills and electricity..
I was getting used 14" chop saw blades from a welder after he wore then down to about 7" and they became useless for his chop saw for free...they are thick but last a long time..I now try to use the grinders before air tools or torches to save money on oxogen refills and electricity..
Die grinders require a seriously beefcake air compressor to use as efficiently as a 4/4.5" grinder. The little 110v craftsman, roll around compressors will get you about 20 seconds of use before the compressor kicks back on. I picked up a big 220v 80gal ingersol-rand. Much better for die grinders.
Hit up this guy for grinding consumables.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303249
http://www.roarksupply.com/Specials-s/179.htm
He's a vendor here, and offers great stuff. Finally got sick of my HF grinder, and picked up his makita grinder combo pack. Great products, great prices, AND he's a supporting vendor.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303249
http://www.roarksupply.com/Specials-s/179.htm
He's a vendor here, and offers great stuff. Finally got sick of my HF grinder, and picked up his makita grinder combo pack. Great products, great prices, AND he's a supporting vendor.
Be carefull doing that. Abrasive cutoff saw wheels are rated no higher than about 4k rpm. 9" grinders go waaaay faster than that. It is no fawwkin joke when one of those things explodes on a 9" grinder.
I had one blow up, 2' from my face....after I figured out wtf had just happened, I looked up at the roof of the shop, 15' above my head...there were giant pieces of that wheel stuck in the cieling. I have a dewalt 9" grinder setup just like that....I call it the "death grinder of doom". It's a scary tool to use with a full 10-12" blade on it. The edge of the blade is about 1" from my hand while on the trigger. I suit up like an astronaut in full leathers, face shield and heavy welding gloves when I use it. It'll shoot a solid stream of sparks in a straight line for a good 25'.
that's exactly why I use a variable speed buffer/polisher whenever I can to do that... ya can crank it down a bit to keep from catastrophic destruction.. but even at that, big cutoff setups like that can be hairy, even at appropriate speeds...
but I chop 3" ss shafts in boats with a 7" blade on a 4 1/2" Dewalt on occasion out of necessity.. haven't had one blow up yet
, but any kickback or bind can really putting a hurting on ya.. I'm always as careful as I can be, go slow, work gloves, faceshield, etc.. even than I make myself nervous... 
but even at that, big cutoff setups like that can be hairy, even at appropriate speeds... but I chop 3" ss shafts in boats with a 7" blade on a 4 1/2" Dewalt on occasion out of necessity.. haven't had one blow up yet
, but any kickback or bind can really putting a hurting on ya.. I'm always as careful as I can be, go slow, work gloves, faceshield, etc.. even than I make myself nervous... 
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
I use a 4-1/2" grinder, for most jobs.
You just gotta get creative on occasion....
You just gotta get creative on occasion....
mechanics use a 4 1/2 grinder.. body guys use die grinders and arbors... that's my observation...
So far I have been lucky,none of the chop saw blades I used grenaded ,though a few did shatter when I tried bearing down sideways on them too much or when they snagged and got jammed up...my 9" grinder goes about 6500 RPM I think,but under lead it slows down to about half that speed...it'll cut thu 5/8" shackle bolts like butter in a matter of 20 seconds,much easier than using torches or a sawsall..
I wear a full face sheild and heavy coveralls when I'm doing "demolition" so I am pretty well protected...since I had cataracts removed and lenses implanted in both eyes I haven't been doing much metal working anyway...one hunk of metal gets in them now and I'll really be hurting for certain..
..I dont even like working under my vehicles now,not only due to my aching back,but the peices of rotted body metal dropping in my eyes can be very hazardous--safety goggles or face sheilds dont always keep them out of your eyes no matter how good they fit...
I think the best pair of safety glasses I ever tried on were the ones my DENTIST put on me yesterday,before drilling and filling a cavity!...I wanted to keep them!...but I prefer full face sheilds over glasses though,if room permits...I've had a DA sander disc fly off and stick in my cheek before,and the nasty gash it left took a long time to heal up...glasses didn't help much in that instance..
I wear a full face sheild and heavy coveralls when I'm doing "demolition" so I am pretty well protected...since I had cataracts removed and lenses implanted in both eyes I haven't been doing much metal working anyway...one hunk of metal gets in them now and I'll really be hurting for certain..
..I dont even like working under my vehicles now,not only due to my aching back,but the peices of rotted body metal dropping in my eyes can be very hazardous--safety goggles or face sheilds dont always keep them out of your eyes no matter how good they fit...I think the best pair of safety glasses I ever tried on were the ones my DENTIST put on me yesterday,before drilling and filling a cavity!...I wanted to keep them!...but I prefer full face sheilds over glasses though,if room permits...I've had a DA sander disc fly off and stick in my cheek before,and the nasty gash it left took a long time to heal up...glasses didn't help much in that instance..
bigred88
1/2 ton status
No kidding. I've got a cheapy air powered 3" harbor freight cut off tool. It works well enough, but I've got a small compressor and it is really annoying getting 20 seconds of work and waiting a minute for the compressor to fill again.
I don't have a massive compressor, but even with a 60 gallon tank, the air cutoff is worthless for even cutting a foot or two in sheetmetal. Electric is way better IMO, at least in regards to how long you can work without having to stop.
