Battery powered angle grinder to cut 3/4" logging cable

[chim]

One way to help lessen damage to the thin cutoff blades is to position the grinder so the material being cut will pull the grinder forward (throwing sparks at the user's hand) if it snags. Don't apply excessive pressure and let the disc do the work. With the material being cut is positioned to throw sparks to the side, or away from the operator, the tool's movement is greater when it catches.

 

[Coyote machine]

Interesting, thanks, Curly.

 

[flyerdan]

I've got a lot of time using skinny wheels, they really eat through material but need a great deal of respect. Since the best ones are the 6" Metabo .0625", they are quite fragile and side loads or binding will grenade them. Also, you want to have a very firm grip on the grinder, if it gets away from you it can do severe structural damage to a hand and a heavy welding glove won't even slow it down. Look at each cut as if it were a chainsaw in wood; will it close up and bind or twist and bind? If so, change your approach and or block or clamp so it can't bind.

 

[bigtiller]

Great, now i gota go buy another tool, thanks sodo.

 

[Industrial Toys]

The thin ones cut skin so nicely. If we just cut the hands off the thieves, we could all sleep easier! Many people build a heavy cage around the lock, only accessible from the bottom and inaccessible to a grinder.

 

[Sodo]

The thin ones cut skin so nicely.

Yep especially a 6" wheel on a 4 1/2" grinder, it's very close to the knuckle of your thumb. I habitually use 4 1/2" discs and really have to pay attention when occasionally using a 6", holding the grinder in a familiar position I've cut perfect little grooves in my knuckle.

Out in the woods you have to shield the lock from bullets too. Angle grinders have spawned a whole new product line. Google images of "Padlock protector" theres a bunch of them. Some pretty easy to make with a welder. But they can announce "real valuables inside!".

 

[ishiboo]

If you don't have a cordless bandsaw, GET ONE. I just upgraded from my Bosch with the 2.5" throat to the Milwaukee 5". Use it for cutting everything. It works great on steel cable, just cut a bunch of steel strapping and rebar over the past few days, as well as a ton of 2x2x3/16 tube and angle for a project.

 

[Sodo]

,,,, bandsaw,,,, It works great on steel cable,,,,

Really? Thats not something I would think of for cable. I would think cutting (logging) cable with a bandsaw would be like trying to cut a bundle of drill bits. I suppose some cables made of mild steel, but not sure where its used or where one might encounter mild steel cable.

Does sound like a useful tool though.

 

[Sodo]

When I was turning wrenches fulltime I accumulated a bunch of 18v Dewalt stuff. Bought the angle grinder as an afterthought. With abrasive & cutoff wheels and the irreplaceable flap wheels, I used it as much as the rest of the bunch combined. Yours looks identical.

Rick have you been buying replacement batteries? What type, and are they equal to the original 2.4Ah? I'm nearing the end of my rope on batteries, all 4-5 years old and dropping like flies.

I see Dewalt offers 2.0A Li-Ion batteries for $116, that is not appealing.

 

[ishiboo]

Really? Thats not something I would think of for cable. I would think cutting (logging) cable with a bandsaw would be like trying to cut a bundle of drill bits. I suppose some cables made of mild steel, but not sure where its used or where one might encounter mild steel cable.

Does sound like a useful tool though.

Nope, the cable holds together pretty well, unlike a "bundle of drill bits".