Re-bar Wrapped around axle

N1ST · Oct 14, 2011

I have a 5' King Cutter tiller. I hit a 3' piece of hidden rebar and now it's wrapped around the tiller's axle like a piece of string. The rebar goes in, around the axle, and back out, so it may take 3 cuts to get it off. I'm looking for ideas to get this thing off.

Cutting? ...with what? Bending - how? I really don't want to try to take the axle off with the gears involved.

slowzuki · Oct 14, 2011

4" mini grinder with cut off disc is the cheapest usually.

N1ST · Oct 14, 2011

slowzuki said:
4" mini grinder with cut off disc is the cheapest usually.

Will it tear up a cut off disc, or is there a certain kind of disc I need? About how long would it take to do 1 cut? Thanks.

wixthedog · Oct 14, 2011

As long as the disk is rated for metal, not concrete/masonry, you will be fine. Cutting a normal piece of rear will not take long...maybe a minute or two per cut.

not2old · Oct 14, 2011

wixthedog said:
As long as the disk is rated for metal, not concrete/masonry, you will be fine. Cutting a normal piece of rear will not take long...maybe a minute or two per cut.

I cut metal with a 4 1/2" grinder all the time. 1/2" bar will take seconds.

k0ua · Oct 14, 2011

N1ST de K0UA
Yes the 4 or 4 1/2 cut off blade in you handheld grinder is the best way, maybe 30 seconds per cut max. If you dont have one, go to harbor freight and get one of their cheapies and a pack of blades. grinder from 9.95 to 19.95. depends on model and sale date, and 3 or 4 dollars for a pack of cut off wheels, should just need one cutoff wheel. wear your safety goggles, and hold it with both hands. and go to town.. EZ-PZ

73
James K0UA

Short Game · Oct 14, 2011

If you don't have that handy, a Sawzall type recipro saw with a metal blade would work well too. Good for easy access, though it may cut a little bit slower.

I'll have to remember my rotovator next time I need to bend some rebar.

N1ST · Oct 14, 2011

I have a sawzall so I'll try that first. Otherwise I'll visit Harbor Freight to pick up a cheapy grinder since I've never needed one before and probably won't again. All you guys made me feel a lot better, I thought this would be a nightmare.
:thumbsup:
Thanks everyone.

k0ua · Oct 14, 2011

Another thing I thought of is if you had 2 pieces of say 1 inch water pipe, about 2 or 3 foot long you could find each end of the rebar and jam an end into the pipe, and with a helper or if you could get your foot on one or wedged somehow you could just use the pipe as a lever to "unwind" the rebar from around the tiller. Haven't ever done this, but I bet it would work, But I HAVE cut a lot of rebar with a 4 inch angle grinder and a cut off disk.

James K0UA

two_bit_score · Oct 14, 2011

Recommend the angle grinder over the saws all but use what you have first.

jonyyuma · Oct 14, 2011

I sure am glad to have noticed this posting. I use 4 ft pieces of rebar for my tomatoe and bean stakes. What a nightmare for this to happen to tiller shaft? I will make another trip thru the garden before tilling. I already had a old tomatoe cage in the tiller,this year, took 9in kliens and cut it out.

Short Game · Oct 14, 2011

No doubt the .045" cutoff wheel would do it in a blink. I have that too. If I had a large bolt cutter and could reach where I needed to cut, that would work too.

Smallplot · Oct 14, 2011

My vote: Bolt Cutters. No electric needed

Short Game · Oct 14, 2011

Smallplot said:
My vote: Bolt Cutters. No electric needed

Well, they'd be good if they were the large ones. Best not to carry in you trunk and get pulled over. Cops will think the worst. I've actually been stopped and asked to see in my trunk. They were looking for bolt cutters. I was on my way to enlist in the Navy. My life may have turned out differently if I'd had a set. Better or worse, I can't be sure. I might have gone to prison and learned a trade.

Smallplot · Oct 14, 2011

Short Game said:
Well, they'd be good if they were the large ones. Best not to carry in you trunk and get pulled over. Cops will think the worst. I've actually been stopped and asked to see in my trunk. They were looking for bolt cutters. I was on my way to enlist in the Navy. My life may have turned out differently if I'd had a set. Better or worse, I can't be sure. I might have gone to prison and learned a trade.

That is funny right there. But thanks for the service anyway.

tungularafishcamp · Oct 14, 2011

I always keep a set on the boat when halibut fishing, hope I never get pulled over:laughing:

grsthegreat · Oct 14, 2011

I had the same thing happen to my rototiller years ago......what a mess. I tried sawzall and grinder but it was so messed up i couldn't manually turn it to make the necessary cuts. Had to burn it off with oxyacetylene torch. everything worked out well.

slowzuki · Oct 14, 2011

I've only ever got them wrapped in the snowblower auger, it faces out the right way with room to work.

North Country · Oct 15, 2011

k0ua said:
Another thing I thought of is if you had 2 pieces of say 1 inch water pipe, about 2 or 3 foot long you could find each end of the rebar and jam an end into the pipe, and with a helper or if you could get your foot on one or wedged somehow you could just use the pipe as a lever to "unwind" the rebar from around the tiller. Haven't ever done this, but I bet it would work, But I HAVE cut a lot of rebar with a 4 inch angle grinder and a cut off disk.

James K0UA

From the description, it's wrapped too many times to use the pipes - they won't be able to finish the "unwind."

If you don't have a grinder *and* don't have a sawzall, you can get a 7 1/4" cutoff blade for a circular saw that will cut through it in about 5-10 seconds. I keep one mounted to an old saw and it rips through anything.

$3 at most home centers/hardware stores.

http://www.amazon.com/Vermont-American-28027-Abrasive-Cutting/dp/B000692O54