Cut Off Wheels

[68_Step]

I was looking at cut off wheels for my 4-1/2 inch angle grinders and found two types, one is a flat wheel and the other is a depressed center wheel kinda like the grinding wheels I use. Is one style better than the other? Both seem to fit the Makita angle grinder just fine.

I have been using a Craftsman air cut off tool for years to cut metal - never even thought about using a cut off wheel in the grinder...

[vegadesign]

ive used both and i see no difference than cutting area
if your trying to cut up close to something the dished one works great
otherwise i just use harbor freight cut off wheels

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I find the flat ones hold up better for cutting a right angle into steel. Because they lack they dish then can hold up a bit better if the grinder starts to shake.

The dished ones are much better for cutting off rusted bolts or rivets from frames.

[MLB57]

Just make sure you use the gaurd on your angle grinder It is easier without but a guy was killed when a cutoff wheel came apart, I will try to find the video they showed it to us at work, be safe

[Hail]

I use cutoff wheels by the dozen. Lol. Like stated eariler flat or depressed. I like flat myself. And as far as cheap ones I get the best use from the thin dewalt ones. Last much longer than the cheepies. Just be careful and dont let them "bounce" thats kills them. And some of the cheaper ones like to explode. Not pretty. Also if you have a good grinder you can run the 71/2 " blades. I dont endorse that practice but do it often.
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[Rufton]

I buy them at northern and HF. I use on elec grinder and air wiz tool. Larger diameters are more cost effective. I wear full face screen shield over safety glasses when I'm being good. How do they kill? Cut the jugular?

[Hail]

No not kill "you". Kill the life of the blade. Like when your cutting and it binds for a split second then releases. I call it a bounce. Anyways when the blade spins back up to speed and contacts the metal again sometimes the "bounce" can chip or bust a wheel. Usuar when your in a hurry and pushing it a little faster, than you should is when it seems to happen to me. Just my .02
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[mongoose]

Originally Posted by Rufton

I buy them at northern and HF. I use on elec grinder and air wiz tool. Larger diameters are more cost effective. I wear full face screen shield over safety glasses when I'm being good. How do they kill? Cut the jugular?

yeah prob.. at an old job there was a guy who took a disk to the neck.. it bled pretty well, if it were any worse or way out in the boonies you'd be SOL.


that being said i never run the guards and rarely use gloves when grinding.. im no worse for wear... thats on 4.5 or 5" blades.. the big blades 7.5" stay away, thats like handling a chainsaw thats bout to spit the chain off lol

[68_Step]

Originally Posted by Rufton

I wear full face screen shield over safety glasses when I'm being good.

I just started wearing safety glasses under the shield - think it helps when little bits sneak under the shield.
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[68_Step]

Thanks for all the replies. Makes sense that you could get closer to something with a dished wheel, will try one today. I do keep the guard on, I'd like to end the day with all the parts I started with!
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[Rufton]

Probably just me, but seems sparks are opposite smoke. Smoke follows beauty. I wish store had CW and CCW grinders so I could choose direction to throw sparks.

[BossHogg69]

I like the flat Metabo blades the best. I tried some dished Norton Gemini blades, and they are pretty good too. The DeWalt ones are my next choice. The Harbor Freight ones cut okay, but they make WAY too much dust and are really brittle. As for face shields, the Jackson V90 is the way to go, it is a face shield with goggles built in so you really have no chance of anything getting underneath.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Rufton

Probably just me, but seems sparks are opposite smoke. Smoke follows beauty. I wish store had CW and CCW grinders so I could choose direction to throw sparks.

that explains a lot
i always use gloves, those sparks are rough on the backs of the gloves and my shirt
my preference is no guard and using 6 inch wheels; buy good ones, norton, sait or dewalt makes no difference
the 6 inch wheels last 10x longer than those harbor freight wheels
though i do keep the cheap ones on hand for limited use
bigger diameter blades cut straighter in sheet metal than the small wheels

[68_Step]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

that explains a lot
i always use gloves, those sparks are rough on the backs of the gloves and my shirt

Speaking of being hard on shirts... A couple weeks ago I was working on building a welding cart. It was my first time using a 4 1/2 grinder with a cut off wheel in it - had always used a 3" air cut off tool. About the time I was thinking "Wow, this thing makes a LOT of sparks" it set my t-shirt on fire . It took a cold brew to make that right Then I had to tell my better half why I had to change shirt, she was not amused

The next day I ordered a Hobart fire resistant (cotton) apron!

[chevy_man5]

I refuse to use the cheap cut-off wheels anymore. I had one come apart and embed itself into the sheetrock by me. No thanks!!

[Rufton]

Maybe I'll spin em a lil slower next time.
Sounds kinda scary.

[ssapach]

I generally use Walter products, as I can get usually load up on a few near the end of each project at work. Most of the stuff is 6" as well.

I figure if the welders at work aren't complaining then they will work for what I need.