Just got a cut off from Harbor Freight today, and some of them Russian discs. Central Pneumatic? Ah hell...should I beware of anything? I mean, I got some saftey glasses (OSHA passed) and leather gloves.
Man...some crazy stories posted. I guess I've been lucky too. Seems like the only time I have problems with 'em is when I get careless and they bind up. If dropping your grinder or die-grinder is enough to need to change out the disc, then a chip or crease would definitely warrant a change out too. Thanks for all the info...keep it coming. Bryan
I love the harbor freight cheap 4" discs. I found the secret to longivity is to be sure to put the little metal ring up....... as in when you have the grinder laying on its back and you put the disc on, you see the side with the writing and the metal ring. otherwise the center will fall apart and you'll waste half the disc. always wear glasses and try not to have your face in the line of fire should the thing let go. I have used hundreds of cutoff wheels over the years and never had one blow up.
I have used these wheels by the thousands,and I have learned this is one of the most important things to consider........ Do not run the thin cut off discs on an electric grinder at all......they are too fast to control,and the wheel fits too close to fingers to be safe..... Last but not least-Run the AIR tool you use them on at just a little more than HALF its speed/rpm capability,and you will never break one.
Guess we started something lastnight with this lethal cut off wheel thing. I gotta agree with Chopsrods. Air tools by nature have a clutch, bind the wheel and it stops. Electric tools have too much torque, bind it and something is gonna go.
I use Norton, haven't had any problems. Found that every time I'd swap/change a disc there'd be some out-of-round skipping that had to wear away before it would run smoothly. I've got 2 grinders, so I'm keeping one specifically for the cut-off, no more changing wheels!
Ah yes...I wait for them to go on sale at HF and stock up. I've blasted through a couple dozen on my current project and not a problem to report yet. I just keep the disc in line with the cut and let the wheel do all the work. I get embarassed when the wife opens the garage door while I'm cutting/grinding and the neighbors see me wearing a respirator mask, face shield, big hearing protection ear muffs and welding gloves like I'm on a HAZMAT team working a hazardous spill. Better safe than sorry though and black boogers can't be good for your health.
Wear gloves, eye protecton, and I have a full thickness leather apron that I wear. Never cut in the direction that the blade wants to pull the grinder into the work piece, similar to a "climb cut" with a milling machine, always cut in the direction that you have to apply pressure to the grinder to get the disc to cut the metal, and as previously stated "GO SLOW!!!" Rex
I use the 4" Nortons that Home Depot sells. Since I dont have a nibbler, beverly shear, pedal shear etc, I use cut off wheels for a lot of stuff. even cutting sheet stock. I have never had one shatter. With the fiberglss webbing embedded in them, I dont think they could shatter. I dont know if the HF ones have the same webbing embedded in them, but I dont shop at HF. Went there once, bought some cheap welding magnets, that I have never actually used, and left. Cheap tools/supplies are a waste of time, money, and are not safe. I know a lot of guys here take some of their metal working tools, and modify them to work well, but for hand and power tools, I wouldnt touch HF. Used GOOD tools are too cheap, there is no excuse to buy junk.
I have a mean scar (had to have skin grafted off of my butt) from an angle grinder that let go. It was a Makita grinding wheel that shattered and took about a 2x3 inch patch 1/4 of an inch deep of skin off of the side of my hand, but I took the guard off because "it got in the way." oh well, live and learn eh?
Nothing but SAIT for me, Half of the HF one is still stuck in the ceiling of the garage to remind everyone asking it aint worth it!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Advice there ... Only ever had one explode on me. Using it in a Makita 4" grinder ... no guard of course. Luckily it shot straight down and hit my shoe. With no steel toe, it felt like I smacked my big toe with a hammer. Same grinder/disc kicked out on me once and put a quarter size gash in my knee and knee cap. That was painful too. I got it figured out after that. I've since gone through a couple hundred of the HF discs ... using a die grinder or cut off tool. Not a single accident.
Ya is me danger is my middle name. This thread is cool where did you get the idea to post this one???? I love cut off wheels I use them for every thing. Go through about 6 - 7 a day. I use 3M all the way don't care how much they cost. nothing seems to work the way they do. I like the thick ones for grinding too. Cheap sand paper, grinding discs and wizzer wheels are not cost effective at all. Who here hates grinding..... I do. How about on a hot day......um ya..... how about when the grinding dust gets all over your neck and down your back. That shit itches.......and when you take a shower its black and rusty........ How about fiber glass........ that shit is the worst.
MATABO sells a .040 slitter disk that completly kicks ass. The acuracy you can achive with one will knock your socks off. & the speed they can go through 1.0 x 1.0 bar stock is amazing. They will break if you drop em off the bench, but I have had tube steel fabrications ( pinch ) the blade so hard it stopped the grinder - and not fly apart. I buy em at 6.0 in dia. & when they are worn down to around 3.0 - I use em on a adapter I made for a air die grinder.
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