Goldie
Well-Known Member
+1 I have 1mm thick discs for cutting stainless steel. Something like http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-ultra-thin-metal-cutting-discs-ax31571
20v grinder for cutting away rigging
- Thread starter matt1
- Start date
+1 I have 1mm thick discs for cutting stainless steel. Something like http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-ultra-thin-metal-cutting-discs-ax31571
Neeves
Well-Known Member
It is impossible to switch my angle grinder on with one hand. Today, I've been cutting 12mm HT steel, 800 MPa, and 20mm aluminium plate - I would not consider cutting it one handed. I cut 8mm 1,000 MPa chain, by choice I prefer bolt croppers to an angle grinder. An angle grinder demands that the piece being cut is secured, not so with bolt croppers just secure in the jaws and full body weight (in my case not much) - you just need oversized bolt croppers.
Our decks are flat - but in 4m swells, 2m seas and 25 knots I wear a harness, hold on with one hand (when venturing down the decks) and would not think of pouring wine
I raise my hat to anyone comfortable using an angle grinder in such conditions.
Cats might be said to sail flat (maybe in the Med?) - the reality is slightly different.
What is better - depends on the yacht, the way it is rigged, how the mast has fallen and what the conditions are like. On our cat - pulling the cotter pins is the sensible answer and hammering out the clevis pins. In flat water an angle grinder would be a breeze - but I would not rely on a mast falling down only in flat water nor on having lots of help and support.
We have an angle grinder on board, but also oversized bolt croppers, hacksaw (which I think would be a complete waste of time), moles, lump hammer, HT punches (various sizes).
I don't think there is a right answer but I do think reliance on one method is wrong.
edit
We carry 2 bolt croppers - one is what I would describe as normal the other I think might be called a 'pelican' bolt cropper (with a hooked jaw).
close edit
Our decks are flat - but in 4m swells, 2m seas and 25 knots I wear a harness, hold on with one hand (when venturing down the decks) and would not think of pouring wine
I raise my hat to anyone comfortable using an angle grinder in such conditions.
Cats might be said to sail flat (maybe in the Med?) - the reality is slightly different.
What is better - depends on the yacht, the way it is rigged, how the mast has fallen and what the conditions are like. On our cat - pulling the cotter pins is the sensible answer and hammering out the clevis pins. In flat water an angle grinder would be a breeze - but I would not rely on a mast falling down only in flat water nor on having lots of help and support.
We have an angle grinder on board, but also oversized bolt croppers, hacksaw (which I think would be a complete waste of time), moles, lump hammer, HT punches (various sizes).
I don't think there is a right answer but I do think reliance on one method is wrong.
edit
We carry 2 bolt croppers - one is what I would describe as normal the other I think might be called a 'pelican' bolt cropper (with a hooked jaw).
close edit
Last edited:
GHA
Well-Known Member
Just tried it with a 4 1/2" mians grinder with a 1mm slitter blade on some 7 x 19 6mm which was lying around.
Can't see how it would be possible to get the blade to bind even in 10mm.
One hand on the grinder, the other holding the wire about a foot from the cut. Took about 2 seconds.
Would obviously be harder on a dismasted monohull but you wouldn't be trying for precision, find a bit under tension ond go for it.
Felcos would almost certainly be harder to line up plus even 8mm is difficult with brand new c16's .
Hope the offer gets to Portugal, always nice to have a few options for things, allowed in the real world but not the web ....
Can't see how it would be possible to get the blade to bind even in 10mm.
One hand on the grinder, the other holding the wire about a foot from the cut. Took about 2 seconds.
Would obviously be harder on a dismasted monohull but you wouldn't be trying for precision, find a bit under tension ond go for it.
Felcos would almost certainly be harder to line up plus even 8mm is difficult with brand new c16's .
Hope the offer gets to Portugal, always nice to have a few options for things, allowed in the real world but not the web ....
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
If you're cutting stainless riggin one handed with a grinder, better make sure the hand holding the grinder is in a good glove. Severed stainless wire, under tension, will make a mess of a hand if it whips over it.
That said, i think the grinder would be the easiest option in most cases. A thin blade will be unlikely to jam cutting wire and will take seconds, as demonstrated above.
As for the comments about having it charged and ready for use, how hard is that to do ? We keep handhelds charged, phones charged, grab bags ready to grab, liferafts ready to launch, life jackets serviced etc etc.
That said, i think the grinder would be the easiest option in most cases. A thin blade will be unlikely to jam cutting wire and will take seconds, as demonstrated above.
As for the comments about having it charged and ready for use, how hard is that to do ? We keep handhelds charged, phones charged, grab bags ready to grab, liferafts ready to launch, life jackets serviced etc etc.
Hoolie
Well-Known Member
They also have cutting discs listed in the same specials offer but they are 125mm!! Beware
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
It is very near impossible to bind on wire rope when cutting with an angle grinder as each strand will separate once cut freeing the blade.
Also when cutting with a hacksaw you will need a fine tooth blade also due to the relative thin strands.
The best place to cut is next to the fitting connecting the rigging to the chain plate or where the wire exits the rigging screw as the chain plate will help to stabilize the rigging at that point.
To me you hold on to the rigging screw with one hand as that is fixed to the boat and operate either the hacksaw of angle grinder with the other hand with your arm over the deck safety lines/pushpit or pulpit.
First think to do is think through the job with the conditions in mine.
Also when cutting with a hacksaw you will need a fine tooth blade also due to the relative thin strands.
The best place to cut is next to the fitting connecting the rigging to the chain plate or where the wire exits the rigging screw as the chain plate will help to stabilize the rigging at that point.
To me you hold on to the rigging screw with one hand as that is fixed to the boat and operate either the hacksaw of angle grinder with the other hand with your arm over the deck safety lines/pushpit or pulpit.
First think to do is think through the job with the conditions in mine.
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Well this thread's got me worried... I use my angle grinder singlehanded all the time, because I'm usually using the other one to hold whatever it is I'm cutting/grinding. Maybe they come in different sizes/weights and mine just happens to be quite manageable.
ffiill
Well-Known Member
I use mine some of the time single handed and sometimes I have no choice but to remove the guard.
But always gloves ,safety goggles and ear defenders.
fisherman
Well-Known Member
Truth is you will be hard pressed to maintain reasonably safe use of a machine under duress, and at a really inconvenient moment to be injured, you may be familiar with the phrase 'one thing fetches another'. Odd times over the years, after dealing with some dangerous problem or minor catastrophe I've found blood running from somewhere and never even noticed what did it. Equally, even if it only involves a hammer you can still do yourself damage. Just reading Alan Villier's 'War with Cape Horn', crew taking several days with the ship on her beam ends cutting away fallen rigging, wonder what they used. Good book, by the way.
Yngmar
Well-Known Member
A small handheld Makita angle grinder easily cut all my wire rope when renewing the standing rigging. Easy to use in one hand.
It's a fine bit of kit, if somewhat expensive. Highly unsuitable as emergency rigging cutter though. You may or may not have a charged battery pack to hand when you need it. It's not waterproof and requires air cooling, so if you stuff it in a plastic bag it will die soonish (maybe before you cut the first wire, maybe not). Without the plastic bag it will die as soon as saltwater gets in, although at least the Makita battery packs should be sealed and protected well enough to avoid adding a lithium fire to your dismasting woes. In a dismasting situation, saltwater flying around is highly likely after all.
The explosive cartridge cutters in the YM test seemed like a fine solution, but since I couldn't afford one I just carry a wire rope cutter (hooked, overlapping scissor blades) with long arms and generally try my best to avoid the rig falling down in the first place.
It's a fine bit of kit, if somewhat expensive. Highly unsuitable as emergency rigging cutter though. You may or may not have a charged battery pack to hand when you need it. It's not waterproof and requires air cooling, so if you stuff it in a plastic bag it will die soonish (maybe before you cut the first wire, maybe not). Without the plastic bag it will die as soon as saltwater gets in, although at least the Makita battery packs should be sealed and protected well enough to avoid adding a lithium fire to your dismasting woes. In a dismasting situation, saltwater flying around is highly likely after all.
The explosive cartridge cutters in the YM test seemed like a fine solution, but since I couldn't afford one I just carry a wire rope cutter (hooked, overlapping scissor blades) with long arms and generally try my best to avoid the rig falling down in the first place.
ffiill
Well-Known Member
WARNING NOTE:
It comes with one 1500 MaH battery-a spare will cost you £40 plus and a 3000MaH battery about £60.
Just having got mine its a nice well made piece of kit apart from the spare battery prices!
It comes with one 1500 MaH battery-a spare will cost you £40 plus and a 3000MaH battery about £60.
Just having got mine its a nice well made piece of kit apart from the spare battery prices!
Tradewinds
Well-Known Member
Well mine's going back.
Might be a duff unit but after fully charging it twice it only ran for 2 or 3 minutes each time before it ran out of puff - useless.
And no, I wasn't abusing it.
Might be a duff unit but after fully charging it twice it only ran for 2 or 3 minutes each time before it ran out of puff - useless.
And no, I wasn't abusing it.
John the kiwi
Well-Known Member
The nice thing about injuring yourself with a cut-off disk in a grinder is that it friction burns and cauterises the cut so blood loss is minimised.
Takes a long time to heal though!
Ask me how i know...
oldharry
Well-Known Member
Battery angle grinder, AKA universal master key. Opens any padlock....
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Now, now Harry...delete that...no point spreading delinquent ideas amongst suggestible readers who might only have popped in here looking for a way to cut their handcuffs.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Slight drift...this week I received a Toolstation or Screwfix email, featuring a cordless 18 volt Bosch angle grinder, for £89.95...
...unsurprisingly, it is sold 'bare', without the necessary lithium ion battery. But, I bought an 18v Bosch drill/driver in May, and according to the emailed advertising, the grinder will work with any Bosch 18v battery.
So, suddenly a prestige branded power-tool which I'd admired but believed was far too costly to be worth acquiring, starts to look distinctly reasonable. Granted it takes a few seconds (maybe five?) to remove the battery from one tool and attach it to the other, but as a very amateur user, I'm unlikely to be troubled by that.
If anyone is thinking their cordless drill needs replacing anyway, I'd recommend the Bosch 'professional' 18v with its 4aH battery...it and the 4.5" grinder will be under £190.
...unsurprisingly, it is sold 'bare', without the necessary lithium ion battery. But, I bought an 18v Bosch drill/driver in May, and according to the emailed advertising, the grinder will work with any Bosch 18v battery.
So, suddenly a prestige branded power-tool which I'd admired but believed was far too costly to be worth acquiring, starts to look distinctly reasonable. Granted it takes a few seconds (maybe five?) to remove the battery from one tool and attach it to the other, but as a very amateur user, I'm unlikely to be troubled by that.
If anyone is thinking their cordless drill needs replacing anyway, I'd recommend the Bosch 'professional' 18v with its 4aH battery...it and the 4.5" grinder will be under £190.
ianabc
Well-Known Member
Hydraulic rebar cutter
inexpensive and mass produced
for the concrete / construction industry
65 GBP
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compact-H...519243?hash=item25d8f1dc8b:g:FAEAAOSwRXRZQV2i
inexpensive and mass produced
for the concrete / construction industry
65 GBP
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compact-H...519243?hash=item25d8f1dc8b:g:FAEAAOSwRXRZQV2i
oldharry
Well-Known Member
Already known to the light fingered. Don't ask how I know, but it was a reliable outboard secured with approved locks. Plod reckoned it took them less than 30 seconds to liberate it with one of these.
Baddox
Well-Known Member
I must have lower friction flesh. It cut, I dripped.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I reckon the cauterising instance is unusual.
When my landlord's attention slipped and he dropped his cabled grinder, it went half-through his upper leg...
...the only thing that stopped him bleeding catastrophically was the electric cable, serving as a tourniquet round his leg. Meanwhile the grinder continued speeding lethally round the tiled floor like H.R. Giger's Alien.
When my landlord's attention slipped and he dropped his cabled grinder, it went half-through his upper leg...
...the only thing that stopped him bleeding catastrophically was the electric cable, serving as a tourniquet round his leg. Meanwhile the grinder continued speeding lethally round the tiled floor like H.R. Giger's Alien.