Angle grinder available for a dismasting.

[Neeves]

I have been using Makita angle grinder blades to cut HT steel, Bisplate 80; 7075 high tensile aluminium, stainless steels (which is what the blades are defined or labelled for) and any mild steels. I have had no issues. The blades are v very thin

I was replacing a shower, domestic application, and I had need to cut the copper pipes. There was not enough room for a hacksaw and I simply used an angle grinder - there was some residual water in the pipes - and occasional drip. I thought nothing of it.

The blade shredded cutting the first pipe (standard domestic copper piping)



I queried with Makita - not a complaint - the blades are labelled for stainless no mention of copper pipes. I received the following reply:

quote:

Unfortunately, the bonded abrasive cutting or grinding discs are not designed to be used near any moisture, even though there was minimal water present, any moisture has a detrimental effect on the bonding holding the discs together, hence the reason for the detrimental effect you have experienced.

All bonded abrasive cutting & grinding discs must be stored in such a way that they do not absorb any moisture, as this will start to breakdown the bonding of the discs.

end quote.

I have no complaint of Makita and will continue to use their blades - but I will take segmented blades next time I'm asked to help with a windlass removal. The same blades will come in handy (and be effective) if we ever need to cut the rigging.

It seems that segmented blades are more applicable to be used if water is an issue.

Now everyone may know this, and it may have been aired previously - but I'm renowned for repetition so I thought I'd add a confirmatory post.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

 

[The Q]

I use diamond metal blades now, more expensive but last a lot longer, you don't get the shower of black dust and some times chunks of blade flying around.

 

[Keith 66]

I suspect discs sold by tool manufacturers will be generic cheap ones. I use Sait cutting discs for some years & they are superb, They are streets ahead of 3m who are a major high end manufacturer,
Few years back i had to cut open a batch of water filled gas bottles & had no issues like that.

 

[thinwater]

I've found a muli-tool to be the handiest to cut copper pipe when replacing shower faucets. I replaced all three bathrooms last year, and tried several things. The multi-tool was a breeze, fast and easy to reach in.

Moisture is a problem over time with most wheels, but they mean long storage times. I've used them (other brands) in wet conditions and not expereinced that. I notice Makita makes a point of it several places in the literature and even in the SDS.

 

[penfold]

Just as likely to be some spring in the pipe which has pinched the blade, it doesn't take much to cause a cutting disc to fail.

 

[vyv_cox]

Many years ago I was helping to rebuild a molten metal holding furnace. It was electrically fired using a water cooled copper coil. The copper was about 25 x 15 mm in section with a hole in the centre about 10 mm diameter. Easily cut with a hacksaw? No way. It took several of us many minutes to make a single cut. We could not believe how difficult it was, so maybe there is more to the story than water.

 

[penfold]

The problem with copper is it's pretty soft, even in the state described as 'hard'; that's why pipe cutters work.

 

[vyv_cox]

The problem with copper is it's pretty soft, even in the state described as 'hard'; that's why pipe cutters work.

I have cut all sorts of soft metals and plastics but never experienced anything like copper bar.

 

[thinwater]

Coarse teeth help on thick copper and aluminum sections. Fine teeth are the reason that common fine-toothed hacksaws do not work well. They just clog unless the material is quite thin. As for cut-off wheels, they're not for soft metals; same for grinding.

This is old-school stuff I learned from books I read as a kid, written in the 30s.

 

[KevinV]

Just as likely to be some spring in the pipe which has pinched the blade, it doesn't take much to cause a cutting disc to fail.

This. Slight pinch =shattered 1mm disc; they just won't take it
It can't be the topical water, at 11000rpm it's hardly going to touch the surface.

 

[vyv_cox]

Coarse teeth help on thick copper and aluminum sections. Fine teeth are the reason that common fine-toothed hacksaws do not work well. They just clog unless the material is quite thin. As for cut-off wheels, they're not for soft metals; same for grinding.

This is old-school stuff I learned from books I read as a kid, written in the 30s.

A fine toothed hacksaw would be a strange choice to cut any metal with 25 x 15 section. I was working with highly skilled technicians who I am sure were well aware of this .

 

[thinwater]

A fine toothed hacksaw would be a strange choice to cut any metal with 25 x 15 section. I was working with highly skilled technicians who I am sure were well aware of this .

Yup. But it may have been all they had in the tool box. That's my guess.

 

[vyv_cox]

Yup. But it may have been all they had in the tool box. That's my guess.

Hardly. I was working at the Electricity Council Research Centre, by a long way the best equipped establishment I have ever known.

 

[thinwater]

Hardly. I was working at the Electricity Council Research Centre, by a long way the best equipped establishment I have ever known.

Porta-Band? No room? Reciprocating saw?

Interesting. There had to be a reason. I've cut many a heavy bus bar in power distribution centers, about those dimensions.

 

[vyv_cox]

Porta-Band? No room? Reciprocating saw?

Interesting. There had to be a reason. I've cut many a heavy bus bar in power distribution centers, about those dimensions.

We had formed the coil and needed to cut off the excess. Hacksaw was the only practical option. This was a while ago so some modern possibilities did not exist then.

 

[thinwater]

We had formed the coil and needed to cut off the excess. Hacksaw was the only practical option. This was a while ago so some modern possibilities did not exist then.

Porta-bands (introduced 1967) and Sawzalls (introduced 1951) were in every pro tool box here by the mid-70s. Before that I can't say,

 

[vyv_cox]

Porta-bands (introduced 1967) and Sawzalls (introduced 1951) were in every pro tool box here by the mid-70s. Before that I can't say,

I can honestly say I have never heard of either of them. I have been around workshops for all of my working life and beyond but not in USA.

 

[DownWest]

I can honestly say I have never heard of either of them. I have been around workshops for all of my working life and beyond but not in USA.

Sawzalls are a generic term for reciprocating saws (inthe US). I have a Bosch from around '95. Still does occasional good work.

 

[xyachtdave]

I have been using Makita angle grinder blades to cut HT steel, Bisplate 80; 7075 high tensile aluminium, stainless steels (which is what the blades are defined or labelled for) and any mild steels. I have had no issues. The blades are v very thin

I was replacing a shower, domestic application, and I had need to cut the copper pipes. There was not enough room for a hacksaw and I simply used an angle grinder - there was some residual water in the pipes - and occasional drip. I thought nothing of it.

The blade shredded cutting the first pipe (standard domestic copper piping)



I queried with Makita - not a complaint - the blades are labelled for stainless no mention of copper pipes. I received the following reply:

quote:

Unfortunately, the bonded abrasive cutting or grinding discs are not designed to be used near any moisture, even though there was minimal water present, any moisture has a detrimental effect on the bonding holding the discs together, hence the reason for the detrimental effect you have experienced.

All bonded abrasive cutting & grinding discs must be stored in such a way that they do not absorb any moisture, as this will start to breakdown the bonding of the discs.

end quote.

I have no complaint of Makita and will continue to use their blades - but I will take segmented blades next time I'm asked to help with a windlass removal. The same blades will come in handy (and be effective) if we ever need to cut the rigging.

It seems that segmented blades are more applicable to be used if water is an issue.

Now everyone may know this, and it may have been aired previously - but I'm renowned for repetition so I thought I'd add a confirmatory post.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathon, I wasn't aware of this.

My boat has rod rigging, in the event of disaster I was going to let rip with my 54 volt Dewalt Grinder.

 

[thinwater]

I can honestly say I have never heard of either of them. I have been around workshops for all of my working life and beyond but not in USA.

Milwaukee Tool Company, the US leader in professional construction tools. I suspect they may have been the first to bring these to market, more or less inventing them, as Skillsaw did the portable circular saw. They are available in myriad variants now, but these are the originals (I have both). In the US they are known in construction circles by these trade names, much like nylon.