The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest 4" grinder. What's best for cutting.

What's the best wheel for cutting sheet metal with a 4" grinder?

My local welding supply carries various cutting discs/grinding wheels, etc. They make one with the depressed center for the 4-1/2 grinder that is .045 thick, for minimal heat build/material loss. I prefer to use the more expensive discs made for stainless, they tend to put much less brown haze in the air and all over your shop than the cheapy flea market cut off wheels, and last quite a bit longer as a trade off to the increased price. Yes, more money up front, but longer use, less changeout, etc. so it balances out in the end. I also use the 3m disposable PAINT respirator for a better face seal, and the exhalation valve under the mask certainly helps to keep your safety glasses from fogging up as with the dust masks.

I use a diamond wheel made for cutting tile. It cuts metal like butter and doesn't wear out.

I like the norton or randor wheels I get from the welding store as already mentioned the last much longer the HF type and make less mess. also partial to the 4 1/2 off set wheels

I will 3rd. on the importance of the good quality wheels from the welding shop! The cheepo wheels come apart faster than they cut. I use the next size larger wheel with the offset for a little clearance on the fingers. You have to remove the guard, but I don't run it anyway.Be careful if you do this as it's obviously not as safe for your hands! I find that you can see what your doing quite a bit better without it.

On sheet metal the thicker the wheel, the thicker the cut and the more heat you will build. They make thin wheels expressly for this purpose. All major suppliers produce them, a thick wheel on sheet metal is just wasted effort and cutting medium.

Nothing but diamond discs for me. They are quite inexpensive now a days and last very, very long. Makes a very thin kerf, resulting in less heat.

I've had good luck with these Metabo wheels, they cut nicely and last a long time.
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-Abrasive-Cutoff-Wheels/Categories