Cutting efficiently

Proper use of a cut-off wheel has a huge impact on wheel life, heat input into the material and speed of operation. Read all about it in our whitepaper.

Every workshop has an angle grinder with a cutting disc. Cutting a piece of steel or cutting a pipe, it happens several times a day. Perhaps the cut-off wheel is the most frequently used tool. Because the cutting wheel is used so often, it is important to keep paying attention to its proper use. From a safety perspective, the presence and position of the guard is important. Often the guard is seen as a hindrance, depriving the correct view of the workpiece. But with the correct position of the guard, this accessory is actually a very fine tool! It deflects the sparks released when cutting away from the person, which is actually much more relaxing and safer.

Besides the power of the machine, other factors play a role when we consider blade life. 

Are you working with a pushing or pulling motion? This in turn affects the heat that is introduced and thus the discoloration of the metal. The so-called pendulum, moving back and forth with the machine, is the best way to introduce as little heat as possible.

For thin sheet metal less than 3 mm thick, preferably use a 1 mm cut-off wheel. 

For thicker sheet metal, it is better to use a 1.6 mm thick cut-off wheel. When cutting through, the disc wedges between the metal to do its work there. A thin cutting disc contains fewer abrasive grains than a thick disc and is therefore more likely to dust. A thicker cutting wheel contains more grains on the side, so it keeps cutting.