I currently have as much money spent on 4" cutoff discs as I've spent on steel to fab my Challenge car. I buy them a dozen at a time. The bulk of them has been Norton or DeWalt brands, with some Menards store brand thrown in. None of them lasts very long. What brand do you gravitate to and is it for any particular reason aside from "that's what my local store sells" ? A lot of what I've been using them for is slicing sheet metal, hacking brackets off an axle and some contouring tube ends for cage fitment. I have not sprung the funds for one of those "miracle" diamond dusted cutoff wheels that are claimed to last so much longer. Anyone have experience with one of those?
Link to Hengxuan Abrasive
I personally don't like the diamond cut off wheels. They do last a long time (as long as you don't overheat them and weaken the brazing on the diamonds) but they are loud and rough.
Most of the ones you'll find at local stores are probably the lowest price point option and likely aluminum oxide grain. If you can find one with a zirconia or ceramic grain they will have much better performance. There are a lot of brands out there so if you are buying one of their more premium products you should have good luck. Try to stick with ones that are made in USA or Germany. Rex-Cut, Pferd, Norton, 3M, Weldcote, etc all have good products.
I've bought the abrasive cut-offs by the box from the local welding store, last batch was Norton (or an offshoot of them), and they have done much better than prior cheap HF wheels. I did buy a mixed kit of cutoff wheels and flap discs from Benchmark Abrasives and have been really happy with those. The cutoffs work well and the flap discs seem to last a decent amount of time. You can usually find discount codes floating around for them too.
I have to second the prior comment on the diamond cutoff wheels. They work, but are LOUD, and very chattery. I wear ear plugs inside on ear muffs and they still scream. Great way to make friends with the neighbors!! They are okay for thicker wall tubing, not so much for thin material.
Streetwiseguy said:I buy cheap ones at Princess Auto. (Western Canadian Harbour Freight, kinda)
For long life, don't cut sheet metal by burying the blade in the metal, cut the surface.
For longer life, but a five, or even a seven inch blade, because they will eventually wear down to a four inch blade... I have a seven inch grinder that will cut a lot of material before I get it down to four inches.
To add to Streetwiseguy's comments, there are some very thin blades out there that work really well for sheet metal. Thinner means less material removed and less heat in the part you are cutting. The typical box store stuff only gets down to 0.063" or so. The ones we use to build Cup cars are generally 0.040" thick. They will break easily if you get them bound up, but the go thru sheet metal much faster and with less heat. To re-state the comment above, use the longest bit of blade you can to cut with. If you use the blade as close to the center of the exposed edge, it will wear out very fast.
I think Dusterbd was keeping the used cutoff wheels from the AMC build and photographed the pile toward the end of that build. We did use the diamond edged blades toward the end and found them to work great on steel, not so much on aluminum. Also, if they hang in the cut they grab really hard and try to pull the grinder out of your hands instead of breaking. Side note, I have used a diamond balde to cut up windshields, but the finish is not great.
Lots of different views and brands. I'll have to go see what the local welding store carries and what they cost. I do have multiple choice for different cutting devices, a saw, a power shear from the hammer store that works surprisingly well, tin snips, a chop saw and several HF angle grinders with various flappy discs or cutting wheels. I even bought the HF tube notcher to make things easier. The cutting discs are the biggest expense though (4 or 5 dozen used so far), that's why I asked.
Benckmark Abrasives https://benchmarkabrasives.com/
Hands down the best cutting/grinding products I've ever used. Cut off wheels last noticeably longer than I expect them to and the flap discs just keep going and going. I toss those when there's almost nothing left.
I tried them on a whim from Amazon since the store ones are so damn expensive. I did 1 each of 10 pack of 40 grit/80 grit flapper discs and a 50 pack of cut off wheels. That got me through the all the frame off/chassis modifications and roll cage on the cutlass, and a full roll cage worth on another car plus lots of little odd jobs here and there. I just reordered more flapper discs (it have been almost a full year) and still have half the cutoff wheels left. Extremely happy with them.
What are the best cutting discs?
This is a question that can be asked by two categories of people.
Someone looking for the best disc for cutting operations, who are using an angular grinder for the first time, and therefore need the information to buy the best cutting discs, and to avoid mistakes.
However, even people who use abrasive and cutting discs daily may wonder this, as they are looking for the ideal disc to make grinding work more effective and less tiring. So, let’s have a look at the things to keep in mind when making a choice!
Cutting discs: abrasive and diamond discs
Want more information on metal cutting discs? Feel free to contact us.
Many different types of discs can be mounted on an angle grinder. Grinding discs, lamellar discs, and so on. In the world of angle grinder cutting, however, it is possible to group the types of discs in two large categories. Diamond discs on one side, and, on the other, abrasive cutting discs.
Diamond discs are designed for cutting materials such as concrete, reinforced concrete, brick, ceramic, and so on. They are expensive, and they last over time, and therefore do not need regular replacement.
When it comes to abrasive cutting discs, things are different.
They are less expensive grinder discs, because they are disposable: the abrasive disc is, in fact, consumed by the cutting process, becoming gradually smaller until it cannot be used anymore, and therefore a new one needs to be mounted.
It is, therefore, clear that, in choosing the best cutting disc of this type, it is best to opt for products with high durability, to make disc replacement a less frequent need.
Abrasive cutting discs, in any case, find their most specific use in the cutting of iron, steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminium, and other ferrous materials, as well as, in some cases, in the cutting of bricks and tiles.
Factors to consider when choosing cutting discs
Even before taking into consideration the performance of the best cutting discs, it is best to evaluate what the characteristics of the disc best suited for your angle grinder are, as well as the work it will need to perform.
All abrasive cutting discs have a metal centre created for fastening to the angle grinder: depending on the type of fastening system present and the angle grinder’s protection, it is possible to choose between discs with flat or lowered centres.
Of course, that is not all. When deciding on the type of angle grinder best suited for your current needs, it is best to pay attention to the size of the discs, i.e., their diameter.
In fact, there are grinder discs with a total diameter ranging from 75 mm up to 230 mm (2.9 to 9 in), to choose from depending on the size of your angle grinder.
The dimensions of the central hole for the fastening, which can range between 6 mm and 23 mm (0.2 to 0.9 in), also vary.
And, before proceeding with the purchase, the specific use which will be made of the abrasive disc should also we considered: some cutting discs are indeed designed for specific materials, while there are others, known as “hybrid”discs, which allow for both grinding and cutting operations.
Abrasive discs: looking for the best cutting discs
Those looking for the best cutting abrasive discs, we believe, should have no doubts about it: the best grinder cutting disc on the market, taking into account all the different factors – from performance to purchase price – is 3M’s Cubitron II cutting disc, an abrasive disc made with ceramic grain.
Available in different sizes according to your needs, it is characterized by the presence of triangular-shape ceramic grain, which allows for a slow and uniform wear-and-fear, as it is cool-running.
Cubitron II cutting discs have been developed by 3M for cutting stainless steel, mild steel, and aerospace-grade alloys. Among the advantageous features of these discs is the self-sharpening of the ceramic material, which, cut after cut, rather than tearing apart, self-sharpens, always ensuring fast, precise, and easy grinding operations, without requiring much effort from operators.
The uniform wear of the disc does not compromise its performance, making the Cubitron II cutting abrasive disc the best choice on the international market.
The company is the world’s best 16inch Cutting Disc supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.