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Best Equipment for cutting UDS

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lhommedieu

Knows what a fatty is.
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I'm using a UDS for BBQ but have another one that I'd like to cut to make a grill. I was wondering what the best tool is for cutting out a quarter section of the wall? Grizzly just sent the following ad to my email:

"H5503 Electric Sheet Metal Shear

This Electric Sheet Metal Shear features a 1/2 HP, 110V, 2500 RPM, 3.8 amp motor, a 360 degree adjustable swivel head, and variable speeds from 0 to 2500 SPM. Cuts up to 14 gauge in mild steel and 18 gauge in stainless, at up to 150 inches per minute. Weighs 5 lbs."

Would this tool be appropriate or should I get something else?

Best

Steve
 
Saber saw and a pack of metal cutting blades or a cutoff wheel and a high speed angle grinder.
 
I've never used the shears before, but was wondering about them myself. I used a sawsall with metal blade and a high speed air cutter with a 3 in disk. Sawsall beat me up and was hard to control air cutter slower but lots prettier. Im sure someone here used the shears before.
 
I've used electric shears in the past, and they work great for cutting thin metal, it can be a little difficult to get a straight line. If it were me and I was going to buy a tool for this specific task, I'd get a sawzall or a grinder because you can use them for a lot more than just cutting metal.
 
I've used them all, shears are fast for thin metal like mentioned and hard to get a perfect cut. Cutoff wheels are good on a straight or 90 degrees air grinder. Electric 4 inch grinders are harder to control for a perfect cut. The 90 deg air grinder with the "green wheel" are thin and you can make a perfect cut if you have a compressor big enough to supply the air. They make alot of dust. Sawzall, I can cut a vehicle completely in half/quarters within less than a 1/16 of an inch of my line at the most. But I do have alot of experience. Never put the "foot " of the sawzall against your object after you get started cutting, use a longer blade when your trying to hold a straight line. 32 teeth per inch for a fine cut, 18 teeth for a faster cut on metal. When you reach the end of your cut you really have to be careful. With the 90 deg air grinder it will take longer than the sawzall.
 
I used a dewalt disc grinder to cut the top off of mine. I never tried cutting one in half.
 
4 1/2" grinder with cut-off wheel. Get a 10 pack of wheels from Harbor Freight. Snap a line for your cut and just score it gently with the cut-off wheel. You then have a groove that will result in a straight line.

Wear your gloves and for God's sake wear safety glasses or face shield.
 
Thanks, all, for the advice. As I am about the most mechanically disinclined person that you can imagine I will take your safety advice to heart, as well. I sounds like the 4 1/2" angle grinder is a popular choice - so I'm going to go with that.
 
lhommedieu said:
Thanks, all, for the advice. As I am about the most mechanically disinclined person that you can imagine I will take your safety advice to heart, as well. I sounds like the 4 1/2" angle grinder is a popular choice - so I'm going to go with that.
Click to expand...

Avoid Harbor Freight grinders and blades. Pick up a Dewalt or similar at Home Depot, they have blades too.
 
SmokerKing said:
4 1/2" angle grinder with a cut off disc
Click to expand...

STCL01 said:
4 1/2" grinder with cut-off wheel. Get a 10 pack of wheels from Harbor Freight. Snap a line for your cut and just score it gently with the cut-off wheel. You then have a groove that will result in a straight line.

Wear your gloves and for God's sake wear safety glasses or face shield.
Click to expand...

SmokerKing said:
Avoid Harbor Freight grinders and blades. Pick up a Dewalt or similar at Home Depot, they have blades too.
Click to expand...

You can not go wrong with a 4 1/2" angle grinder. As SmokerKing said, pick up a name brand grinder from you local big box hardware store (Dealt or Milwaukee) for around $80. Also a name brand cut off wheel will outlast the harbor freight wheels 3:1.
 
ButtBurner said:
I have an $11 harbor freight grinder and I beat the heck out of it.

works fine, it was a great deal
Click to expand...

I bought two last December for my nephew for a weekend UDS build. Dropped one on the garage floor and the plastic housing broke, fell apart. had to wrap it in electrical tape to hobble our way through the build.

The only cutting blade I had disintegrate on me in 30 years of steel fabricating was an HF thin cutting blade. These are very thin blades and if you get one just a little off center, or try to cut a radius, it'll blow apart on you.

I've owned and used Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee and Metabo 4", 4/12' and 5"grinders for years at work and home. Never had one fail me, break, crack, etc. Dropped them many times from heights, etc.

The 4 1/2" angle head grinder is probably the most versatile tool I use. Grind, cut, sand, polish, wire brush, cut stone, etc. Don't skimp, spend another $60.00 and have a keeper.
 
Last edited:
Angle grinders work well but for very fast and accurate straight line cuts you can't beat using a 7" cut-off disc on a circular saw. That one blade will last for the project.
 
I've been a garage fabricator guy since I was a kid, and have always had to design my work around the tools that I had on hand - hacksaw, file, drill, bench grinder etc. Having finally splurged on a good angle grinder (DeWalt) for my bbq trailer build up, I can easily say it is my favorite and most versatile tool in the garage. There is so much you can do with it you'll love it. And don't waste $20-$40 on a Harbor Freight model.
 
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