Best Equipment for cutting UDS

[ButtBurner]

Originally Posted by SmokerKing

Avoid Harbor Freight grinders and blades. Pick up a Dewalt or similar at Home Depot, they have blades too.

I have an $11 harbor freight grinder and I beat the heck out of it.

works fine, it was a great deal

[biggin69]

Originally Posted by SmokerKing

4 1/2" angle grinder with a cut off disc

Originally Posted by STCL01

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.

Originally Posted by SmokerKing

Avoid Harbor Freight grinders and blades. Pick up a Dewalt or similar at Home Depot, they have blades too.

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.

[SmokerKing]

Originally Posted by ButtBurner

I have an $11 harbor freight grinder and I beat the heck out of it.

works fine, it was a great deal

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.

[Carbon]

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.

[shares]

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.

[ButtBurner]

Originally Posted by SmokerKing

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.

I have dropped mine many times. I bought it to cut the rocker panels off an old van and has been one of my favorite tools ever since

guess I am lucky, I do have an old all metal Black and Decker 8" but that sucker is heavy

I am not comparing it an $80 tool. For some light duty use like this UDS it will work just fine

[SmokerKing]

Originally Posted by ButtBurner

I have dropped mine many times. I bought it to cut the rocker panels off an old van and has been one of my favorite tools ever since

guess I am lucky, I do have an old all metal Black and Decker 8" but that sucker is heavy

I am not comparing it an $80 tool. For some light duty use like this UDS it will work just fine

You must be a lucky, I know I'm not.

I have a lot of steel working tools and I'd have to say I get the most use out of my 4 1/2" angles, can get into tight spaces, one handed control, light weight, powerful, multitude of uses..

I have (6) of them, all chucked with different sanding pads, grinding discs, cut off, polishing, wire brush, etc. Got tired of constantly changing out the discs when working on projects.

Oh yeah, I worked the 8" B & D's with the cast housing back in the 70's and 80's. Heavy, wear you out.

[Goldenfinger]

+1 for the angle grinder...

I used a 4 1/2" angle grinder as well to remove the entire lip from my drum and make all the cut-outs for my round basket from 1/4" steel plate... the only difference was that I changed out the standard cutting disc for a small diamond disc. They have the same size pilot hole to center the disc, so all you need to do is flip over the mandrel to secure it properly...

[lhommedieu]

Thanks again for the advice. The DeWalt 4/12" is on Amazon.com but I'll look at my local Big Orange Store as well.