Angle grinder for cutting wood

[john hamilton]

Novice has small angle grinder (takes discs 115 mm with central hole diameter 22mm). The discs i've already got for it are for grinding tiles and metal.

Having knocked down a very old cedar garden shed, I want to cut up all the wood. I'm wondering if i buy one of the diamond discs available for it, whether that would be reasonably ok for cutting wood with? I cannot find any discs that are said to be specifially for wood for this type of angle grinder.

Some of the shed cladding wood is very thin (with nails all over the place) so i think the usual circular saw for wood would be a bit too hefty and vigourous on this thin wood of the shed. Grateful for any suggestions on the best type of circular disc to go for. Thanks.

[krw]

No. A grinder will more likely start the wood on fire than cut it. There is good reason you don't find wood "blades" for an angle grinder. It's absolutely the wrong tool for the job.

A circular saw will work fine. Be careful with nails, though. A circular saw will cut them (as long as you don't care about the blade) but it might throw them too. Wear *lots* of protection. A "Sawsall" (reciprocating saw) is a better tool for the job, though.

[js.b1]

Diamond blade plus angle grinder on a treet stump killed someone recently (kickback into neck). Suicidal.

You can use a cheap jigsaw with wood ripping blade if you cut them over a table. Very quick unless stuff is >2in thick. You can use a reciprocating saw - like a normal handsaw but two blades driven like hedge trimmer blades, but they cost somewhat more (better for chopping thro old studwork).

I would not suggest even a handheld circular because of the risk - you are working "sloppy-fast" which could result in kickback or accidents. The jigsaw would probably be best for thin cladding (shiplap etc), a lot quicker than you realise.

[Oren]

The best "circular disc" is the one on your "circular saw". It was mentioned about using the right tool for the job.

Got a sharp axe, matches maybe?

[aemeijers]

I see by your message headers you seem to be in the UK. Here in the states we have something called 'Harbor Freight' that sells low-end (mainly Chinese) power tools at very low prices. They aren't any good for fine woodworking, but for something like this they would be more than adequate. Search online, in your local phone book, or in the second-tier shopping centers near where you live. Odds are there is something like that over there. What you need is a reciprocating saw with a demolition blade. It is one long blade (not two, like the other post implied), that goes back and forth like a handsaw. It would make short work of your pile of salvage lumber. You are trying to salvage it, right? If this is just for burning, a plain axe will do what you need, or even a plain handsaw.

The reciprocating saw likely would have made the demolition process a lot less painful, as well. I only use mine once a year or so, but for certain jobs, it is a lifesaver.

[JIMMIE]

A wood cutting plade for an angle grinder is available. I is a disk with chainsaw teeth on it. Think it is used for carving. Definitly not what you want.

Jimmie

[Dave Liquorice]

The OP hasn't said what he intends to do with the cut wood. If it's for a wood burner reasonably uniform size and few splinters is desirable. Sawing would be the best, I used my table saw (and an old blade) to cut down the shiplap from our shed refurbishment. That was for the open fire.

If it's just to make managable for a bonfire, the quickest will be snapping though over ones knee will probably end up with a bruised knee fairly quickly. Much better to have a block on the ground a few inches high and tough pair of boots and use your weight or a stomp to break it up. I reckon that will be faster than a jigsaw and you still have the problem of holding the timber.

[Lee Michaels]

Sounds scary and dangerous. I would not recommend it. But there is a carving disc for the mini grinder.

The capacity for this thing to grab things and throw them into your body is probably infinite. The only way I would use anything like this if the material was locked down into a big, secure vise. I would also wear gloves, face protection and heavy clothing.

In some ways this is like cutting small limbs with a chain saw. The saw grabs anything that is not solidly secured and throws it. And a certain percentage of the time it hits you. And it hurts.

The number one rule of cutting anything small like this is to secure the stock before cutting it. Any movement of the stock can be dangerous.

[js.b1]

I think there are 2 types...

- Alligator saw - double blades like a hedge trimmer

- Demolition saw - single blade that just pumps away

Unsure which is cheaper, but more search strings :-)

Alligator saws are more useful for general cutting. Demolition saws, well they are certainly good at that.

[spamlet]

I have a very cheap Wilkinson's 'Swallow' jigsaw which came with a good selection of blades. After making up maybe 20' of fence going up a steep slope, from old rescued fence boards of all different lengths, I was amazed at how easy it was to put a nice profile right along the top using one of the longer coarsish blades. Should be fine for your shed.

I also did almost buy a reciprocating saw in either Aldi of Lidl when they were going v cheap last year. At the time though, I thought I'd always be fit enough to use hand saws...

S

[Tim Watts]

I saw some discs in Alsford Timber the other day that were available in

9" and 12" (might have been a 4-odd inch too) that were advertised for wood, especially tree roots. They had some almighty lumps (1/8-1/4") of abrasive (maybe carbide) suck on the side. Looked bloody viscous - sadly I can't remember the name.

A google for angle grinder and tree roots might turn up something... Or ring Alsfords in Hastings (assuming you're in the UK) and ask them what those bastard evil discs on the front counter in the display stand are called...

[Jim Yanik]

Tim Watts wrote in news:hsn749$dcj$ [e-mail]:

diamond discs would gum up from resins and overheat quickly. They are made for ceramics and metals,not wood.

[Tim Watts]

It wasn't a diamond disc - very clearly nothing like one to the eye - in fact I've never seen anything like it before...

[Nonny]

I've seen 4" blades for angle grinders that incorporate a chainsaw chain. They're used for coarse shaping for carvings. In fact, I saw one in use making a totem pole in Alaska and it really worked well.

I also have seen a 4" disk with extremely coarse carbide crystals on it, but it was for use in an oscillating saw that just looked like an angle grinder, and was used more for sanding than for cutting.

[Mark & Juanita]

What he said. I had to replace my evaporative cooler and got a reciprocating saw to cut up the old one. I looked at Harbor Freight and decided that going with a good Milwaukee Sawzall was going to be more cost effective in the long run. It doesn't cut pretty, but it is quick and effective at reducing large pieces of junk to small pieces of junk.

[DanG]

diamond will absolutely NOT be any good whatsoever in wood.

If it's so thin, just snap it over your knee. If you can't snap it over your knee, you need a circular saw and carbide blade. You could use a jig saw or reciprocating saw if that was something you already had. There are wood cutting blades for offset grinders, but they are VERY dangerous unless you are well versed in their use and even then can really hurt you - I would NOT suggest one.

[Mike Marlow]

Bull. Diamond wheel on an angle grinder is the wrong combination, but not for that reason. Kickback has nothing to do with the wheel on the grinder, but instead has everything to do with where on contacts the wheel. Suicidal? Not at all. One stupid move on the part of a user does not make a tool suicidal.

A reciprocating saw more typically just has one blade that simply, well... reciprocates.

It's fairly difficult to develop kickback with a circular saw. Not impossible, but not easy. A circular saw would make a good choice for materials 1/2" and up. Below that, I'd probably just break the stuff over my knee...

[Harry Bloomfield]

spamlet has brought this to us :

The reciprocating saw will fit and cut, where you cannot possibly get a hand saw into. I have found mine to be particularly useful for cutting tree roots, whilst still buried in the ground.

[The Medway Handyman]

More like homicidal then. You wouldn't get me within 10' of one. Madness.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Angle grinders scare me enough when used on the things they're meant for, with the correct blade. Dunno what I'm doing on this group. ;-)