Diamond discs or non-Diamond - value for money/cutting ability

Picked up some 115mm cutting discs for cutting steel from Wickes (=A311 for 5 narrow discs) and noticed that they have 115mm Diamond edged discs that also claim to be able to cut steel. The Diamond disc is =A325.

Question: Are Diamond discs worth the money? The packet claims that the speed production because they need changing less frequently. Is this so? That's not a problem from my point of view but are there any other (or actual) benefits of using Diamond discs?

Richard

Reply to
RJS
Loading thread data ...

A diamond disc outlasts numerous grit discs, cuts faster, and is much safer. Get one, its that simple. But forget paying =A325, they're way cheaper from toolsatan.

NT

Reply to
NT

True for concrete/masonry, but for cutting metal (such as the steel identified by the OP), thin grit discs are much better.

Wickes discs are, I think, Norton - at least they look very much like them. Anyway, they are good quality. Diamond discs are not all the same. The quality (i.e. durability and speed of cut) varies enormously.

Reply to
Bolted

I can only partly answer your question, since all the diamond discs I have used have been for stone/masonry cutting. In the case of those, there is no comparison - the cut faster, narrower, and last for the equivalent of tens to hundreds of conventional abrasive disks.

The ones that also cut steel are a newer thing, and I have not tried on of those for that application yet.

Reply to
John Rumm

Thanks All

I'll stick with the thin, grit discs for the steel. The ones I have been using (Wickes) do slice through steel in a very satisfying manner

- and knuckles!

I picked up a 230mm(?) and 115mm grinder set from Makro a few years back that included a large number of grit discs and one 115mm 'Diamond' disc. Well, I would have got on just as well had I used a beer mat instead of the Diamond disc!

One thing that is tempting about the Wickes Diamond discs is that they claim to be able to cut reinforced concrete. I plan to enlarge the side door to my reinforced concrete garage and the thought of how to remove the existing lintle has been giving me pause for thought.

Richard

Reply to
RJS

The original diamond discs would die very quickly if you tried them on steel... Unless it was a very cheap crap one, then it ought to work on masonry. Having said that there are different classes of disc suited to different types of masonry. Some designed for hard masonry will wear fast on very abrasive materials like sand stone. Some designed for sandstone won't even touch granite or porcelain.

My first 230mm diamond disc (a Hitachi one that came with the grinder) must have cut many hundreds of metres in concrete before finally giving up in a granite slab a couple of years later!

Yup there are some Makita discs that also make the same claim (in fact I suspect that this multi material disc is now quite "mainstream")

Reply to
John Rumm

I bought a £1 diamond masonry disc from Poundland, on the basis that it wasn't much to lose if it didn't work. I have not had any reason to regret the purchase.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
Nightjar

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.