Hello
I need to grind down a piece of steel about 60cm x 6mm which is slightly proud of a floor I want to tile over. It only needs to go down 1 or 2 mm. Not practicable to take it out.
I don't have an angle grinder. Presumably with a little patience, ear defenders, eye protection etc I could use some sort of grinding wheel or disc on my mains powered drill. Any recommendations please?
Tiles one side of it are expendable and there is a 10 mm drop the other side.
TIA for any replies.
You *need* an angle grinder. A cheap 4" one will be fine, with a grinding disc fitted. It will take an age with a gringing wheel on a drill.
Invisible Man brought next idea :
That would not work very well, would take an age and there are safety risks of a wheel bursting.
For not much more than £10 you could buy a cheap, small angle grinder which will easily do the job.
Argos have one for £15
Thanks for the various replies. Having joined in some of the jokes suggesting angle grinders for just about every question on this NG I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and finally get sound to buying what would have saved me a huge amount of time in the past!
Any recommendations. It will not get much use. I have nearly finished the work sorting out this house ..... until I (or more likely my other half) find the next thing to do.
No rush. Plenty of time to order on-line.
TIA once again.
A grinding wheel held in a drill is likely to fly out of the chuck and is quite dangerous, as well as being slow. I bought a small angle grinder and wheel for NZ$9.50 (under 4 GBP) that seems to work very well. I used it to finish off grinding this piece of steel:
I am not going to reccomend a model. I will however suggest that you get the
9inch and not a 4 1/2inch grinder.One you get a grinder you will always find uses for it.
Adam
Well, there are two common sizes. The larger one, 9", is pretty essential if cutting holes in a wall etc, but is large and heavy. The smaller one may be more useful for other things. Best to get one of each. ;-)
I have a Lidl 9" one which paid for itself on first use - I was installing a larger window. I got a diamond blade for it from Screwfix which cost more than the tool. ;-) But Lidl have had diamond blades in recently at a much lower price.
slightly
wheel or
I'd check what that steel is for before grinding away at it! If ground floor then is it a conduit protecting something. If first floor or above is it supporting something? Saves tears later!
AWEM
Screwfix will do you a "Site" (i.e. made by Makita) branded one for £19 at the moment... (although check the price carefully if you go to a trade counter - I know of one dodgy looking punter who got charged double that ;-)
Best buy around at the moment seems to be
No discs with it mind.
I still find a 9" grinder pretty scary (lots of energy in the dangerous spinny bits, lots of force needed to hold the tool itself), but for some things the extra size is essential which is why I have one.
(I suspect regular use would reduce my fear, but that may not be a good thing).
Once you have used a Stihl saw your fears about 9" angle grinders will be gone forever.
Adam
Indeed. The Lidl one I bought has soft start which helps. As does a diamond cutting disc - pretty well no chance of it shattering.
It's one of those few tools I don't look forward to using. I've even used my wet tile cutter for bricks, etc, instead. Much slower but safer.
In article , ARWadsworth scribeth thus
Dunno .. you can do just a much damage .....
hire a grinder.
Orbuy a carbide block
Ask on your local newsgroup to borrow one (or even freecycle list if your particular admins don't mind 'want to borrow' posts - some don't). I'm sure some kind soul will loan you one for an hour or two.
Having said that, 4 1/2" ones are cheap and usually come with a grinding and cutting disc anyway...
cheers
Jules
Any .. self respecting DIY'er should have a bloody angle grinder preferably as others have said a 4 and a bit and nine inch ones;) they aren't expensive at all..
I did actually manage to take a little chunk out of the tip of one finger with one once (using a sanding wheel), so the bloody was quite accurate ;)
But yep, they are fantastically useful things to have kicking around (at least the 4 1/2" ones - I've not actually had need for a 9" one yet, although I'm sure I will sooner or later)
Either they made a mistake and have noticed it or they discontinued the offer between you posting and me looking :-(. Page currently says £34.99, much to my disappointment.
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