Cut Off wheels that last

I usually use the old Home Depot Norton 4" cut off wheels. I noticed that lately
the discs just do not last at all. You can burn through one in about 15" of 16gauge cutting.

Anyway, I was at Lowes and needed wheels, but they only carried Dewalt brand 4" wheels. They were about the same price under $2 ea. I can tell you these things last about 5 to 10x as long as the Norton discs. I honestly went a day without changing one when usually I go through 5 or so Norton wheels.

The Dewalts cut where the Nortons just turn to dust. Maybe it is just the HD Norton discs???

Thought I would pass the savings along.

 

No doubt about it 3M is the way to go. These things last and last

 

i burn home depo discs i buy 40 at a time, they do suck

 

I get the harbor freight cheapies. seems to be a good tradeoff between price and longevity

 

I will agree. I've noticed that the dewalt ones I had to buy at lowes cause I couldn't find a Home Depot last longer for me too...

 

You guys are using them thin wheel aren't you, about 1/32 thick?

I only discovered them about three years ago. Revelation!!!! I'd slogged on with the 1/8" pieces of crap for a decade or so before that.

I knew the thin ones were about, but thought they'd just go up in smoke and dust if you tried to cut anything thicker than a beer can. How wrong I was.

Apparently the best ones are the type designed for stainless steel. Never used them myself though, as I just use my huge stash of Ebay specials. Take it steady, nice and smooth, and they last for ages.

 

Try 3m, Pferd (My favorite! Made in Germany, not cheap, but with how ling they last, they are a bargain), and Walters (also german).

The cheapies from the swap meet, HF, etc are a waste of money and time. If a cheapie is $1, and a premium one is $2.50, but the premium one lasts 6 times longer, which is the better deal? How often do you want to change discs? How fast do you want to cut? Do you trust the safety factor of some offshore no-name junk?

In the end, buying the premium ones from a well respected abrasives company (Well, I like some norton stuff, but the HD Norton discs suck) saves you money, and they preform better.

I get Pferd brand ones from my local welding supply. They gave me one as a demo one day, and after that I was hooked. They are like crack. I have tried almost every brand out there, and they stand well above the others.

 

I buy them from Klingspor.

http://www.klingspor.com/

 

["If a cheapie is $1, and a
premium one is $2.50, but the premium one lasts 6 times longer, which is the better deal?"] um-m-m-m, is this a trick question?

 

Ive also learned if you take it easy on them they will last a bit longer too..dont try to push the wheel too much..let the tool do the cutting..not the pressure you put on it.

 

i like my harbor freight ones. i can get one blade to last 5 times longer than my 19yr old helper cutting the same stuff. if you let the blade do the cutting and not force it they seam to last.

 

Funny you should mention the Dewalt brand, I just picked up 5 Dewalt cut-off tool wheels expecting to burn thru them over the weekend...3 days later I'm still using the !st one with no wear for the worse...2 thumbs-up for the 1/32".

 

i stopped using harbor freights cut off wheels when i almost lost my eye

 

I've tried alot of different brands, and I like the Dewalts best... there's a fleet store near me that sold them for 95 cents each, but they recently went up to $1.05

 

who has good prices on bulk say 100 or 200 at a time???

 

I've had good luck with Metabo discs. Millwrights where I work grab six for each job and leave five laying behind. I don't mind cleaning up there mess.

 

I use the blackstone ones from Fastenal. I have discovered an odd trend...
If I use them to cut sheet metal, they go FAST.
If I use them to cut thicker steel, they last FOREVER.

I have since switched to a bosch jigsaw for sheetmetal work. it cuts better than anything else I have used for sheet, and reserve the cut off wheel for burlier metal. This has saved me so much cash on cut off wheels in the last 2 Years that I have more than payed for the jigsaw and blades.

The Jigsaw makes much nicer cuts, too...especially where a short radiused curve is concerned.

 

what tpi & brand do you suggest? i think have gotten the medium tooth one(can't remember the exact count) from the local hardware store and the metal got a little squirly on me. i'm totally open to suggestions.

 

Dewalt all the way

 

Its all about walter. They are pricey and hard to find though. I am currently using cgw though and they are working out well. I use the 6" wheels with 7/8 arbor in an electric grinder though. I get tired of changing the small ones.Check out www.aaabrasives.com

 

3m green corps seem too last pretty good.I agree with using something else to cut sheet metal,I am using a Matco air saw ,just about the best you can get.

 

You guys need to give the Fastenall brand a try. I have had real good luck with them and there flapper wheels will out last anything I have found. The prices are also in line.

 

forney cut off wheels is what i use 1/32 they last a long time

 

Have had 2 HF ones EXPLODE...I dont use them anymore...and I wear a full face shield.

 

+1 for Walter Zip Cuts.

 

Pferd cutoff wheels and 14" chop saw blades are worth every penny. You'll use more time and money trying to us cheap ASS abrasives.
When Norton discontinued the real deal Norzon3 series of 14" chop saw blades (could have been a sign to where we are today), they stopped making the best high usage chop saw blade on the market. On a regular basis, 3 to 4 per week with careful usage. Pferd is the only abrasive I've used that has durability on a close second to cutting and longevity to the performance of what Norton doesn't offer anymore.
The amount of dust created while cutting, not metal being removed, will show how durable any abrasive is. Maybe how much you see smoke curls up off a fresh burn mark in your arm will show how the blade has the ability to remove metal from the object needing to be shortened. Scars and cough won't show through my keyboard.

 

i think it's Choprods here on the hamb who "was", maybe still is, selling some decent furrin made discs that work good, at a good price. he wasn't too keen on sharing the brand name as i recall, but it doesn't much matter cause you're not going to find them at just any distributer or retailer. i'm just about due for another batch, i think my batch of 100 lasted two or three years so far.

 

My son works construction so I use what ever he brings home.
But I must say the Metabo brands are pretty good. I also sell the green 3M brand wheels at work they are great but damn at $25.00 or so for 5 I don't buy them for home.

 

Metabo will come up as a good second compared to Pferd. Their product is about halfway between Harbor Freight and Pferd, all under Norton Norzon 3.
Good sourcing beats real world prices by ?????????? WTF do I know?

 

Walter Zip wheels. Last forever and I've never seen one come apart. You could cut the roof off a car with one wheel.