Anyone else fabricate with a angle grinder?

I do most of the fab job with an anglegrinder.I use hitachi grinders,they have worked with me fine.

 

I still prefer to do most of my sheet metal cutting with a grinder. They are such an exacting cut even when doing ANY curves, tight or large. There is no warping or shifting of the edge of the cut. I use them for stripping cars and parts (I also have a big blasting cabinet and blasting booth for stripping), cutting small sections of tubing and stock among a million other uses. Definitely the most used tool in the shop. I have two Makita 4", a Makita 4-1/2", a Fein 4-1/2" and a 9" black and decker from the early '60's.

 

I'm exactly the same, three on my bench, three different wheels.

A plasma cutter is a luxury very few hot rodders have, I'd venture.

 

Datinman uses rocks, sticks, and fire.

 

I would love to get my hands on a plasma cutter eventually. I'll probably pick one up before I go on to my next project. Every single cut on this truck has been done with an angle grinder.

 

My 4 1/2 inch DeWalt quit the other day and I walked around like my dog had died, two $3.50 brushes and I was in business.

Couldn't live without it.

 

I've got dust on my hack saw since I found those .045 cut off blades for the angle grinder.

 

bought a dewalt battery powered cut off tool works great as a grinder and cut off. now nothing gets away in the junk yard

 

I cut all of these with a 4 1/2 angle grinder, 3/8 plate steel, after fighting through a few discs and more then a few hours. I went out and bought a band saw!

 

I have used an angle grinder for all my fab work. When its out there is a grinding wheel and a cut off blade on the bench, and the wrench to change them. I should get another grinder on for each wheel.

 

All the time. At home and at work. I use Milwaukee, Bosch, and a couple of throw aways. I also use an air grinder sometimes with a cutoff blade.

 

Years and years ago, I built a complete independent-suspension-at-both-ends chassis for a '29 roadster with only a Lincoln buzz-box welder, hand hack saw, body grinder, and files, and a B&D 1/2" drill. It can and has been done many times. More tools just make life a lot easier.

 

I've seen that chassis built by fatkoop...it looks fantastic!

 

I actually sold my O/A torch, never used it. my main fabricating tools are the angle grinder with either grinder or cut off disk, a ruler and tape measure, and my 240v lincoln arc welder. i do all my cuts with a cutting wheel on my cheap chinese angle grinder i got from autozone about 5 years ago. i feel it works better, it has always done what its supposed to do, and i abuse the crap outa it. the only thing that sucks is when you catch a burr or something and the wheel shatters and sprays ya with chunks, I have always worn my weelding mask though so its only my neck that catches the wheel chunks.

 

I used one quite a bit when doing my apprenticeship....too much time cleaning up edges ,when the skinny cut off wheel leaves a clean edge straight off the bat. my .02

 

the grindings and material from the wheels doesn't go into the motor when the safety guard is fitted!! sorry but i've seen too much carnage done by cut off wheels and such. One tutor I had looked like he had a cleft palate...when asked ...he told us he had a cutoff wheel shatter and blast his face.
things do go wrong now and then ,its important to remember not to get complacent and respect any tool (esp power tools).I been buildin cars for 23years and nearly put a drill bit through my guts just before xmas.
ok ...rant over (not gettin at you Engineman)

 

I have two scars on my belly from trying to cut 1/2" stainless with my angle grinder with a cutoff wheel.
Had the trigger locked, the blade got pinched and jumped out of the metal then proceeded to veg-O-matic my shirt and tender caucasion flesh. Finally jerked the plug out of the extension cord. Scar #1

Dusted myself off, installed a new wheel, plugged the grinder and did the same thing again. Scar#2

 

I refer to my angle grinder as "my favorite tool." I've built two complete hot rods with virtually nothing more than an angle grinder (to take metal apart) and a 110 welder (to put metal together).

Incidentally, my angle grinder is a Harbor Freight cheapo and it's lasted 14 years now.

 

No plasma cutter, but I've been using angle grinders with cutting, grinding, and flapper wheels, a tube notcher, a bench grinder/wire brush, torches, a bandsaw, a chop saw, a drill press, hand files, a welder, and a 9" cutting wheel on a big buffer/angle grinder... I will say nothing jumpstarts the wood stove like a torch, some wood, and half a quart of oil.. LOL.

 

thanks for the clever idea, never seen that done before, just so you know im gonna steal it and make one for myself. you should try and market this, way too handy not to try. good luck.

 

damn clever setup...yeah you should throw it out on the market before someone else beats ya to it.....

 

The extension is aluminum bar stock(1 1/4").........Just drill the center, tap both ends the proper size, cut the head off a bolt and screw it in one end and install grinder in the other. Had it for years, works great.

 

I don't own a plasma cutter, so all my cutting gets done with other tools. I use my Milwaukie portaband saw mostly, then the angle grinder, and the sawzall. Rarely use my oxy/acetylene torch as it just requires the angle grinder to clean it up anyway.

 

Next to my super Sawzall, I like my grinder best!!!!

 

"please-we refer to it as "the four and a half inch bridgeport"


Too funny!
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