Metal Fabrication Cutting Tools: Saw Vs. Angle Grinder

Who among us has never used a saw? One of the most accessible tools to use is this one (or so it appears at first glance.) Simply press it forward while positioning the teeth against the object you want to cut. After that, pull it back and drive it forward.

That seems ineffective. Exists a better approach exist? This article's title, "Saw vs. Angle Grinder," reflects this. We'll examine the various sawing alternatives, read the salient characteristics of angle grinders, and discuss when one would be preferable.

Reciprocating Motion

A saw blade has a row of pointed teeth, each designed to remove a thin material. Due to its relationship with the rate of metal removal and the characteristics of the material, tooth shape is crucial. Various saw blades are ideal for cutting wood, plastics, ceramics, and metals.

More prominent teeth cut through material more quickly; however, such a blade becomes unwieldy when cutting thin material. It's ideal to always have three teeth in contact with the workpiece, which may necessitate using a blade with fine teeth.

Circular Saw Blades

The efficiency of a rotary or circular saw is much higher. Every time it comes into contact with a workpiece, it cuts. Chop saws are so named because they are moved up and down in a chopping motion; table saws (where the blade protrudes through the machine table) and miter saws are three different types of circular saws.

This consists of chop saws tilted at a 45-degree angle to form a miter junction in sections. The workpiece is secured horizontally and cut to length using a chop saw. One benefit is cutting an entire batch of material to the same size by pressing the material up against a stop. The blade's radius must be more comprehensive than the material's thickness.

Bandsaws

A bandsaw engages the workpiece with an unending series of teeth, similar to a circular saw. In contrast to a circular saw, a bandsaw can cut thick and thin materials. There are two types of bandsaw: vertical and horizontal.

A table holds the workpiece as it is pushed into a moving saw blade in a vertical bandsaw. One of its strengths is the vertical bandsaw's ability to cut intricate forms by rotating the workpiece as it is pushed through the blade.

Angle Grinder

An angle grinder is a hand-held power tool used for cutting wood and metal. The motor, which may be electric or pneumatic, is often located in the handle body. The motor shaft rotation is communicated through a 90° angle to the cutting wheel, which is perpendicular to the motor axis.

Angle grinders may accommodate a wide variety of cutting wheels, although they are all ultimately grinding wheels in the end. They have grit around the edge rather than distinct teeth. Some have grit adhering to the edge of a steel carrier, while others are entirely made of grit.

The actual cutting mechanism is identical to sawing: each grit particle functions as a tiny tooth, removing a small amount of material. There are, however, a few notable variations.

An angle grinder, which spins at 6,000 rpm or more, spins far faster than a circular saw. Thus, even though each grit particle only removes a tiny amount of material, it can quickly remove a large amount of material when combined.

Second, the grinding wheel deteriorates as the matrix holding the grit particles together is ripped apart. This differs from a saw blade that just gets dull over time.

EXAMINING AND DISTINGUISHING

We typically use a circular saw to cut a batch of tubes, bars, or sections to length. There is some setup time, but once the stops are in place, the process is quick and repeatable.

Rather than cutting to length, a vertical bandsaw is more frequently used to cut forms. There is little setup required, but it can be challenging to produce straight cuts and requires some practice.

When will the angle grinder be available? This is used for short-cutting tasks where accuracy and straightness are not as crucial as speed. An example would be lengthening a bolt. Another option is to notch a steel part for cable or pipe relief. However, we wouldn't use it to cut tubes, sections, and bars to the exact length needed or to make clean, straight cuts in sheet metal.

CONCLUSION