Saw blade with chain. Grinding attachment for an angle grinder - how to sand wood with an angle grinder. Chain disk for wood for an angle grinder
A power tool familiar to working with metal, an angle grinder is also effectively used for processing other materials. Many people put a wood disc on an angle grinder without thinking about safety precautions.
Is it possible to cut wood with such a disk and what types? auxiliary tool they come to the grinder, let's figure it out.
There are special wood cutting discs designed for this type of work, but this is rather the exception. In addition, such a disc is not suitable for every angle grinder.
Let's consider several options.
Saw blades, hybrid chainsaw blade and chain
These cutting discs can be used to cut boards up to 40mm thick, with extreme caution. Rules, non-compliance with which lead to injury:
The saw blade has a metal base and a chainsaw chain attached around the perimeter
- It is strictly forbidden to remove the protective cover if the diameter of the disc exceeds the dimensions of the casing - your angle grinder cannot be used.
- The angle grinder should operate at the speed indicated on the disc. Otherwise, the chain may jump off and its components may fly apart.
- Safety glasses and thick gloves are required. It also doesn’t hurt to wear thick canvas clothing.
IMPORTANT! Use regular disks for circular saw, on an angle grinder is strictly prohibited.
The same applies to diamond cutting discs for concrete. They are not suitable for sawing wooden products and are dangerous. Firstly, the operating efficiency is extremely low, especially considering the cost of the disk. Secondly, you can simply burn the workpiece.
And finally, such a disk can jam in the cut at any moment, and you will receive a blow from the body of the angle grinder. Here is an example of a grinder blade that can be used to cut wood with extreme care.
The design of the circle provides protection against jamming with the help of side teeth that expand the width of the cut. The disk has a diameter of 115 mm, and its dimensions allow you to work without removing the protective casing.
The wood blade fits completely under the protective cover
Some home-grown “masters” customize standard saw blades for a circular saw, work is carried out with the protective cover removed. Most often, such experiments end tragically. The would-be master receives severe injuries, and possibly death.
At the same time, the construction markets are full of offers for grinder saws for wood. Sellers will assure you that in the hands of a professional, using such a tool is completely safe. This statement is true as long as these very hands are intact and unharmed.
The grinder, or angle grinder (angle grinder), is a very popular tool that is distinguished by its versatility. It is used in the process of performing most construction work. Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to saw a tree with its help. To process this material, you need to choose the right wood disc for the grinder. There are many types of nozzles, differing in characteristics and purpose.
The range of attachments for this tool is quite wide. Products are classified according to purpose, depending on which 3 main groups of wheels for angle grinders can be distinguished:
- saws;
- with diamond coating;
- abrasive.
Saws. They are similar to standard saws, but are made from different materials. The most common option is tungsten carbide discs. They are not suitable for working with wood.
Diamond coated. This group of circles for an angle grinder is the most extensive. The high popularity of diamond-coated nozzles is due to their wide operational range. With the help of such circles you can carry out processing metal parts, as well as elements made of stone and concrete. Such disks are not used for wood.
Pay attention! The use of angle grinders requires compliance with certain rules. One of them states that you cannot use circles with a larger diameter than indicated in the device passport.
Abrasive. They are highly versatile. Abrasive discs are used not only for cutting, but also for grinding and polishing surfaces. Products from this group are also used for wood processing.
These products are differentiated by one more characteristic - dimensions. The modern market provides wide choice products whose sizes vary from 115 to 230 mm. The 115 mm wood grinder blade is the most compact and is used for quick and accurate cutting of material. It is worth noting that the largest discs are not suitable for working with wooden surfaces.
Types of wood discs for angle grinders: design options
Many experts do not recommend using a grinder for cutting and processing wood. This is explained by the operating principle of the device and the characteristics of the material itself. However, the variety of discs for angle grinders is growing every year. They can be divided into several types according to the characteristics of their work.
Circular saws. Such wood wheels for grinders are used, as a rule, for more technologically advanced equipment, but many install them on angle grinders. They are divided into two types: large diameter with soldering and more compact, without soldering.
Chain. Ideal for working with wooden materials. Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to cut wood with a grinder. There is no clear answer to this, but chain products are best suited for this purpose. The edge of the circle in this case is equipped with a chain on which the teeth are located. Similar design has many advantages. This attachment is most often used for smooth cutting of boards. It can also be used to process other materials: chipboard, fiberboard, plywood.
Saws with a small number of teeth. This type of circle was specially invented to ensure maximum human safety when working with wood. Compact products belonging to this group have 3 teeth, and larger ones have 4. This group also includes cutting discs for an angle grinder for wood 125 mm. Such products do an excellent job of their functions. They can be used to cut wood along and across the grain. In addition to standard functions, such disks are used to organize grooves in workpieces.
Segmental (material – tungsten carbide). Such products appeared relatively recently, but have already gained enormous popularity. Distinctive feature such products lack teeth. The edge of the disc consists of segments that are characterized by high strength.
Useful information! Using a segment nozzle, you can work with wood of any strength and viscosity. It is highly safe and can withstand even metallic inclusions present in some workpieces (screws, nails, etc.).
Chain saw blades for wood: advantages of use
In this case, the saw blade is made using a chain from a chainsaw. This attachment is the most suitable for working with wood, as it has the greatest efficiency. Chain disc woodworking for an angle grinder is also considered the safest. The use of this attachment significantly reduces the likelihood of injury if the tool jams.
If the disk hits a hard element of wood during operation (for example, a knot), the chain is not destroyed. This happens by turning the base. Such attachments are very popular when it is necessary to strip a tree trunk of bark and knots.
Wood saw blades for angle grinders with chain are used for various kinds works With their help you can remove tree branches, as well as cut thin boards. Functionality chain products allow them to be used as roughing tools. They do an excellent job of removing bark.
Using a saw wheel, you can make an even cut of parquet boards, plywood, fiberboard, chipboard, as well as ordinary unedged and edged wooden products. It is important to remember that the thickness of the material that will be processed with such a nozzle should be no more than 4 cm. Otherwise, there is a high probability of the device overheating.
Cutting disc for wood for an angle grinder: features
For the manufacture of such products they use special material– tungsten carbide. This is explained by the following: when working with an angle grinder, there is a possibility that it will break out of your hands, so the material of the circle must have high strength characteristics. The use of tungsten carbide can significantly increase operational safety, but the cost of such products is quite high.
Discs similar type may have different arrangement of teeth. A variety of product types based on this feature allows you to choose the most suitable nozzle for a particular situation. The shape and frequency of the teeth also play a very important role important role. The most common wheel size for working with wood is 125 mm. If you decide to choose the most versatile version of a cutting saw blade for wood for a 125 mm grinder, then it is recommended to purchase a product with beveled teeth.
Useful information! Wheels that have straight teeth are best for working on soft woods. Boards from coniferous species are also processed using such attachments.
These products may have teeth that resemble a trapezoid in shape. They are characterized by a wider operational scope and are used for cutting boards with average density. Using this wheel you can cut the following materials:
- USB plates;
- fibreboards.
Wood saw blades for this type of grinder have some design features, which are determined by their purpose. For example, during operation, products easily overheat, so they have special slots, which can be empty or filled with copper. This measure allows you to compensate for the thermal expansion of the metal that occurs at high speeds. The width of such slots may vary, but not more than 2 mm. As for their depth, it does not exceed 20 mm.
Wood sanding disc for grinder: characteristics
With the help of a grinder, you can not only cut and saw off wooden parts, but also carry out roughing work of varying degrees of complexity. The modern market offers large assortment such attachments. They are classified according to several indicators: shape, design and purpose.
Peeling wheels are used to remove bark from logs or boards. Thanks to them, you can easily remove excess wood from end surface boards. They may have special spikes or crumbs.
Wood grinding discs for grinders are also used to level the surface of boards. Such circles are equipped with special spikes that are placed on a flat surface. This function is very useful, as it allows you to polish the boards from which the floor covering is constructed.
On sale you can find stripping products consisting of twisted wire. They are usually called brushes. There are two types of such attachments for grinders for woodworking, depending on the features of their structure. The first option provides for a base in the form of a glass to which the wire is attached. The second type is a disk with a wire fixed along the edge.
Brushes are used to eliminate paint and varnish materials from wooden surfaces. It is important to note that most often such nozzles are used to remove paint and rust from metal pipes.
Pay attention! For wooden parts it is necessary to choose a thinner wire that will not damage the workpiece itself. These products are suitable for different types wood
Wood sanding discs equipped with wire coils are also used for brushing. This event allows you to give the wood unusual look, artificially age her. However, with the help of an angle grinder equipped with a wire stripping attachment, only small volumes of wood can be processed. Thus, this element is not recommended for brushing on an industrial scale.
Grinding and polishing discs for wood for an angle grinder
Sanding and polishing wood is carried out using special attachments that are used for grinders. Such products include a metal base onto which the grinding wheel is fixed. Fastening is usually done using Velcro.
To use such an attachment on wood for an angle grinder, you need to fix it with a wrench (open-end) on the tool shaft. Quite often it is sold complete with a special adapter element, thanks to which it becomes possible to quickly attach it to a drill chuck. In turn, polishing requires the use of a more gentle material. Therefore, nozzles of this type are equipped with felt discs. They are also secured using Velcro.
Another option for a grinding wheel for an angle grinder is a flap wheel. Its design fully lives up to its name. It consists of a large number of sandpaper petals, closely spaced to each other. If desired, you can select the required paper grain size, which allows you to process wooden materials of varying degrees of density.
Although the grinder is not considered the tool of choice for woodworking, sanding attachments are very common. It is worth noting that grinding in this way is not suitable for smooth surface treatment, since even the most gentle versions of discs for angle grinders leave small scratches on the wood. If you decide to carry out this process as efficiently as possible, then experts recommend purchasing a special device - a grinder. Angle grinders are usually used for materials that will subsequently be painted.
Grinding wheels for grinders on wood: rough grinding
Grinding wheels that are used for angle grinders differ in material of manufacture, shape and operational purpose. The wood processing process itself, as a rule, proceeds in two stages. First of all it is produced rough grinding, after which the material is subjected to finishing processing. For rough polishing, several types of attachments are used:
- peeling;
- brushes;
- end circles.
Sanding wood with a grinder using a sanding tool is most often used to remove a layer of old paint. Sometimes this type of attachment is used to remove varnish coating, if you can’t fix it manually. Such circles can have different reliefs, the features of which determine the efficiency with which the product will function.
Brushes are used for sanding different types of wood. Products that belong to this group are classified according to their design, the direction of the wire bundles and their diameter. Depending on their hardness, they are also divided into types. If necessary, it is possible to select the right tool, corresponding to one or another grinding option.
Useful information! For rough processing larger diameter wire is used.
End discs for grinding wood on an angle grinder are used when it is necessary to adjust the size of a part from the end. Often such products are used for regular leveling of the side surface during uneven cuts. The principle of operation of the end attachment resembles the operation of a file. The difference in this case is the high efficiency of the angle grinder.
The use of sanding attachments greatly simplifies processing wooden blanks. Such products allow restoration old furniture, removing paint and varnish compounds from its surface.
Grinding discs for grinders: flap wheels
After rough processing it may be necessary fine finishing. Of course, if the wood is subsequently painted, there is no need to bring its surface to a perfectly smooth state. However, in most cases finishing is a necessary event. To perform grinding, you can use a common attachment - a flap wheel.
The design of the petal disk model, as mentioned above, includes sheets of sandpaper that have a trapezoidal shape. Their grain size is selected depending on the type of wood and the specifics of the work. Sanding disc on wood of this type is one of the most common. It ensures gentle processing of the material and has a high degree of safety. It is almost impossible to get injured using this disc.
From size abrasive coating on the petals depends on the efficiency and speed of wood processing, as well as its appearance. For maximum smoothness, it is customary to use fine-grained products. Experts recommend using several of these wood grinding wheels at once. This will make it possible to quickly rough cleaning, then finish the work with soft petals, bringing the workpiece to the desired degree of smoothness.
The use of such an attachment requires a certain skill from a person. Therefore, before starting to use petal circle It is recommended to practice on wooden parts.
Grinding wheel for grinder: soft processing and polishing
To carry out soft grinding, special discs are used, which appeared on the market not so long ago - just a few years ago. Such circles are characterized by a high degree of functionality and can have different grain sizes.
Useful information! Unlike flap attachments, abrasive particles are fixed with Velcro to the surface of the disk, and not to its end part.
A grinding disc for a wood grinder of this type has one advantage - ease of replacement. This procedure is performed without removing or disassembling the main nozzle, so using such discs is quite convenient. Sticky attachments can be easily purchased at construction market or order online. Selecting the desired grain size is not a problem in this case. With the help of such devices you can bring wooden surface to the desired state.
Polishing, which is carried out after grinding, can be carried out using special felt wheels. These attachments provide maximum smoothness. work surface, which is difficult to achieve using other tools. A large number of rotations of the angle grinder promotes uniform polishing of the wood.
Felt discs for grinders include wool (densely compressed), which can have different characteristics (depending on need). On modern market you can find different types of nozzles:
- fine-haired;
- semi-coarse-haired;
- rough-haired.
Woodworking attachments are different high efficiency and quality. Alternating use of these discs allows you to achieve incredible results. The wood surface after using them can be compared to a mirror.
Safety rules when working with an angle grinder on wood
The use of angle grinders for wood processing requires a serious approach. Incorrect operation of an angle grinder can lead to injury, so before using it, experts advise paying attention to some rules for operating the device. For example, before replacing one attachment with another, you need to disconnect the angle grinder from the network. How to change a disc on an angle grinder? To answer this question, it is necessary to determine the type of circle. Some products are installed without removing the main nozzle. However, in most cases it is necessary to unscrew the flange holding the element.
Pay attention! Under no circumstances should the cover, which is used for protection, be removed from the angle grinder. If the circle breaks, this element will protect your face and other parts of the body from injury from fragments.
Processing wood material using an angle grinder should be carried out with protective gloves. Saw and cutting blades for wood are best used on medium (in terms of power) devices. This can be explained quite simply: if the saw jams, then you still have a high chance of holding the tool in your hands. With a powerful device this will be much more difficult.
For cutting logs and boards, it is recommended to use attachments that have fine teeth. The smaller their dimensions, the less effort required to cut. Among other things, the likelihood of encountering hard wood fibers in the path of the disc is reduced.
Any angle grinder must be equipped with a speed controller, which must be set to the minimum position. When working with cutting discs for an angle grinder, it is very important to maintain a right angle. Otherwise, the cutting process will be uneven and the device itself may jam.
Angle grinders can be used for wood processing, but before starting use you should study technical features various nozzles. Products used for grinding and polishing do not pose any danger and are easy to use. Discs for cutting wood material require careful selection. During work, you must follow safety rules and not deviate from them.
Bulgarian, being universal tool at home handyman or a professional, is used when performing many operations on cutting materials, grinding, peeling various surfaces etc. Sooner or later every owner of this instrument I wonder: is it possible to work on wood with an angle grinder, and what attachments are needed for this?
The only operations with wood that can be performed with an angle grinder (angle grinder) without danger are grinding and roughing, and then using special attachments. Of course, you can cut wood, but it is strictly prohibited! The Internet is full of shocking photographs showing what the consequences of using an angle grinder as a cutting tool on wood.
The main arguments that can be made against use of angle grinders for sawing, the following.
- This machine is not designed for sawing wood.
- Since wood has a viscous and soft structure, the saw blade can jam in it. As a result, the grinder is often pulls out of hands, and it flies in an unpredictable direction (in the leg, along the arms, in the stomach, etc.), causing deep wounds to a person or amputation of fingers. Even fatal cases have been reported.
- When cutting wood it happens very quickly heating the saw blade, causing it to begin to lose strength. The slightest misalignment or excessive pressure may cause it to fly apart. Since the spindle speed of an angle grinder is high, tool fragments fly away at the speed of shrapnel and penetrate deeply under a person’s skin. The user will be lucky if the fragments do not fly into the head or eyes.
- Despite all the dangers of using saw blades with teeth, some angle grinder users ignore this fact and continue to install compass disks with large teeth or improved with carbide tipped. If, when cutting wood, a hard knot or nail residue gets caught in it, the tooth or solder breaks off, gets caught by the next saw tooth and is thrown out at the speed of a bullet. One can only guess about the consequences.
- Ignoring all the warnings, users of grinders install a circular saw with a larger diameter than protective cover. This is the most dangerous option using an angle grinder.
Based on the above, you can cut wood with an angle grinder only at your own peril and risk, and only if this is a single or infrequent operation.
If you have to cut down a tree constantly, then it is better to purchase for these purposes special machine, or use a jigsaw. In extreme cases, the grinder can be used as a drive and made into a circular saw, securing the device rigidly to the frame.
What kind of circles are there for cutting wood?
Despite the dangers of using an angle grinder for cutting wood, tool manufacturers still produce saw blades for it.
Circular saws
The photo below shows “dangerous” saw wheel for an angle grinder, although its diameter corresponds to the protective casing of a grinder with a maximum working tool of 180 mm. There are tipped saws with smaller diameters.
On next photo you can see a less dangerous version of the circular saw. It provides protection against jamming, and is implemented by slightly moving the teeth in different directions.
Chainsaws
A saw blade made using a chainsaw chain reduces the risk of injury if the tool jams. This attachment is designed in such a way that the chain attached to the inner disk (base) has not fixed landing.
If the chain gets jammed in the material being processed, the base continues to rotate and the tool does not tear out of your hands.
These chain discs for grinders have many modifications, and with their help you can trim branches in the garden, and can also be used for rough cutting of thin boards.
In addition to cutting, the chain disk can also be used like a ripper, for example, for removing bark, as well as for cutting cups in logs and modeling.
Saws with few teeth
Also, for grinders, in order to increase the safety of working with wood, tool manufacturers produce cutting discs with a small number of teeth.
Disks of small diameter can have 3 teeth, and large ones - 4, as shown in the following photo.
These grinder blades are excellent at cutting wood both along the grain and across it. In addition, with the help of a saw wheel you can cut grooves, make various cuts and tenons in the workpiece. But when working with an angle grinder, you should adhere to one rule: you need to install it on an angle grinder cutting disc such a diameter for the use of which it is designed by the manufacturer, that is, not to exceed its dimensions. Circles of smaller diameter can be installed.
Tungsten carbide discs
Tungsten carbide discs for angle grinders appeared on sale not so long ago and made a kind of revolution in the field of woodworking.
Given universal disk has no teeth. Instead of the latter, segments are located around the circumference of the nozzle. Trimming disc its appearance is similar to a diamond wheel for cutting concrete. With the help of a tungsten carbide wheel for an angle grinder, you can very easily saw wood of any hardness and viscosity. In addition, he is not afraid of nails, screws and other metal inclusions that may be in the workpiece on his way.
This is the safest wood saw blade for an angle grinder.
Its price on the Internet is about 700 rubles. But if you consider possible consequences the use of circular saws, then this is a low price to pay for safety.
Wood sanding attachments
For wood processing, in addition to cutting wheels, there are attachments specially designed for installation on angle grinders, with which you can peel, grind, brush and mill wooden surfaces.
Peeling attachments
If you need to remove a layer of paint or other coating from a wooden surface, you can install a sanding attachment on the grinder. There are a large number of different attachments available for sale. roughing work. They differ in shape, design, and types of work that can be performed with this tool.
The photo below shows disc nozzles with thorns or crumbs, with which you can easily remove top layer wood, grind the end of the board, etc.
The next cutter, due to the fact that the tenons on it are located on a flat plane, allows level various wooden surfaces. For example, if 2 floorboards at the end joint are on different heights. Using this attachment, the defect is easily eliminated, and the boards are joined in the same plane.
There are also roughing attachments twisted wire. They can be made in the form of a metal cup with a wire inserted into it.
Or in the form of a disk with turns of wire clamped in its central part.
These brushes are used if you need to quickly peel old paint from a wooden surface or rust and paint from metal.
The next photo shows a brush with a smaller diameter wire, and it is used for finer roughing work on wood and metal.
In addition to cleaning, this brush is often used for brushing wood, that is, giving it an aging effect. If this effect needs to be applied on large surfaces, professional field, then for brushing it is better to use special hand-held machines with wide brushes.
Grinding and polishing attachments
For sanding various surfaces, including wood, there is a special nozzle for angle grinders, consisting of a metal base, onto which it is attached using Velcro emery grinding wheel. The attachment is screwed onto the angle grinder shaft and tightened with an open-end wrench.
It is often equipped with an adapter for mounting in a drill chuck or drilling machine.
A grinding wheel is not used for polishing surfaces. Instead, they are installed on the nozzle felt discs, which are attached with Velcro.
Also often used for sanding wooden surfaces. flap sanding wheel. It is called so because it consists of many petals fixed on its plane, made of sandpaper. The grain size of the latter can be selected based on the requirements for the surface being processed. For rough sanding, coarse-grain sandpaper is suitable, and for finishing sanding, vice versa.
The better way to sand wood - with a grinder or a sander - depends on what you are going to prepare the wooden surface for. If under application regular paint, then you can use a grinding wheel. If for varnishing, then a grinding wheel mounted on an angle grinder cannot be used, since it will produce small radial scratches on the surface of the wood, which will clearly appear after applying the varnish. In this case, longitudinal grinding is used for grinding. belt sander(the sanding belt moves longitudinally) or vibration, where the same sanding wheels are used.
Safety precautions when working with an angle grinder on wood
If you decide to use an angle grinder as a tool for cutting wood, then you should remember some safety measures that cannot be ignored.
- Before installing the tool on the angle grinder, it must be disconnected from the power supply.
- Under no circumstances do not remove the protective casing from the angle grinder. This is the only barrier between the circular saw and your skin. In some cases, it will be able to protect your face from flying instrument fragments.
- When working with an angle grinder on wood and not only the use of protective gloves is a must.
- Do not use large and powerful angle grinders to cut wood. If the saw jams, you will not be able to hold the tool in your hands.
- Do not use saw blades with large teeth, as the likelihood of them catching on hard wood fibers increases significantly and, accordingly, the likelihood of the tool being pulled out of your hands increases.
- An angle grinder must have speed controller which need to be reduced to a minimum. If there is no regulator in the device, then it is better not to risk your health. As a last resort, you can make a regulator yourself and install it in an extension cord socket.
- The grinder should be held strictly at a right angle while sawing. Any slight misalignment can cause the circular saw to collapse.
- Under no circumstances should you fix the device’s start button, since in an emergency you will not be able to stop the tool and minimize injuries.
Corner grinder, which is popularly called a grinder, is not intended for processing wooden products. Even with the proper selection of workers, such operations are unsafe for health. Manufacturers producing wheels for grinders on wood 125 refer to this aspect in operating conditions, but not all people pay attention to this warning.
Working discs for angle grinders
In modern industry, several types of discs are available for grinders:
- Abrasive wheels, which are divided into grinding and cutting wheels, are quite fragile if used for purposes other than their intended purpose. The range of operations for which they are designed are performed perfectly.
- Diamond-coated discs used for processing building materials and hard rocks. They are divided into solid and segmented. Segmented discs are more suitable for grinders for metal.
- Working circles for circular saws, which experts do not recommend using in the processing of wooden products. It is better to choose saw blades adapted for the grinder, which are also popularly called a milling cutter.
- Chain discs for grinders. Although outwardly they resemble scenes from horror films, they cope with wood operations in the best possible way. They consist of a circle, along the edges of which a chain is applied, like on a chainsaw. High-quality steel allows you to perform various operations with lumber, or rather, milling, modeling, stripping bark and cutting out recesses in logs.
When choosing wood cutting discs for an angle grinder, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- the diameter of the wheels should not exceed the diameter for which the grinding machine is designed;
- select the main parts only those that are allowed for manipulating wood;
- Sometimes you have to remove the protective cover, which is unsafe.
Therefore, you should try to select only those working wheels that are provided for these tools, taking into account the diameter of the grinder and the material. Experimenting with high-speed power tools can result in injury.
The nuances of using each type of circles
Diamond wheels can be called universal because they are suitable for almost any material. For processing building stones and other hard rocks, this disc is ideal. But segmented diamond-coated wheels are not used for metal processing, and they cannot handle wood either. Lumber usually hides many surprises in the form of knots and uneven structure.
You can use 125mm metal abrasive discs to cut wood. But at the same time:
- the thickness of the material should not exceed 4 cm (and it will have to be cut from both sides);
- it is necessary to take regular breaks to check the circle;
- change it at the slightest sign that the part has failed;
- Replace a worn-out disc in a timely manner.
You should also be prepared for smoke and the smell of burnt wood. Lumber can take more laps to process than a steel plate.
The use of circular discs for an angle grinder 125 is dangerous to health and life. Although there are advisers on how to adapt a circle for a circular grinder, it is better to refuse such recommendations. If only because the rotation speed on an angle grinder is higher, which is why there is a danger of the wheel breaking and increased vibration power tools. Circular wheels are very fragile, and when using them on an angle grinder, there is a risk of injury from flying fragments.
In such cases, it is better to use a cutter for a circular cutter. It is distinguished by the shape of the tooth and the presence of special expanders, which eliminates jamming, minimizes the occurrence of kickback and vibration.
For processing lumber, it is best to use wood chain discs. The tool steel used for their manufacture is able to withstand loads and not break into fragments.
The service life of such a wheel with a chain is many times longer than that of a milling cutter; in addition, it can always be sharpened. But the price of chain disks for a wood grinder 125 or 230 exceeds 2 thousand rubles.
Safety first!
Convenience when use of angle grinders in transactions with wooden material pushes security into the background.
However, you can minimize the danger by observing certain conditions:
- When working with an angle grinder, use safety glasses and protective clothing.
- The protective cover should not be removed.
- Do not use a faulty wheel, or disks that have even the slightest defects.
- When working with a grinder, you should hold the tool with both hands.
- You cannot put the grinder down until the rotating part has completely stopped.
- The cord from the tool should be located at a distance from the working circle.
- Refrain from planned actions with an angle grinder if you are feeling unwell or in a state of intoxication.
- Use wheels that strictly match the diameter of the tool and are designed to work with the selected material.
These rules will help you avoid unnecessary injuries when using a grinder for woodworking.
When choosing working disks for a grinder when purchasing, you should remember that it is better to spend a significant amount once, but on long term purchase a circle with a chain. It will help you perform many operations when working with lumber, as well as unprocessed logs.
If the circle is needed for a one-time use, you can opt for a cutter. This disc can also be used when working with aerated concrete and other materials. The cost of a cutter is lower than that of a chain cutter, but also higher than the price of an abrasive device.
The most extreme case is to buy a cutting abrasive disc. But you should be prepared to strictly adhere to safety precautions: there is no need to swallow smoke and “enjoy” the aroma of burnt wood. In any case, such savings can cause irreparable harm to health and also lead to additional costs.
It's like the fairy tale about the unicorn, everyone has heard about it, but no one has seen it with their own eyes. The public of construction forums and authors of similar articles on the Internet is divided into two camps. The former say that in their lives they have cut through more than one cubic meter of wood with a grinder, the latter give strong arguments in favor of the fact that after such work you can lose your fingers or limbs, or even worse. Is there a disc for an angle grinder for wood, and if so, what does it look like and is it safe to use?
The author of this article kindly asks you not to consider this material as a guide to action. An angle grinder is not intended for working with wood; even those manufacturers that produce discs and cutters for wood write on their official websites that it is extremely unsafe to cut wood with an angle grinder. But you and I know that people rarely think about their health first.
Cutting with an abrasive disc
Yes, you can cut wood with a metal disc; to be honest, I myself have done this more than once while working at a construction site. What can we say? Well, firstly, the speed of work with this method is low. Secondly, the smell of burnt wood even on outdoors within a radius of 10 meters you are provided. And thirdly, the thickness of the sawn board should not exceed four centimeters. This is not to say that the abrasive disc is not a wood disc for an angle grinder; its main purpose is to cut metal. As for the advantages, in my opinion these are: the absence of sawdust, and a smooth, even cut.
Circular saw blade and its improved analogue
The vast Internet is full of videos on how to turn a circular saw blade or a diamond blade for concrete into a blade for working with wood. You can argue for a long time about whether this is worth doing or not? Even without considering myself awesome smart person, I would not conduct such experiments. And here's why:
- The circular saw blade is not designed for high speeds; yes, it is carbide, but no less fragile. One chipped tooth can pose a great danger to a person.
- The edges of the toothed disk are not smooth; when cutting into a tree, the grinder will vibrate and crash into the branches of the workpiece. This type of work may cause the operator to lose control of the tool.
- the likelihood of a kickback increases
There is an adapted blade for a wood grinder on sale; the manufacturers claim that due to the shape of the tooth and the special expanders that are located on the cutting part of the blade, all of the above concerns about the tool jamming disappear. One of the manufacturers is the Rotarex company; in its product range you can find both grinding and cutting discs for grinders. Below is an image of a circular saw disc and a grinder disc from Rotarex, which is universal. They can cut not only wood, but also aerated concrete.
Chain disk for wood for an angle grinder
At first glance, it may seem that this is a device for a horror film, but judging by the reviews of its owners, this disc is safer than the analogues presented above. It is a solid circle, along the edges of which there is a chain from a chainsaw, everything is made of high-quality tool steel. The main purpose of such a disk is: milling, modeling, stripping wood of bark and cutting out cups in logs for log houses. It is also possible to cut with such a disk, given that the cutting width will be about eight millimeters, since the thickness of the chain disk is six millimeters. Speaking of diameters, there are 125 and 230 wheels on sale. Operational life such a disk will be many times larger than others, because it can always be sharpened with a file. The price for them ranges from two to three thousand rubles, and with delivery from another region it will cost even more.
Remember safety!
No matter what kind of disc you work with and no matter what material you cut, you should always remember that following safety rules can save not only your health, but also your life. And before you start working, read the following points:
- do not work while intoxicated;
- use safety glasses and protective clothing when working;
- Do not remove the protective cover under any circumstances;
- It is prohibited to use a faulty cutting disc or a disc with any, even minor, defects;
- When working with an angle grinder, hold it with both hands;
- the electrical cord must be kept away from the rotating disk;
- Do not put down the tool until the disc comes to a complete stop.
There are a lot of ways to cut wood, one of them is to make a cutting disc out of paper. How effective this is, of course, is up to you to judge, but please note that this is one of the safest options.
