Tips on using an angle grinder

[dg-1984]

Can anyone give any hints or tips on using an angle grinder for cutting tiles, bought a variable Bosch and premtool blade.
Have read about rotating the grinder and having the blade on the right as pull cutting can be more accurate on longer cuts. Also the dust etc is thrown away from you instead of towards.
Any hints or tips you have would be great.

 

[J Sid]

as I do it and find it so much easier. Just let the blade do the work with little force from you pulling

 

[dg-1984]

as I do it and find it so much easier. Just let the blade do the work with little force from you pulling

Can I ask what angle do you have the guard? Do you look at the cutting line from behind the blade or Infront?
Reason I ask was I found I was leaning over to try see the line from above and front but thought must be an easier way to see it.

 

[J Sid]

don't tell anyone but no guard
pull towards you looking at the line you are going to cut with eye in line with pull.

put safety glasses on

 

[One Day]

No guard is utter madness! Why risk it? Proper impact rated safety glasses might save your eyes, but what about the rest of you? How about your neck? Arteries?
The guard is needed to stop broken disc fragments aiming for you!

 

[J Sid]

I know, but that's how I've always do it.

 

[One Day]

I have my blade on the left and pull cut gently.
I can see the line and cuts are fine. I wouldn't lean over an unguarded blade, exposing my neck.

 

[One Day]

Penetrating facial injury from angle grinder use: management and prevention - https://head-face-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-160X-4-1

and google "angle grinder injuries".

 

[dg-1984]

Thanks for the replys, I would keep the guard on for safety.
If the disc is on the left and you are slowly pulling is the blade not cutting upwards and causes porential chips?

 

[Andyman]

No guard is utter madness! Why risk it? Proper impact rated safety glasses might save your eyes, but what about the rest of you? How about your neck? Arteries?
The guard is needed to stop broken disc fragments aiming for you!

I had a 225mm 9 inch metal cutting disc shatter in front of my face last year. I had safety glasses and helmet on, first time all day I forgot to put dust mask on and ended up with nose and lip cut to crap.
Glasses saved my eyes that day.
Leave the guard off and soory to say your a ****

 

[One Day]

Thanks for the replys, I would keep the guard on for safety.
If the disc is on the left and you are slowly pulling is the blade not cutting upwards and causes porential chips?

I never cut in one pass. Usually back and forth a couple of times just shy of the final cut line, but last cut is pulled towards me.
I use a makita variable and CK850 akkumax usually.
No chips.

 

[dg-1984]

I never cut in one pass. Usually back and forth a couple of times just shy of the final cut line, but last cut is pulled towards me.
I use a makita variable and CK850 akkumax usually.
No chips.

Ok thanks I have a few tiles to practice on so will try both cutting blade on left and right. Like the idea of dust etc flying away from me rather than at me to be honest.
Just found it a little awkward to see the cut line with the guard on, may need to try adjust it a few different ways.

 

[Old Mod]

If you have blade on right as Julian does, guard parallel to tile watch cut line from behind blade, its easy to see @JulianSidney
Just compensate with measurements to cut on right side of line.

 

[Old Mod]

I have my blade on the left and pull cut gently.
I can see the line and cuts are fine.

 

[One Day]

If you have blade on right as Julian does, guard parallel to tile watch cut line from behind blade, its easy to see @JulianSidney
Just compensate with measurements to cut on right side of line.

I just can't do it! Feels too cack-handed to me ...

 

[Old Mod]

I just can't do it! Feels too cack-handed to me ...

Oh no! That’s not for you Mark.

I’m still trying to get my head around your explanation of how you use your grinder.

Praps I should actually try it first.
But surely on anything over 1200, your blade gets insanely hot?
And we wonder blades don’t cut cleanly?

 

[Bill]

I cut from above and always in the direction of the blade rotation. Two hands on the body of the grinder and guard on!

 

[One Day]

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm actually being really thick here. It is totally possible I guess!
OK, I start by lightly scoring my line with the blade, probably .5mm then I'll work up and down that line on the waste side to about half way through. Final cut I'll pull the grinder towards me.
Hey, maybe wrong but it works for me!

 

[Old Mod]

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm actually being really thick here. It is totally possible I guess!
OK, I start by lightly scoring my line with the blade, probably .5mm then I'll work up and down that line on the waste side to about half way through. Final cut I'll pull the grinder towards me.
Hey, maybe wrong but it works for me!

Not about being wrong Mark, nothings wrong if it works is it.
So you actually cut thro glaze in direction of blade rotation then?
I just didn’t read it that way initially mate, that’s all.
Apologies.

I do find personally tho, if I just try to cut .5 mm initially, I tend to do more damage.
I’m sure that probably says more about me than the technique.

 

[Bill]

Those of you that have one....

When using the angle grinder on a rail system..... does that cut all the way through the tile in one pass?

 

[Old Mod]

Those of you that have one....

When using the angle grinder on a rail system..... does that cut all the way through the tile in one pass?

Some you have no choice.
Others adjustable.

 

[Old Mod]

Think I’m actually lying Tom,
Reputable ones, adjustable.

 

[Flintstone]

For me, blade on the left of the grinder body, and cut down the right side of the line, always away from me never pulling and I do the cut in 3 passes probably

 

[dg-1984]

Thanks for all the replys. How are you clamping the tiles to the work bench, what clamps you using?
Any pics of setups then please post.
Been doing a little cutting today and so far blade on right and pulling towards me feels more comfortable.
Also the diamond polishing pads are brilliant for cleaning up the tile edges, just bought a 50 and 200 grit off eBay and very good.

 

[One Day]

Not about being wrong Mark, nothings wrong if it works is it.
So you actually cut thro glaze in direction of blade rotation then?
I just didn’t read it that way initially mate, that’s all.
Apologies.

I do find personally tho, if I just try to cut .5 mm initially, I tend to do more damage.
I’m sure that probably says more about me than the technique.

I almost always score the line first if I need a very clean cut, then stay away from the score line until last pass.
I've honestly not noticed any difference in cut quality whichever way I cut, but perhaps that's the blades I use more than me?
I know when I tried flipping my grinder I couldn't steer it at all, being right handed.

 

[Old Mod]

I almost always score the line first if I need a very clean cut, then stay away from the score line until last pass.
I've honestly not noticed any difference in cut quality whichever way I cut, but perhaps that's the blades I use more than me?
I know when I tried flipping my grinder I couldn't steer it at all, being right handed.

I think what would be interesting would be a joint project, shame it’s unlikely.

 

[Spare Tool]

Saw a tip on insta other day..on an L cut scribe score both lines then go in with grinder from the waste corner to corner where both scores meet and snap the two pieces independently on scribe cutter.. Yet to try it but sounds like it would work..

 

[Old Mod]

Saw a tip on insta other day..on an L cut scribe score both lines then go in with grinder from the waste corner to corner where both scores meet and snap the two pieces independently on scribe cutter.. Yet to try it but sounds like it would work..

It does Andy. Think I might struggle tho.
I might be tempted to drill corner first tho, even with regular stuff.

 

[Spare Tool]

It does Andy. Think I might struggle tho.
I might be tempted to drill corner first tho, even with regular stuff.

Hmmm yep that corner could be the weak point and at at least £500 a tile I'd stick to what you know works Marc...so you can't blame me if it goes **** up

 

[Old Mod]

and at at least £500 a tile I'd stick to what you know works Marc...so you can't blame me if it goes **** up

Haha I wouldn’t even try that method on anything over 600 Andy.