Angle grinder disks for cutting hardware cloth

[IdyllwildAcres]

Grinder is way overkill and difficult to use on HC. Wire cutter is all you need. Cheap, easy to use and works perfect.

Never overkill, she is buying a new tool, always a good thing

Gary

 

[LJBass]

If she was talking about buying pneumatic shears or nibblers or something specialized I might try to talk her out of it. But an angle grinder is pretty handy for a lot of things.

I made 3 brooder boxes over the last weekend, took 2 full rolls of of 1/2 inch 48x10ft hardware cloth cut into 12 panels. After about 4 hours of using wire cutters to cut panels, then trimming back the sharp nubs before starting the next panel. I broke out my grinder, worked well.

Just remember never to have your face inline with the wheel, if the wheel flakes some off, grab a new one, and you might even be able to ring test the wheels, i'm not sure if it would work on a .045 wheel. (ex: put your finger in the center hole, tap around the edge with a wrench, if it makes a ringing noise its good, if it's a dull noise it may be cracked and dangerous.)

 

[fightingbunny]

Wow, for some reason I was not seeing updates to this thread! Thank you everyone for the advice.

So far, we have just snipped the ends with tinsnips, but we have only done the ceiling so far. The cut edges have these terribly sharp little pieces all down the length. I don't mind sharp edges up on the ceiling, because how often do you go up to the top of your run? However, I do want to smooth/tame the hardware cloth edges around my run door. Would the cutoff wheel of the grinder do a better job of getting rid of those sharp pieces? The box also included a grinding wheel as well. Is this what it is for?

I might look into buying that bending tool and see how that works... I don't mind buying tools as there is ALWAYS a project later that you are so glad you have a tool you wouldn't have thought to go buy, but as you have it sitting around... It isn't like anyone goes into Home Depot and drops ten grand and gets one of everything. You build up your tools a bit at a time.

 

[fightingbunny]

I use hand by-pass shears to cut HC and 4" hand breaker to bend over the 'sharpies'.
Best tip for handling HC is to roll it out on a large flat surface to cut to size (and to do bends if needed) concrete garage floor worked great for me. Wear leather gloves, more against shear blisters than HC scratches. Look at My Coop page, I cut plenty of HC and only got like two scratches on arms.

i can't seem to find tools with those names. What is the bending tool called? Is that a tile breaker?

 

[fightingbunny]

Also, one reason we haven't used the grinder yet is that we are both a bit afraid of it. Is it really dangerous? My husband said if the wheel breaks, it could be really bad. Also, do we need welding glasses or something due to the sparks?

 

[aart]

What is the bending tool called?

It's called a sheet metal seamer. Mines a 4" can't remember where I got it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-jaw-straight-sheet-metal-seamer-98728.html

 

[fightingbunny]

Do you find that bending the hardware cloth over with that seamer thing is enough to keep it from cutting you at random times?

 

[aart]

Do you find that bending the hardware cloth over with that seamer thing is enough to keep it from cutting you at random times?

It helps a lot....and easier, IMO, than cutting off the short pieces.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

It's called a sheet metal seamer. Mines a 4" can't remember where I got it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-jaw-straight-sheet-metal-seamer-98728.html

hmmm... Looks like a tool I need. Now I know how to bend edges on sheet metal without having to lay it over an edge and tap with a rubber mallet.

 

[Rob Tof]

I already owned the cut off grinder. No need to bend cut it off and hit with the side of the disc to clean it of sharp edges. Took mins for whole job to cut and take down sharp edges.