Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
How to cut steel pipes for car front grille?
I bought a billet grille that is made of rectangular-cross-section stainless steel pipes, it has a cutout for my car emblem, but the cutout is too small, so I need to cut it bigger. Looking at the car not directly from the front, it seems the edges of the grille are overlaying/hiding the emblem, and it looks bad. That is because the grille is an insert and sits 1/2" in front of the surface of the emblem.
I tried to use a small 16mm "diamond cutting wheel" on a battery-powered drillmachine, but it keeps skidding off, does not progress very fast with the cutting and makes a huge noise that may be too much for my neighborhood (especially if it takes hours to cut it).
What is the right tool for this? Or should I take it to some mechanic or something?
A dremel tool with a carbide cutting wheel should not make excessive noise outside of a closed garage. It's essential for both clean cuts and noise reduction to clamp the bar you are cutting securely.
What also makes me ask - WHY no one is making those cut off tools with handle perpendicular to the wheel? FAMOUS Bolgarka is used widely and wildly in Russia and those countries - none here. What a hey? They are super handy.
Dremel is really a great tool, I have both the rotary tool and oscillating one. It's one of the tools you might not use much but when you do it can make many jobs a whole easier like cutting off nail head in recessed space. This isn't one of those jobs, you'll be there for a while with a dremel..
Die grinder/cut off tool would be my first choice for this because the tool is really easy to handle and works really fast. you are less likely to make a mistake. You need a half decent compressor to make enough air, you don't need a giant compressor but if you only have a small pancake compressor you'll be waiting on air more than cutting.
Electric angle grinder would be my next choice. Cut slowly and even give the metal some rest, otherwise you might heat it too much and you'll get that rainbow effect. You'll need to use a file to clean up the edges when you are done.
Word of warning, if there is one tool that needs a warning on it this one is it. It can bite you quick especially if it's a good one. Always try and use it so you are cutting/grinding on the right side of the wheel. That way if it binds or whatever it will run away for you instead of towards you. Pull the tool towards you to cut, don't try and push it into the material. Leather gloves and eye/ear protection are a must, preferably full face shield. Those wheel's have been known to explode. Difficult to do but try and keep your face away from the rotation of the wheel. Also Be very careful of any loose clothing, hair, jewelry etc. If you are working with a wire wheel for example it will grab hold of a t-shirt, faster than you can blink you'll be wire wheeling your skin. I know some nitwit that did that once. Always put it down so the wheel side is facing up. Same warning applie to the air die grinder but they are not nearly as bad because they don't have the torque, if they bind they basically stop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
What also makes me ask - WHY no one is making those cut off tools with handle perpendicular to the wheel? FAMOUS Bolgarka is used widely and wildly in Russia and those countries - none here. What a hey? They are super handy.
The handle screws off, if you look on the top they have a hole for it. There will be on on the the other side too.
Last edited by thecoalman; 02-16-2019 at 06:49 PM..
The handle screws off, if you look on the top they have a hole for it. There will be on on the the other side too.
Must be Russian influence in China. None of the known brands does this. I'll check it out at HFT, they are 15 min away. Shouldn't have bought DeWalt...... That handle position changes everything.
Wheel cover actually allows it to be laid down wheel side. Of course, after it STOPPED.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Always put it down so the wheel side is facing up. Same warning applie to the air die grinder but they are not nearly as bad because they don't have the torque, if they bind they basically stop. 
