A versatile power tool like an angle grinder helps you perform fast and precise cuts on various hard materials like rebar, concrete, tile instead of a rebar cutter for rebar cutting only.
Let’s learn how to cut rebar with angle grinder correctly in a few minutes with the following detailed guidelines and tips.
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How To Cut Rebar With Angle Grinders?
Things to prepare
Before learning how to cut rebar with an angle grinder, you should know some essential things to prepare for safe and efficient operation.
- An angle grinder: This power tool requires less intensive labor than manual tools like saws.
- A diamond disc or cut-off disc: Make sure that the disc is in good condition.
- A workbench and a bench vise (depending on your cut).
- Tape measure: Rebar is often sold with a length of 20 feet. Thus, you need to use a tape measure to make accurate cuts.
- A piece of chalk: To mark where to begin your cut on the rebar.
- Safety clothes and accessories: Since you will cut a metal surface with a metal blade, there might be flying sparks and shavings. You should be cautious and wear proper safety equipment (or Personal Protective Equipment – PPE) to protect yourself from injuries. A full PPE includes long sleeves, long pants, work boots, goggles, and a pair of work gloves.
For the safety of you and your coworkers, you should do this cutting job in a well-ventilated area and far away from flammable objects.
Steps to cut rebar with an angle grinder
Step 1: Choose your tool
A high-quality angle grinder with a powerful motor of 5 to 9 amps and a standard of 4 to 4 ½ inches can efficiently handle this metal cutting job.
Apart from the grinder, use a disc that is designed to cut metal materials like rebar. A diamond blade is the best choice for this task since it lasts longer, provides cleaner cuts in a shorter time, and wears down slower than abrasive blades.
Make sure that both your angle grinder and the cutting disc are in good condition before starting the job.
Step 2: Install the disc
Assemble the disc in your angle grinder.
Step 3: Secure the rebar
Use a clamp or vice to secure the rebar.
Step 4: Outline your design
Mark your cuts on the rebar with a measurement tape and a piece of chalk.
Step 5: Make first cuts
Turn on the grinder and set it to the available maximum speed. Then, make straight cuts follow the predefined outline. Do not put too much pressure here. Just let the grinder do its job.
Step 5: Finalize your cuts
Use a grit accessory to grind the remaining jagged edges.
Pros/Cons Of Using Angle Grinders To Cut Rebar
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Other tools to cut rebar with their pros/cons
Besides an angle grinder, there are many other tools that you can use to cut pieces of rebar, including a rebar cutter, chop saws, circular saws, miter saws, reciprocating saws, etc.
Below is a brief introduction and the advantages/disadvantages of these tools when used to cut the rebar.
1. Miter saw
You can use a miter saw with an appropriate blade to cut the rebar. Since this tool uses a carbide-tipped blade for its operation, it can generate fewer sparks than angle grinders or circular saws.
A miter saw can work with a blade size of up to 12 inches, however, the 7 ¼ to 12 inches are the most popular blade choices.
Pros:
- Generate fewer sparks, thanks to its carbide-tipped blade
- Can cut in various angles – 90-degree, bevel, or compound
- Many blade sizes
- Many choices of product weight
Cons:
- More suitable for cutting wood
2. Chop saw
A chop saw works like a miter saw. It uses a large-sized carbide blade to cut various types of metal like aluminum, lumber, timber. First, adjust its speed, then you can slide to make straight cuts on your cutting bar.
Pros:
- Offer clean cuts
- Can cut a lot of reinforcing bars at a time
Cons:
- Its performance is limited by the blade’s force
- Can’t cut steel bars with a large diameter
- Can only cut rebar at a 90-degree angle
3. Circular saw
A circular saw is the most popular tool to cut steel bars on construction sites (even more popular than angle grinders). This cutting tool has a sharp blade that can easily and quickly divide a piece of reinforcing steel bar into two smaller ones.
When using a circular saw for cutting rebar, you should choose a blade that is specially used for cutting metal. A diamond blade is the best option for performing this job, which can last up to 12 hours of operation. Steel-tooth and carbide-tooth blades are less expensive but require frequent replacement because they can become dull quickly.
Pros:
- Last long with a lower cost per use
Cons:
- Can create sparks
- Regular HSS discs can be dull quickly
4. Reciprocating saw
Although a reciprocating saw (or a recip saw) is not initially designed to perform rebar cutting jobs, it can be used to cut a few pieces of these bars. Some people also call this power tool Sawzall, but Sawzall is the registered trademark of Milwaukee Tool.
A reciprocating saw is portable, making it well-adapted to small areas. To extend its lifetime usage, you should reduce its speed. You should also keep the saw straight instead of oscillating.
The blade’s type and the number of teeth also need to be taken seriously when choosing this tool for cutting steel bars.
- Blade type: While regular HSS blades can get dulled quickly, carbide-tooth blades, bi-metal blades, and diamond-grid blades are sturdier and safer for performing this metal cutting job.
- The number of teeth: You should choose a blade that has more teeth than a wood blade to perform rebar cutting. And remember to pick up the blade’s teeth based on the thickness of the cutting bar. For example, 20-24 TPI or thin metal, 10-18 TPI for medium metal, and 8 TPI for thick metal.
Pros:
- Can cut a wide variety of materials, from softwood to strong metals
- Power tool; can perform the cutting faster
- Can work on small areas
- Both the saw and its blades are affordable
Cons:
- Hard to use for most people; can cause hand fatigue quickly
- Cause vibration and the risk of HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome)
5. Hacksaw
A hacksaw is an inexpensive handheld tool that can cut deformed steel bars with a diameter of ½ inch or less. In other words, you can use it for light-duty jobs without spending too much money on a power tool.
Since it uses your physical abilities for working, you can bring it anywhere to work without worrying about a power outage, tangled electric cords, a power generation, or battery charger.
Pros:
- Can perform light-duty jobs
- Require no power supply or battery; can perform work anywhere with no power dependency
- Portable and affordable
Cons:
- Not suitable for heavy jobs
- Need to replace the place regularly
- Take more time to get your jobs done
6. Rebar cutter
A rebar cutter is the best tool to perform rebar cutting on construction or industrial sites. It can process any metal rebar with a diameter from 4mm to 60mm with a maximum angle of 180 degrees.
If you have a lot of reinforcement bars to cut daily, this power tool (often electric-powered) can save a remarkable amount of your time and effort doing the job.
Pros:
- Specially designed to cut rebar
- Offer various cutting diameter and angle
Cons:
- Can’t be used for other purposes
- Heavy
- Need to have skills to operate this tool efficiently
7. Bolt cutters
Bolt cutters look like scissors but for cutting rebar. They are simple yet tough and lightweight to trim through the bar silently.
You can use bolt cutters when you only have several steel bars to cut. Yet, this angle grinder alternative is not applicable for large-scale projects.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Simple yet tough and handy
- Suitable for small jobs
Cons:
- Not applicable for large projects
8. Rotary hammer
A rotary hammer in its rotation mode can provide precise cuts on rebar with less waste time and manual labor. However, you need to pick up the appropriate drill bit to perform this job, like carbide tips or SDS-plus tips.
Pros:
- Less waste time and intensive labor
- Safe operation
Cons:
- Need to choose the right drill bit for this job
9. Manual saw
A manual saw (like a bandsaw) is an affordable and handy way to do rebar cutting at a small scale. However, this tool can wear out quickly if you use it to cut a larger amount of reinforcing bars, which can result in a remarkable budget for blade replacement than a robust power tool.
Pros:
- A simple way to cut rebar at a small scale
Cons:
- Can be costly if being used on large-scale projects
FAQs
1. How to cut rebar sticking out of concrete?
To cut rebar sticking out of concrete, you need to have a high-performing angle grinder with a fresh diamond blade. Besides, you should measure the cutting area carefully not to disturb pipes, electrical cables, or other things inside the wall.
If all else fails, you should rent or buy a wet cutter to perform these challenging jobs. And whichever tool you choose, always wear proper safety equipment to prevent injuries or possible health risks.
2. Can an angle grinder be used as a cut-off tool?
Since an angle grinder has a higher horsepower than a cut-off tool, you can use it to cut anything you have previously had to use with a cut-off tool.
However, angle grinders are heavier, need a two-handed operation, and are not meant to work on tight areas like cut-off tools.
3. Can angle grinder cut steel?
You can cut all kinds of metal (like bolts, iron, pipes, sheet metal, and steel) with an angle grinder, provided that you use an abrasive metal-cutting wheel. And after cutting, don’t forget to use a flapper wheel to smooth the cutting edge.
4. Can an angle grinder cut cast iron?
Yes, the angle grinder can cut pieces of cast iron effectively and smoothly. You should choose a diamond wheel fitted to your grinder to cut through this tough material.
Final Words
This article has provided you with essential steps on how to cut rebar with an angle grinder and introduced to you some other alternatives that you can choose to perform this job.
Whatever you choose, always remember to wear proper PPE and follow the tool manufacturer’s guidelines and safety cautions before putting your hands into metal cutting.