best way to cut cast iron??

[Top.ender]

Just wondering if anybody has tried to cut a cast iron hotplate.I,m hoping to cut an old one down to fit a new BBQ but am unsure if its worth it.

[buildermidwife]

Jigsaw with fine metal cutting blade .
Cheers paul

[welchygq]

easieiest way to do it is with a masonary disc on a grinder.

Have  a look at bunnings - only about $3 for a 115mm disc.

Welchy

[Burnsy]

Jigsaw with fine metal cutting blade .
Cheers paul

Any reason not to use a 1mm disk on a grinder? That is what I would have attacked it with.

[fishfinder]

go to the local scrap metal yard and buy a plate off them tell them the size you want it cut to and you need to do nothing but hand over a few coin

[whitey1]

I've cut cast iron brake drums with a 1mm cutting disk on an angle grinder. No worries. Should be fine for a BBQ plate.

[koshari]

iam with burnsy and whitey on this one, thin 5" cuttoff discs. flexivit we use.

[singo-26]

Is there any need to use a 1mm disc, I would think any cutting disc would do it. I use both, But if there is any side force on the disc I wont use a 1mm disc and risk it shattering.

[kranky al]

we had a boily at work have a shattered 1mm disc go through his faceshield and sticking through his safety glasses just shy of his eye. will try and grab the photos from the oh and s guy if they will let me post it.

we have to wear glasses and faceshield with grinders and after you see those pics you lose some of the blase attitute towards it.

1mm discs are not for beginners they shatter easily

[TOY80ST]

we had a boily at work have a shattered 1mm disc go through his faceshield and sticking through his safety glasses just shy of his eye. will try and grab the photos from the oh and s guy if they will let me post it.

we have to wear glasses and faceshield with grinders and after you see those pics you lose some of the blase attitute towards it.

1mm discs are not for beginners they shatter easily

Q: Why was OH&S invented. A: so we could let people who we shouldn't near heavy machinery.

Seriously though. I have had small accidents that could have been worse. Only ever had one accident with a grinder that may have taken a finger. I have had a lot of foreign body's taken from my eyes over the years even when wearing double eye protection.

On cutting the cast iron. Please don't use a masonry disc as mentioned above, they are for cutting masonry. A metal cutting disc is the way to go. 1mm or 3mm are fine. I only use the 1mm disc's these days. Oxy acetylene wont cut it but a water jet cutter will if you need it cut to shape.

[Redback]

An old boss gave me some advice one day "never give saftey tips to people who don't listen or don't want it"

[koshari]

Is there any need to use a 1mm disc,

they just jut soooo much better, but yes they make a mess when they grab and shatter,

[Mace]

we have to wear glasses and faceshield with grinders and after you see those pics you lose some of the blase attitute towards it.

Close fitting safety goggles now seem to be the go.  We have introduced them into our trades classes.  Cost about $35.  Not great with glasses tho.

[griz066]

easieiest way to do it is with a masonary disc on a grinder.

Have  a look at bunnings - only about $3 for a 115mm disc.

Welchy

No do NOT use a Masonary disc. Use a steel cutting disc.

[graham]

 G,day i have been told that safety glasses &grinders do not mix. the spark/metal will bonce off your cheekbone below your eye socket ,straight up into the convex centre of your glasses,straight into your eye ,more often than not  straight into the pupil of your  eye  , goggles are pretty good insurance.    1mm cutting discs are like a good wood saw let them cut , do not force them cheers Graham

[TOY80ST]

No do NOT use a Masonary disc. Use a steel cutting disc.

Just reinforcing the fact.

[TOY80ST]

Close fitting safety goggles now seem to be the go.  We have introduced them into our trades classes.  Cost about $35.  Not great with glasses tho.

You can buy lenses that stick to the inside of the glass for those that wear prescription glasses, They suit the type you have pictured.

Even if my guys wear them they must still wear double eye protection (faceshield to Australian standards).

[Mace]

You can buy lenses that stick to the inside of the glass for those that wear prescription glasses, They suit the type you have pictured.

Even if my guys wear them they must still wear double eye protection (faceshield to Australian standards).

Thanx for that, will investigate for our staff who wesr glasses.

Yeah, we have a visor wearing requirement as well, we kept getting debris getting past both visor and glasses.

[welchygq]

No do NOT use a Masonary disc. Use a steel cutting disc.

The disc's was refering to are for masonary and cast iron - Flexovit P/N 4011522.

Used one yesterday.

Please dont rubbish the idea just because you havent seen them.

Welchy

[TOY80ST]

The disc's was refering to are for masonary and cast iron - Flexovit P/N 4011522.

Used one yesterday.

Please dont rubbish the idea just because you havent seen them.

Welchy

Then you read the warning on printed on the disc. Or got the MSDS online for the product before using it. Not rubishing you they are just not fit for purpose.

[welchygq]

why are they not fit for purpose?

they are designed to cut cast iron?? - i am confused.

[speewa158]

Are we trying to cut cast iron or is this the Electrical thread         

[tinkera]

HI has anyone had any exp. with the gear you are suggesting this guy use, or have we been watching too many DIY shows.In MHO 1mm cut off wheels in the wrong hands are a danger to the user and all around him I won,t have them in the shop,the rep,s seem to try to push them on to you but my view is they are only good for sheetmetal notching at best not anything thicker.Tinkera.

[welchygq]

Are we trying to cut cast iron or is this the Electrical thread         

[OzJeeper]

Ladies, ladies and other non tradies.

Note for "weekend worriers" (spelling correct!) Use a 3mm cut-off disk - please - and you won't end up in the A&E Dept of your local hospital.  If the label on the cut off disk says "masonry" then using it on cast might alert the Darwin Award Brigade.....
A 1mm disk is the ducks nuts if you know what they do and how they react to mild steel.  This is cast.  ALERT.

Hence the reference to a 3mm disk.....

HTH