In metal fabrication and manufacturing operations, various tools use cutting wheels to cut material from a workpiece.
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What is a cutting wheel? Cutting wheels, or cut-off wheels, differ from grinding wheels in their function and structure. Where grinding wheels use an abrasive to grind large pieces of material off a workpiece from a shallow angle, cutting wheels typically make narrow, precise cuts at 90-degree angles. Consequently, cutting wheels are often thinner than grinding wheels — though they do not have the lateral strength required for side grinding, their minimal thickness makes them better for clean, accurate cuts.
Weiler Abrasives offers several cutting wheels for different applications. We provide everything from 1-millimeter cutting wheels to extended-diameter wheels for larger cuts. This guide to cutting wheels covers the differences between various types of cutting wheels and explains how to choose the right wheel for a given application.
Cutting wheels come in a few different types. Some common types are type 1, type 27, type 41, and type 42, where the various numbers signify the wheels' different shapes and properties.
A type 1 cut-off wheel, also known as a type 41 cut-off wheel, is completely flat. It is typically considered the most efficient type of wheel for general all-purpose cutting. Because it lacks a depressed center, it provides more cutting surface and minimizes interference with the workpiece.
The flat profile helps create deep 90-degree cuts into a workpiece. It allows for the maximum depth of a 90-degree cut at the expense of a small amount of visibility for the operator. Though their straight profile and the way they mount close to the guard can diminish visibility for the operator, type 1 cutting wheels are exceptionally useful in grinders, die grinders, high-speed saws, stationary saws, and chop saws.
Instead of being completely flat, a type 27 cut-off wheel, also known as a type 42 cut-off wheel, has a depressed center. The depressed center allows for added clearance when the operator is working at a constrained angle, though it gives the wheel limited cutting ability when working around corners, profiles, or extrusions. The depressed shape allows for a raised hub as well to hold the wheel securely in place.
The profile of a depressed-center cutting wheel gives the operator a better view of the cut, and it provides the ability to flush-cut because the raised hub means the locking nut can be recessed. Type 27 cutting wheels are designed for right angle grinders.
Cutting wheels typically contain a few different materials — primarily the grains that do the cutting, the bonds that hold the grains in place, and the fiberglass that reinforces the wheels.
The grains within the abrasive of a cutting wheel are the particles that perform the cutting.
Grains may come in several types. Common types of grains for cutting wheels include ceramic alumina, zirconia alumina, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide.
The grain's grit helps determine its physical and performance properties as well. The grit refers to the size of the individual abrasive particles, in the same way sandpaper grains receive classification by their size. Grit sizes range from 16 to 60, with smaller numbers indicating larger, coarser particles and larger numbers indicating smaller, finer particles.
The bond of a cutting wheel is the substance that holds the abrasive grains in place.
Manufacturers often refer to the grade, or hardness, of a wheel. The grade signifies not the hardness of the abrasive grains themselves but the hardness of the bond holding them in place. Generally, under identical conditions, a harder bond means the cutting wheel will have a longer lifespan, whereas a softer bond means the cutting wheel will have a shorter lifespan.
A softer bond does provide certain advantages — it sheds its grains more rapidly to provide a faster cut. With a stronger bond, the bond may hold the grains in place after they have become worn. A softer bond releases them faster to reveal fresh, sharp grains more often and increase the wheel's cut rate.
With certain metals, it is important not to introduce contaminants into the metal when cutting. When cutting stainless steel and aluminum, always make sure the abrasive contains less than 0.1% of chlorine, iron, and sulfur, ensuring it is contaminant-free. Contaminant-free products will have identifying labels.
One of the bonds commonly used with abrasive grains for cutting wheels is resinoid. Resinoid bonds contain organic compounds. They tend to have better shock resistance than other types of bonds and can withstand operation at elevated peripheral speeds. They are ideal for cut-off applications, and they allow for self-sharpening by exposing new grains. Some specialized bonds are resin-over-resin bonded. These bonds provide additional moisture and heat resistance, as well as a stronger overall bond to make better use of the grains.
Cutting wheels contain fiberglass that may provide single, double, or triple reinforcement. Single reinforcement relies on a single layer of fiberglass and is useful for delivering exceptional cutting speed while reducing burrs on the workpiece. Double and triple reinforcement use multiple layers of fiberglass to provide added support for high-vibration and heavy-duty industrial applications.
At Weiler Abrasives, all our cutting wheels for right angle and die grinders have two layers of reinforcement. We do offer some single-reinforcement wheels in our large-diameter chop saw line and some triple-reinforced wheels in our new high-speed gas and electric saw wheel line.
With cutting wheels, the tool the operator has access to will often determine the wheel size, and selecting the correct size for the given application is also essential. Choosing the correct size involves calculating the right rate of revolutions per minute (RPMs) — the RPM rating of the cutting wheel should match or exceed the RPM rating on the grinder that will use it. In addition to verifying the RPM rating, it is also important to ensure that the wheel fits on the tool without interfering with or removing the guard.
A wheel's RPM rating tends to correspond with its diameter and the tool it is designed for. Common cutting wheel diameters range from 2 to 4 inches for die grinders, 4 to 9 inches for angle grinders, and 12 to 20 inches for chop, stationary, or high-speed saws.
The right wheel thickness often depends on the precision and accuracy necessary for the cut. For a highly precise cut, a thinner wheel can perform with greater accuracy and precision. They cut more quickly and generate less heat. Thinner wheels also remove less material with each cut, which is ideal when making repairs or fitting up parts. The tradeoff is that they tend not to last as long as thicker wheels under identical conditions. In applications where precision and accuracy are not as critical but longevity is, a thicker wheel may be suitable.
Weiler Abrasives offers two ultra-thin high-performance cutting wheels — the Tiger® Zirc Ultracut 1-millimeter and the Tiger Inox Ultracut 1-millimeter. Both of these cutting wheels come in 4 1/2- or 5-inch diameters. The Tiger Zirc Ultracut 1-millimeter offers an ultra-fast cutting rate and long life, and it is ideal for cutting thin sheet metal, tubes, profiles, and small cross-section rods. The Tiger Inox Ultracut 1-millimeter is ideal for stainless steel because it is contaminant-free.
Weiler Abrasives has an exciting new line of chop, stationary, and high-speed saw wheels as well. The chop saw wheels have a 3/32-inch thickness, and the high-speed saw wheels and stationary saw wheels have a 1/8-inch thickness. These cutting wheels are ideal for cutting applications in the metal fabrication, construction, and rail industries, and some of the specialized models can provide precise rail cutting, burr-free cutting, and stud cutting for heavy-duty applications.
So far, we've discussed how types 1, 27, 41, and 42 cutting wheels offer distinctive shapes for different cutting applications. We've delved into the various common grains used in cutting wheels and how they are optimized for use on different metals, and we've explored the way diameter and thickness affect wheel speed and precision. Now let's look into a few applications for industrial and professional cutting wheels and how to choose the right wheels for these uses.
In general metal fabrication, 0.045-inch wheel diameters are common choices. With thinner materials, an operator may want to choose a 1-millimeter wheel instead for greater precision, less heat generation, and fewer burrs that will require removal before welding. The choice of grain will likely depend on the material composition of the workpiece — higher-performing grains for structural steel and difficult-to-cut metals, contaminant-free wheels for stainless steel.
In metal pipe fabrication, the choice of cutting wheel often depends on the diameter of the pipe to be cut. For a 3/4-inch or smaller pipe, a 4 1/2-inch diameter will usually be sufficient. For a pipe of up to 2 1/2 inches, a 6-inch cutting wheel is effective, and for a pipe of up to 3 1/2 inches, a 9-inch cutting wheel is often most suitable. It's also advisable to choose the thinnest wheel possible to minimize heat and friction and to use a type 1 wheel for a deeper cut unless the application imposes a particular constraint. For larger pipe often found on the pipeline, a depressed-center cutting wheel provides added clearance when working at a constrained angle, and 0.045-inch wheel thickness is ideal for cutting applications in fabrication yards or on the right of way for field repairs.
When an operator is working on the confined, hard-to-access spaces of a ship, making a cutting wheel last as long as possible is often a priority. For this reason, the operator will often want to choose a harder, potentially longer-lasting wheel like Tiger Ceramic. However, when operators must use air tools whose hoses have stretched over long distances to access difficult areas of the ship, the tools may be underpowered. In this case, wheels with a soft bond will be ideal because they make it easier to maintain a fast cut. In shipbuilding, the work material often influences the cutting wheel selection. When working with aluminum, an operator may want to select a cutting wheel that will not load or gum up, like Tiger Aluminum.
Preparing for welding typically involves exact metal cutting. With a basic cut-off operation, precision is not critical, but with complex work or repairs that need to preserve the initial aesthetic qualities of the material, precision can save time and money. Using a 0.045-inch cutting wheel — a little more than a millimeter thick — is common in welding to allow for precise and accurate cuts. For precise cuts on thin sheet metal, profiles, and small diameter rods, a 1-millimeter UltraCut wheel will provide smooth cutting and exceptional control for clean, ultra-precise cuts.
Modern railways use hard-to-cut alloy steels, so a high-performance cutting wheel is necessary for high-speed gas saws. A self-sharpening zirconia alumina grain that retains a high cutting performance throughout the life of the wheel offers excellent performance. The Tiger Zirc 14- and 16-inch cutting wheels are designed specifically for high-speed gas saws and deliver the high-performance solutions needed to increase productivity and profitability.
Building and construction sites feature a wide variety of metal cutting applications. Operators often look for a wheel that can do it all, from cutting off rebar to making long cuts on sheet metal. Many times, an aluminum oxide wheel provides the right mix of versatility, performance, and price. The Tiger AO line offers both flat and depressed-center cutting wheels in various sizes for die and right angle grinders. The Tiger AO line also expands into larger sizes from 12 to 16 inches for chop saws and high-speed gas and electric saws.
These large-diameter cutting wheels have several signature wheels designed with the construction industry in mind. For chop saws, the line includes a wheel designed for stud cutting and options for burr-free cutting that feature a single layer of fiberglass. The high-speed saw offering includes wheels with three layers of fiberglass for added support in heavy-duty cutting applications.
To see the benefits of superior cutting wheels in your industrial and professional operations, make Weiler Abrasives your trusted source for surface conditioning solutions. Our cutting wheels come in various types, grains, bonds, diameters, thicknesses, specialized features, and price points, so we can help you find the wheels or small cutting discs that are right for your applications.
The value you'll receive extends far beyond the purchase of a cutting wheel. Our Value Package offers additional advantages such as safety training to facilitate the safe and effective use of your cutting wheel and direct field support to answer your questions and help you make your facility more efficient and productive.
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It’s finally here, the topic you’ve been waiting for us to cover. After thousands of request letters and calls, we are finally going to give you the scoop on abrasive and diamond cut-off wheels.
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Okay, okay, you caught us, there was no influx of requests for this topic. But even though you didn’t ask for it, we know you’ve been wondering which is better. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t cut and dry. Diamond and abrasive cut-off wheels are two very different options with their own set of pros and cons.
Traditionally, workers start off using abrasive cut-off wheels, and many only use abrasive wheels for their entire careers. Others go back and forth between abrasive and diamond as needed. Both paths are good, as long as it cuts clean.
Let's get into what makes these two options so different and when it makes sense to pick up one over the other.
Before we get into the specifics of these two options, let’s get everyone on the same page. You can get cut-off wheels in a bunch of different sizes, but for this article, we are primarily talking about 4.5” and 7” wheels used in angle grinders. But, a lot of what we are covering here will apply to cut-off wheels of any size.
We are also explicitly talking about cut-off wheels, also known as cutting wheels. Not to be confused with grinding wheels, cup wheels, flap discs, wire wheels, or any other wheel options for angle grinders. To include all of those other wheel options would make this a much bigger discussion, so for today, we are just sticking to the tried and true, cut-off wheels.
Dare I say, there is a lost abrasive wheel hiding under a cabinet in every garage, shed, and workshop across America.
For decades, if you needed to make a clean 90-degree cut through a metal pipe, rod, or sheet, you would pick up a pack of abrasive cut-off wheels, load one into your angle grinder, and get to cutting. They are a great option because they cut fast and they are cheap, so you can buy a bunch of them.
Abrasive cut-off wheels often referred to as bonded wheels or bonded abrasive wheels, are exactly as the name implies. They are comprised of abrasive fibers all bonded together into a wheel. As the wheel cuts, it sheds the used dull abrasive fibers making way for the next row of fresh abrasive fibers. This constant shedding is the main reason these wheels can cut so quickly. It's also why the wheels wear away into nothing, just as quickly.
You can get these wheels with different grain materials, and each material performs differently, so you want to pick your grain based on what you are cutting.
Zirconia cut-off wheels are a popular option because they offer excellent cutting capabilities for the cost. These durable wheels cut fast and work well on steel, iron, and other metals.
Aluminum Oxide is another commonly found option and is probably the most popular. Workers like the consistently low cost of these wheels, and how fast they cut.
Ceramic wheels are a good option when you need to mitigate heat while cutting. These wheels tend to be a bit cooler while cutting, making them a good choice for stainless steel, steel, and metals that are difficult or slow to cut through.
There are other grain options, but those are the three you will come across most frequently. These cut-off wheels come in two "types" as well.
Type 1 wheels are flat all the way across. These wheels are great for deep straight cuts, but the limited visibility while using the wheels requires some expertise while operating. These are sometimes called Type 41 wheels.
Type 27 wheels have a depressed center where the wheels mount. This little bit of offset gives workers much better visibility and the option of flush cutting, with the tradeoff of not being able to cut as deeply as a type 1. These are sometimes called Type 42 wheels.
And finally, these wheels often have a level of reinforcement. You’ll see a wheel labeled as single, double, or tripled reinforced. That indicates how many layers of fiberglass reinforcement are in the wheel. This is a significant feature because weak abrasive wheels are known to crack and shatter mid-cut, sending shards of shrapnel flying in all directions.
A combination of fiberglass reinforcement and stronger bonding agent have made modern abrasive wheels much less likely to crack, but beware, some low-cost options are still known to crack and break.
There is a lot less to break down with diamond cut-off wheels. These are metal wheels with diamond-coated edges. They don't shed away like abrasive wheels; they operate similarly to any other diamond cutting blades you would use in a saw. You can cut with it until it dulls, and with a diamond coated edge, it will take a long time to dull.
One factor to consider when buying a diamond cut-off wheel or any diamond coated blade is weighing the cost-benefit between cheap and expensive wheels. Not all diamond wheels are made with the same quality standards, and you can buy more affordable options that won’t last as long or may chip or break easier.
Surprisingly, buying the best, most expensive wheel isn’t always the right move. If it’s your first time cutting, or you only cut occasionally, and you don't have the skill set down pat, you can quickly damage or ruin a $25+ diamond wheel. In those situations, starting with a lower-cost option would make more sense to save some money in the long run.
If you have the experience and need a wheel that doesn't need to be swapped out as frequently or have a project requiring a wheel that doesn't change size every cut, then splurging for the higher-end diamond wheel might be the best option for you.
There at a lot of differences between these two options. These two wheels are constructed differently, and the differences don't stop there.
Many factors affect the cut speed of a wheel, but regardless, abrasive wheels cut faster. That's not just in the best-case scenario but in almost all scenarios. Abrasive wheels are just faster at cutting across the board. It's hard to say how much faster, but with the right material, it's a significant margin.
It’s no surprise that diamond wheels produce significantly less dust than abrasive wheels. When an abrasive wheel cuts, it sheds layers of its grain and produces metal dust from the item being cut. Diamond wheels don’t shed.
This is a factor in work conditions where dust levels are being managed or if you are trying to reduce cleanup time.
In most cases, diamond wheels will create more heat while cutting, mainly because they cut slower, and the longer you are cutting, the more heat is going to be produced. Producing too much heat while cutting can cause a lot of problems. It can warp, discolor, or burn the material you are cutting.
There are many methods and best practices for cutting to help mitigate the heat.
This is the topic where we hear the most arguing. Some workers believe diamond wheels are a rip-off because you can buy an abrasive wheel for a fraction of the cost. A 4.5” FORTEM Abrasive wheel costs around $2, and a 4.5” FORTEM Diamond blade costs closer to $16. That’s a big jump.
The counterargument is that Diamond wheels last longer. That's why they cost more.
Worker’s counter back with the fact that you can buy eight abrasive wheels for the cost of one diamond wheel. Does a diamond wheel last longer than eight abrasive wheels?
Well, most diamond wheels claim they will last up to 30 times longer than an abrasive wheel. We all know that claims like these often boast "best-case conditions." In real-world conditions, I think you'd find that a diamond wheel and a pack of abrasive wheels of the same cost will last for about the same amount of time.
If you are planning on doing a lot of cutting, either option will be fine. If you only need to make a few cuts, you can save money with an abrasive wheel.
When used correctly, all wheels are safe, and when misused, all wheels are a hazard. It's generally recognized that abrasive wheels can be the less safe option. We previously mentioned that cheap wheels have a tendency to shatter mid-cut, but many workers go for years without ever seeing a low-cost wheel break.
The safety factor everyone should consider is the sparks. Abrasive wheels produce more sparks than diamond wheels. If you work in a shop with oily rags or on a jobsite with dry conditions, keeping sparks at a minimum could be a requirement.
That’s it. In most cases, choosing one wheel over the other won't make too much of a difference, but as always, it’s important to know the differences in case you never need one over the other. So, end the debate; no need to argue anymore.
PowerPak carries a selection of cut-off wheel options in a variety of sizes and brands, including our own in-house brand FORTEM as well as other top brands like Z Speed. Shop our website to get quick delivery and follow us on social, so you don’t miss out on any promotions.
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