When working with metal, a grinder is often used. And its effectiveness directly depends on the circle that is used. So how to choose a cutting disc for metal to get the best quality? As examples, circles with the most popular "household" diameter of 125 mm will be compared.
Choose thickness
It should be noted that if we talk about cutting discs for metal, the dimensions play an important role. So, too large a circle diameter will not allow it to be used in a grinder. But there is another parameter that is responsible for the comfort of work, this is the thickness. The most simple and effective in terms of cutting are usually discs of 1 and 1.2 mm. And they are quite popular. But why is that? The fact is that thin discs are more elastic than their "thick" counterparts. Due to the possibility of a small bend, small operator errors and shaft runout are leveled. Also, when the disk breaks (which is rather difficult to achieve), the mass and kinetic energy of the flying fragments will be relatively small. In addition, due to the complexity of their production, the likelihood of meeting a fake from China is very small. Therefore, cutting discs for metal 125 mm were chosen as an objectwith a thickness of 1 mm, both popular in everyday life and difficult to fake.
Test results
But you can make a decision about choosing a particular model only by comparing their effectiveness in practice. Therefore, I bring to your attention the results of experiments, where several popular representatives will be considered. The test task was cutting steel bars in the amount of 50 pieces with a diameter of 10 millimeters. The PoggiPosqualino machine was used for testing uniformity. It was also overclocked to 150 m/s (with a declared figure of 80 meters) to test the tear resistance on the device of the same company.
Hitachi PowerTools
Produced by the Luga Abrasive Plant, but considered a partner product of Japan. They are marked without violating the rules, indicating the purpose of the disk and its compliance with GOST. According to the test results, it was found that its diameter decreased by 8 millimeters, and the efficiency ratio was 5.75. Also, this drive successfully passed the speed test. According to the final result, we can say that the efficiency of this circle is the highest among the options considered in the article, and in terms of quality / price ratio, it takes an honorable second place. Also, I have not heard that this metal cutting disc was faked, so you can purchase this particular unit of production to be sure.
Luga Abrasiv Extra
Also products of the Luga Abrasive Plant. Moreover, it is one of the most recognizable brands even on a global scale. In terms of cutting efficiency, this representative is inferior to the previous one, but due to its low price, it can be awarded first place in the overall standings. They also passed the speed test. But it should be noted that many notice quick erasure and various side effects when using. But this is not true for all products, despite the fact that official products pass all tests. The speed of work and, accordingly, the wear of the circle are also noted. Therefore, there are suggestions that these discs, despite their cheapness, China has learned to fake.
KronenflexA 60 Extra
Often this model is called the favorite of the price / quality ratio. But, according to some information, this is not true. As a result of testing, the disk lost 13 millimeters in diameter. The final efficiency factor is 2.35. At speeds over 120 m/s, this model is not recommended.
Interskol
Is a product of the Chinese company of the same name. According to the results of testing, the final diameter of the disk decreased by 16 millimeters. It should be noted that there is no safety marking and compliance with GOST, the necessary designations and the date of manufacture. True, there is an old Soviet marking, which, however, does not correspond to reality. Also, the number of revolutions per minute is 50 units less thanrequired by the standards. Despite a number of suspicious moments, the drive has successfully passed the test to increase the speed. But the overall efficiency ratio was a little over two. Despite the absence of heights in the characteristic, it can be said that wear is low and the cut is even.
ZUBR "Expert"
After testing, the diameter of the disc decreased by 17 millimeters, and the cutting efficiency ratio was 1.81. During the test of its properties, it turned out that the wheel cuts into metal relatively poorly. It can also be observed that the thickness exceeds 1.5 times the specified size. Also, compliance with GOST and the manufacturer are not indicated. But the test for speed, despite a number of complaints, this cutting disc for metal was very successful.
Rhodius ALPHA line
After use, the disc diameter has decreased by 19 millimeters. Initially, this German product makes a positive impression: there are no complaints about the labeling, the copy itself feels like a high-quality product to the touch. But, as practice has shown, it has significant wear. Compliance with GOST and a successful speed test allow you to give positive feedback, but the high price still forces you to put a rather low overall utility factor - 1.61. Therefore, despite the quality cut, the use of this disc is rather inefficient.
Conclusion
There are still quite a lot of products on the Russian market, however, mainly of Chinese origin (it is often labeledas goods of European origin), which showed not very high quality. One of the circles - Orientcraft Professional - could even wear out after the 41st steel bar. But in the end, which one is better to choose a cutting disc for metal, focusing on price / quality, it’s up to you to choose. And the purpose of this article is to provide information on the basis of which conclusions will be drawn about which unit of production you still need to make your choice.
