Anyone used one yet ?



One of our team has this one. Total cost near to ?300 with the two batteries. It worked well cutting tube on the surface but not tried underground as yet.

One could find improper uses for it I guess so it might not be all good news.

2 metre tube lengths ready to be installed at Vurley.



Getting the job done.

don't let newstuff see that , you might give him idea's  sorry mr A

I have one of those and the big drill that goes with the same batteries. Both have done a number of underground days and surface work for DCA. Would heartily recommend.

Used one only last week to cut up rebar mesh on-site on our shaft repair, and we certainly plan to use one underground for scaff-cutting when we get to that stage. Awesome bit of kit. I already have two Makita batteries, and it's only around ?100 for the bare tool, so I may even buy my own soon.

cavemanmike said:

don't let newstuff see that , you might give him idea's  sorry mr A

Click to expand...

Not bad, but I'm an Oxy-MAPP man through and through.  :tease:

That looks like a 2mm disc.
If you get some 1mm metal cutting discs (Screwfix) although theyare less resistant to damage.
They cut far faster and use much less power.

Yes, the thin cutting discs (sometimes referred to as slitting discs) are much quicker at cutting, think hot knife through butter. Just don't put any sideways pressure on them unless you want them to shatter, which is bad enough above ground but in an enclosed space,

Wayland Smith said:

That looks like a 2mm disc.
If you get some 1mm metal cutting discs (Screwfix) although theyare less resistant to damage.
They cut far faster and use much less power.

Click to expand...

Definitely worth it if you're using a battery grinder, even more so if you have to carry spare batteries underground.

I get mine from Wellington Welding Supplies on Avonmouth, much cheaper than screwfix but I think they come in a box of 50 or 100, so depends how many you're going to use

+1 for buying 1mm discs, they certainly cut far more efficiently. However don't do the typical skimpy caver trick and buy cheap.

Premium brands may cost 3 times the price but last they certainly last more than 3 times longer*. Plus you'll be happy when you can still cut when the cheap and cheerful disc has worn to a pointless diameter.



*I'm not a professional but I've done more than a fair share of metal work to know this.

Yes, it seem that batteries have come a long way lately.

I've been using a battery angle grinder with 1mm cutting discs nearly every day in my work for the last six years and on the few occasions I wanted to cut scaffold tube in a cave I've chosen to use a hacksaw. But mine is a 14.4v Makita and your's will have more power. Good luck.

i has a dewalt 28v - with 4 battery packs - [ cos i have other tools ]

and my opinions are :

the comments about quality branded - expensive ultra thin dircs are spot on

they have thier uses - both above and below ground - but sometimes - underground - is it worth the additional faff ? [ protecting it against water underground etc ]

as mr wilson points out - a hacksaw will do the job - and is almost indestructible - can be left in the cave etc

my experience is that the grinder excells when working in confined dry spaces - where it would be hard to wild a hack saw

oh - and grnders can cut hardened lock hasps [ not the only time we have actually done this was to get into a cave after the lock became unusable and we were tasled with the job of replacing it ]

obviously - YMMV - as will your cutting capacity

Just a note if using above ground in -5 C ,you need to put the batteries inside your furry suit for a few minutes
or they just die in seconds!