The "other" grinder blade.

I have tried a lot of different methods to cut copper windings off of stator and transformers and I still prefer a good sharp wood chisel to split small transformer winding, but for larger stator, armatures and transformers a diamond blade can't be beat.
Unlike those very thin cut off blades a diamond blade really lasts, even if you hit the steel.
I threw in a 1.75 inch armature into that one pic, just to show how well a diamond blade can stand up to torture. In the close up of my grinder is the same blade that I use to cut that stator and armature with along with a few dozen more and as you can see it has plenty of life left in it.
If you are wondering what that blade came out, it's from a cheap tile wet saw that I burned the motor out of pushing it to hard.

SORRY NO PICS! This forum has img turn off for new users :P

Bummer on pics,I was looking forward to them.Electic motors are my favorite.Always looking for a better way to remove the end of armatures.Tried quite a few still looking for the cats meow.Oh yea,welcome aboard!

I don't know if this will work, but this is where I have my images hosted.

Magic! I have one of those disks & will give it a go next time I'm cutting copper out.

The cutoff disc wastes a bit of copper, not much, but I see it all over the floor afterwards.

There is a few things more I have found out about those diamond blades. They only cut in one direction like any tooth type blade. If the arrow is wore off , you can feel the diamond grit is courser in one direction.
Another odd thing is, it won’t cut extruded AL worth a ****. It just gums up the blade, but can be cleaned off by tapping the blade on a chunk of steel.

spent most of the day yesterday breaking down electric motors with side cutters. cut on one side, then pull from the other. One of the motors had quite a bit of tarnished copper, old motor sitting a while. So old it had wood inside the casing/winding
its quite hard on the hands thanks for the tip..

Originally Posted by Abuilder

There is a few things more I have found out about those diamond blades. They only cut in one direction like any tooth type blade. If the arrow is wore off , you can feel the diamond grit is courser in one direction.
Another odd thing is, it won’t cut extruded AL worth a ****. It just gums up the blade, but can be cleaned off by tapping the blade on a chunk of steel.

It must heat the AL to the melting point, at which time it molds itself to the blade, like some drill bits will do to plastic

Thanks for the info and pic's
I don't know if any one else got it , but every pic. gave me a Spam across the screen . ? But I did see them .
MacKeeper
AllMyMusic for Mac
Bandit

Bandit
I wonder if there is a problem with Imageshack? I don't see anything odd.
Do you run a Mac, I sure as hell don't.

I used to work for a company that made diamond saw blades. The blades were designed to ware down, if the blade dose not ware down to expose the diamonds the blade will stop cutting. It might seem like the blade is lasting for ever but if the diamonds are not exposed it won't cut.

I've been trying to find cutoff blades for my little grinder. Thought it was a 4 1/2" grinder (7/8" arbor), but turns out it's only a 4" (5/8" arbor), so I finally got the right size blades to use, but!, when I started to put one on ( they're thinner than the grinding wheel that goes on it), the chuck won't tighten all the way to grab it (stops about the time it would grab the thicker grinding wheel) leaving the thin cutoff wheel loose. Now I'll have to get some 5/8" washers to fill up the space so it will snug up to the blade.

Originally Posted by Bear

I've been trying to find cutoff blades for my little grinder. Thought it was a 4 1/2" grinder (7/8" arbor), but turns out it's only a 4" (5/8" arbor), so I finally got the right size blades to use, but!, when I started to put one on ( they're thinner than the grinding wheel that goes on it), the chuck won't tighten all the way to grab it (stops about the time it would grab the thicker grinding wheel) leaving the thin cutoff wheel loose. Now I'll have to get some 5/8" washers to fill up the space so it will snug up to the blade.

Take another look at the "bushing" the wheel would tighten against. Does it come off? I had the same issue you're having and it's designed to flip it around to use with a thin blade.

I appreciate that, Idaho, but mine's just a cheap chinese one, the shaft on it is solid. I think a good thick washer on each side should take up the slack, might help reinforce it too

Originally Posted by Bear

I appreciate that, Idaho, but mine's just a cheap chinese one, the shaft on it is solid. I think a good thick washer on each side should take up the slack, might help reinforce it too

On my grinder you have to flip the retaining nut for thiner disks.

Originally Posted by Bear

I appreciate that, Idaho, but mine's just a cheap chinese one, the shaft on it is solid. I think a good thick washer on each side should take up the slack, might help reinforce it too

So is mine. Cheap $20 Harbor Freight. I've beat that thing to heck and back and it keeps on ticking.

Mine's got a shoulder on the shaft, which stops the chuck nut from going any farther, guess i'm still stuck with finding some washers. I certainly checked all that stuff out though, and appreciate all your helpful suggestions