What power tool will cut hardware cloth?

[Walter Plummer]

Something to consider is that most air tools will run a compressor to death trying to keep up. We have a large screw compressor at work and one die grinder or sander will keep it running. If you can, try it out before going to make sure it will work for you.

[Curt Harms]

Something to consider is that most air tools will run a compressor to death trying to keep up. We have a large screw compressor at work and one die grinder or sander will keep it running. If you can, try it out before going to make sure it will work for you.

Good point about capacity and duty cycle but Brian has a gasoline powered compressor so he doesn't have to worry about killing an electric motor. I don't know if compressor heads are prone to overheating or not. My shear doesn't use that much air--probably 4 c.f.m. at 90 p.s.i. which seems like a common spec. I used mine to cut some 1" X 2" wire for critter cages. The wire is probably 18 or 20 gauge and the pneumatic shear worked great. The hardware cloth I'm familiar with is much lighter gauge.

[Brian Elfert]

I found someone who said they had used a circular saw with metal cutting blade to cut hardware cloth. I have a cordless circular saw and I am thinking about going this route. I just don't want to buy a $40 blade and find out it doesn't work.

The air compressor I have is 8.9 CFM @ 90 PSI.

[ray hampton]

there is one problem using a circular saw unless you can turn the blade backward, I would be afraid that the teeth on the blade would catch the links of the cloth, I have seen cloth and thin metal cut with a circular saw with a KNIFE blade [NO TEETH
your toilet paper and paper towels ROLLS are 6-10 feet long and cut with a saw to the size that stores sell

[Jerry Bruette]

Brian

If this job is for a Boy Scout camp why can't you get a few of the young strapping Scouts to help out by doing the cutting after you do the measuring? Sounds like a possible merit badge weekend.

Jerry

[Norman Hitt]

I would be VERY hesitant to use ANY Blade with Teeth on it, because unless the hardware cloth is held down securely on BOTH sides of the cut, it can grab the wire and cause a serious accident, (and you sure don't want that at a remote location). I recently bought a "VERY THIN" 4 1/2" cut off wheel at Lowes, made by DeWalt (DW8851). It fits a 4 1/2" angle grinder and I think would be a much better and safer method because it has no Teeth. Unfortunately, I am out of town and haven't got to try it yet, but it looks very good.

I looked it up on Lowes Website and it is shown as a 4 1/2" XP Cutoff Wheel, Item # 292621, Model # DW8851, and is priced at $ 3.38. On a pneumatic angle grinder (like that HF model if you can find one that shows a 6 cfm air usage at full blast) it should cut really fast, and your Compressor shouldn't have any problem keeping up, especially since you probably won't make ALL the cuts without stopping.

[Brian Elfert]

Brian
If this job is for a Boy Scout camp why can't you get a few of the young strapping Scouts to help out by doing the cutting after you do the measuring? Sounds like a possible merit badge weekend.

The camp has what they call a "work party" the first weekend of June. I am going up about 5 days early to work on the project during the week. The boys still have school that week plus per BSA rules I need a second adult for youth protection and safety. I've tried to find a helper, but no luck yet as everybody is working during the week. There are other adults up at camp during the week, but they all have other projects.

I am concerned about a saw blade hooking the metal. I would like to do a test at home, but I don't want to buy a $40 blade that might not work.

[Brian Elfert]

I got a clarification from the person who recommended a circular saw. He used an abrasive blade intended for a circular saw. He did not use a blade with teeth on it. That seems a lot safer and the blades are a lot cheaper.

I thought I had a section of hardware cloth to test with. I ended up buying a 5 foot section to test with as the hardware cloth for the project was shipped to the camp already.

[Jerry Bruette]

I think the CS with an abrasive blade would be the route I'd take. It would be easier to handle than a die grinder or angle grinder with cut off wheels. And no need to buy another tool although buying new tools isn't a bad thing.

Be sure to wear a face shield, I'm sure you'll have alot of stuff flying off the abrasive wheel.

Jerry

[ray hampton]

I think the CS with an abrasive blade would be the route I'd take. It would be easier to handle than a die grinder or angle grinder with cut off wheels. And no need to buy another tool although buying new tools isn't a bad thing.

Be sure to wear a face shield, I'm sure you'll have alot of stuff flying off the abrasive wheel.

Jerry

KEEP your MOUTH shut or you might eat steel DUST
HOW SAFE would a circular saw be if the handle were built so that I could hold the saw so the dust chute were pointing AWAY from me[ I hope that this make sense }

[Dan Hintz]

Come on, Ray, it's a feature of hand-held saws... you're part of the design... you're the dust collector.

[ray hampton]

Come on, Ray, it's a feature of hand-held saws... you're part of the design... you're the dust collector.

MAYBE you could be right BUT it is still a good idea

[Steve Campbell]

Brian I'm sure you know but just a reminder that any time you cut metal with an abrasive wheel you get enough sparks to start fires. I would hate to see you burn down the camp.

Steve

[Brian Elfert]

I finally tested the abrasive blade with my circular saw last night. (Nothing like last minute!) It worked great. I went to Home Depot and found they have 6.5" abrasive blades instead of 7". I bought some extras just in case since it it two hours round trip to the store at the camp where I am going tomorrow.

The wires are small enough that there really aren't any sparks. The shelters I will be working in have concrete floors. If a stray spark gets outside it is so green and wet nothing would burn. I could probably dump a gallon of gas on the ground and light it with no resulting fire. No face shield, but I do have a full face respirator that works even better.