Angle grinding for rivets and rust

[Thetireddad]

Hi guys,
I recently picked up a 4 1/2” angle grinder. Any advice on what type of discs (what grit) were useful for everyone? I plan on grinding off the bolts holding the seats down and possibly going at the rivets with it (if the air chisel doesn't work). What types are good for cutting ? Sanding down rust? Any things to avoid when grinding? I’m brand new.
Thanks as always

[o1marc]

Cut off wheels are usually 1/6" +/- thin and use the edge for cutting. The grinder wheel is usually much thicker and use the face to remove metal from surfaces. You don't want to use cut off wheels as grinder wheels using the face, they can explode with injury causing force. PPE for either. If I was using the angle grinder to remove seat bolts I would use cut off wheels and cut through the bottom of the bolt head. I highly recommend buying the discs in 10 packs, multiple packs. They're not real expensive that way, and cutting bolts will eat them pretty fast.

[Rovobay]

https://www.amazon.com/Bionic-Shield...ateway&sr=8-10

safety first.....

cutoff wheels work but are fragile to work with especially if you have never used an angle grinder before.

griding wheels are thick and work. a flapper disc is also great.

https://www.amazon.com/WORKPRO-20-pa...gateway&sr=8-4

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Thetireddad

Hi guys,
I recently picked up a 4 1/2” angle grinder. Any advice on what type of discs (what grit) were useful for everyone? I plan on grinding off the bolts holding the seats down and possibly going at the rivets with it (if the air chisel doesn't work). What types are good for cutting ? Sanding down rust? Any things to avoid when grinding? I’m brand new.
Thanks as always

Walter zip wheels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HPRS1OM are great for cutting, they last longer and you can cut easier and straighter than the ones at the big box store like DeWalt etc. Even this 10-pack will probably be more than you need, but it never hurts to have extras lying around.

Trying to remove rivets with an angle grinder is probably a dead end. It takes too much time and effort per rivet and there are too many rivets.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Walter zip wheels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HPRS1OM are great for cutting, they last longer and you can cut easier and straighter than the ones at the big box store like DeWalt etc. Even this 10-pack will probably be more than you need, but it never hurts to have extras lying around.

Trying to remove rivets with an angle grinder is probably a dead end. It takes too much time and effort per rivet and there are too many rivets.

Not true. Some of the rivets HAVE to be ground off.

[gs1949]

I am not finished yet, but I have been pulling rivets out. First, I use a punch to drive the mandrel out, Although driving the mandrel out is not really necessary with aluminum rivets, it is necessary with the larger steel rivets.

The first time I attempted to cut a rivet head off with my cold chisel I realized it would be much easier and quicker to raise the rivet just enough to get something to pry with underneath the head than it would be to cut it. So I never cut a single rivet. At first I tried a claw hammer, but I switched. Now after the mandrel is out I hold the crooked end of my little pry bar that has a sharp v-notch next to the rivet head and tap the prybar with my hammer to drive the prybar under the head of the rivet. I often have to do this from 2 or more directions before I can get the head up just a bit, but after I can get the prybar all the way under the rivet, I just pry the rivet out.

It takes a lot more time to describe this process than it does to do it. There are some rivets that are much more difficult, but most of the rivets come out easily in 20 to 30 seconds. My method is still evolving as I finish up with the rivets in the walls and start on the ceiling. I have taken some pics but have not yet figured out how or where to post them. Guess I will do that soon.

[PNW_Steve]

I had to remove a lot of bucked rivets and on most of them the best method turned out to be grinding the head off with a flap disc and then punching the body out with a punch.

Regarding cutoff wheels. I had some Norton discs on the shelf and started working on my bus with them. Then I bought some from Harbor Freight. I can look at cuts I made and tell you which disc I used on that cut. The Norton discs cut easier and straighter than the HF discs. They also lasted longer.

[gs1949]

I've never tried flap discs. What brand and grit number did you find best for removing rivets?

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by gs1949

I've never tried flap discs. What brand and grit number did you find best for removing rivets?

Norton 60 grit.

[gs1949]

Thanks for the quick response.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by gs1949

Thanks for the quick response.

Too much time on my hands today?

[gs1949]

I have days like that, but not so much lately since I started this bus project.

[plfking]

This is how I did mine.....I have yet to see a quicker or easier way. Had all the ceiling and wall panels out of my 6 window in less than 2 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEs...ature=youtu.be

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by plfking

This is how I did mine.....I have yet to see a quicker or easier way. Had all the ceiling and wall panels out of my 6 window in less than 2 hours.

good post - thanks

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by plfking

This is how I did mine.....I have yet to see a quicker or easier way. Had all the ceiling and wall panels out of my 6 window in less than 2 hours.

I used the same method on the interior pop rivets and it worked great. Not so we'll when I got to the bucked rivets

[Danjo]

Hi, yes, safety first! When you’re cutting and grinding I’d recommend goggles or at least wrap around safety glasses. Getting metal filings stuck in your eye is no fun.

I’ve used those 5” cut off wheels on an angle grinder, but when I have a big job I use a metal cutting blade in a circular saw. Same material, but much more robust.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by Danjo

Hi, yes, safety first! When you’re cutting and grinding I’d recommend goggles or at least wrap around safety glasses. Getting metal filings stuck in your eye is no fun.

I’ve used those 5” cut off wheels on an angle grinder, but when I have a big job I use a metal cutting blade in a circular saw. Same material, but much more robust.

accuracy is made easy when using a metal cutting blade in a circular saw by the use of a simple home made miter box with guides for the saw - unless you are lucky enough to have a metal cut off saw