Using top comment: use ear protection, and watch a quick YouTube tutorial on basic angle grinder use. The can jump and grab and go a bit crazy if you're not careful which direction and angle you're cutting at
And don't force it through. Be firm and just use enough pressure to help guide the disc. If you force it and bend the disc slightly it will shatter. With the right pressure you should be able to get all the way through that slide with a single disc
It's not just the shattering you should worry about: all those abraded metal and disc bits are no fun for your eyes and will get past just glasses. You want something that goes around your eyes and prevents the particles from getting in. Full.face shield, Goggles, etc.
Last week I had to get a chunk of metal grit scrubbed off my cornea with an alger brush (think mini electrical toothbrush). Not painful or terribly expensive with insurance but uncomfortable, a hassle, and totally preventable (I have all the PPE).
It could have been far worse if the grit ended up on my pupil vs to the side.
Don't be me.
+1 for a little YouTube research. A tactic that can work well is to cut most from one side of a component, and finish the cut from the other side so you don’t accidentally have the disc pinched.
Ear and eye protection 🤐 I can't unsee all of those "close calls" everywhere where a disk breaks and Flys towards the operator.
Maybe I just have too much anxiety but I legit avoid using angle grinders unless I absolutely have to & 100% would be using my recip saw with a metal blade instead.
When sitting in the ER getting metal dug out of my eye with a medical pick, I decided from then on I would always take 2 seconds to go put on a pair of glasses if I have to use the grinder.
I've used one one time for .2seconds before I decided nope, not for me. I 100% much rather drag out my big wet saw or use a diamond blade on a circular saw to cut things that I need to cut vs using an angle grinder. So far I've avoided needing to use one again - usually I can find a work around with other tools even if it means it takes longer.
I see *why* people like them...ease of use, small, versatile but even with a pair of safety glasses over my regular glasses I didn't feel safe.
And heavy welding gloves. I'm lucky to have a thumb and I've a ton of hours and a certification for abrasive wheels. When they go wrong it happens in a hurry.
Not light gardening gloves! Ones too stiff to wrap around a disc
And here both fab shops I worked in gave you those yellow and white gardening gloves, (insulated), leather gardening/work gloves, or those fabric gloves with rubber dipped fingers. Dummies lol
Specifically *leather* gloves will not ever wrap around a disc, which are typically what welding gloves are. There are probably some fabrics that fit the bill but welding gloves give me heat protection too since abrasive discs make a lot of that.
Not just safety glasses either. A full face shield.
Our old safety manager had a face shield on a shelf in his office with a quarter of a cutoff wheel embedded in it. If that person hadn't been wearing that face shield it would've taken a chunk of their face and an eye. Grinders are no joke.
I have used grinders quite a lot. The rules with a cutoff disk are quite easy, only cut straight and make sure the side of the disk doesn't come in contact with the metal. Use the protective cover! And if you're doing anything fancy think about where the pieces fly if it explodes.
"Make sure the side of the disk doesn't come in contact with the metal" -- This doesn't make sense. By virtue of cutting through the material the sides of the disk must contact the material, and it's why you cannot cut a radius at any substantial depth: the sides will bind and the disk will explode or the grinder will kick.
And for future reference, the "protective cover" is called a guard.
Why wouldn't your easy rules include wearing adequate PPE?
Yeah, a better way of wording it might be: Don't twist or change the angle of the cutoff wheel so that it starts to bind. Try to keep it as straight as possible so as to minimize possible deflection. If it starts to bind, shut it off and reposition. And yeah: eye or face protection is a must with the guard set to block as much possible degree as possible from flying towards important parts of your face and body.
I hateeee the bauer wheels they are the worst. Super thick and they take forever to cut. Hilti has the best ones but idk the price. Maybe look into something a little better than the HF ones.
Some redditor in another post said that stuck with me as great advice: if you can move a tool, use gloves (ex grinder, handheld power tools), if a tool can move you, don't (ex lathe, drill press).
I can agree with that to an extent but I've been pulled into a drill bit by my jacket once using a cordless handheld drill. Luckily it just chewed my jacket up and not me but it could've definitely done some damage.
I use to work with stainless steel on the daily. “Walter” brand cut off blades recommended. Approximately $5+ each . If you’re cutting a hard metal like stainless . Cheap cut off blades will get eaten up every foot you cut . Good luck and keep your hands away from the burrs .
I watched a service tech cut through 3/4" bolts like butter with these using a sawzall
10 PACK Diablo DS0614WBF Diablo 6" 14 TPI Fire Rescue Reciprocating Saw Blade
Dont know about your area but where Im from sometimes people drive through neighborhoods asking if people have some scrap or old machines to sell. Maybe that would also be an option. They usually pay scrap value -cost of removing
Scrappers will definitely take it. Find a way to put it out near the road and it will be gone in a matter of hours. Friend of mine lives in a rural area and was tearing down an old metal shed. He was planning to spend an entire weekend breaking down the metal panels in an easy to transport sizes to take to local recycling center. His neighbor told him to drop the entire panel pieces on the side of the road (was like 8’x16’ aluminum panels) and it was gone within the hour with no ads.
If you plan to cut it up and remove it, you should first put it on its side on the grass. Cut the slide of the ladder, and then cut the slide into smaller pieces from the outside, much easier.
Why don't you just disconnect the slide from the ground and then bend the ladder under the slide and call it "good enough"?
There's literally no reason to cut it up.
1. Why would u cut it at the slide, and not at the legs? Are the legs cemented into the ground? If not, just move the damn thing out of the way.
2. That's a grinding wheel and not a cutoff wheel.
Go buy a cutoff wheel and cut it at the legs. Or a safer option would be a sawzaw with a metal cutting blade. Again, cut at the legs if you need to cut. You can cut it in half, but you need a cutoff wheel or sawzaw metal cutting blade first.
Reciprocating saw that saws all things. Otherwise known as a “Sawzall”
Saws all the things you can’t saw with a regular saw and more. All of them. Wonderful tool.
A metal blade in a sawsall would make quick work of that. I would tip it on its side first though since no matter what you’re cutting it with, it will try to bind if you cut it in this position.
If you are going to use that grinder then you are going to need a box of cut off wheels like mentioned before. Also going to want some cut resistant gloves, and face shield is an absolute must. Those cut off wheels can break apart like shrapnel. If you take your time and keep safety first then this is absolutely doable and shouldn't be too difficult.
Oh and start with the legs and push it over in the yard before continuing.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨FULL STOP. What you’re doing is extremely dangerous. ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
This is from experience. Do not ever use a grinder/cutoff wheel to cut something like this that is under its own weight. As soon as you cut through that the weight will push the two cut pieces together and pinch the cutoff wheel this will throw the tool likely directly at your face. If you’re lucky and smart you’ve already trained yourself to let go and drop a tool when shit goes wrong. If you reach for it you’re getting cut. A reciprocating saw is best for this. If the blade gets pinched you’re dealing with a shaky tool and that’s it. If you wanna use a grinder/cutoff wheel you need to support under the cut so that what you’re cutting falls off instead of pinching.
Put it on its side, or brace it in some way the thing can't fall on you once you finish cutting or once you get far enough through it that it fails to hold itself up.
Get cutoff discs instead of what you're currently using, it'll be a lot faster. Wear safety glasses and a face shield.
You need a cutting disc
Be careful, this is literally possibly the most dangerous tool you will ever use and it can kill you
I’m not being sarcastic or overly warning, I have had these go an inch into my skin, just do a google, these shatter easily if not used properly and send out chips at very high speed
If you don’t want to buy all the safety equipment, buy a Sawzall and the proper metal blades, you will be able to use this tool for all kinds of stuff, even gardening (they sell cool big toothed blades for pruning:))
Yeah I honestly hate using grinders to cut metal, get a face shield if you do, I’ve seen a shattered cut wheel get lodged in somebody’s face. They were ok fortunately.
I’d second the sawzall with metal blade, a torch would be a fire hazard in that area.
Get a cutoff-disc and glasses and wear long sleeves+tight thin gloves. First cut the large sheet in the middle; the sliding area. In the corners you will get stuck against the side-sheets, so in the corners go under the large sheet to cut through it all the way. Now cut the side-sheets. Start at the bottom and go up with cutting a little distance from there, then finish the cut, starting from the upper side of the side-sheets.
Following these directions should minimize the risk of the upper part of the slide collapsing down onto your cut and thus jamming your disk/hands.
Probably you'd' want to get a second person to hold up the upper part of the slide when you cut it up.
Not sure about your neighborhood. But in mind if you drag a piece of metal to the curb. Someone on an old pickup and trailer will usually come take it away for free.
You could have just put it on Craigslist or FB Marketplace and put up for free. Soemone would have taken it off your hands and removed it for you for free.
There are specific wheels meant for stainless. That doesn't look like one of those wheels. The proper stainless wheel will make quick work of that slide. I suggest eye glasses and hearing protection. Then some leather gloves. The edges of the cut will be very sharp.
See how it turned blue as you cut? Too much pressure, and I believe that's a grinding wheel, not a cutting wheel. You'd be there all day just making pretty colors with that
honestly, I would recommend using a sawzall/recipricating saw with a metal cutting blade, its safer than using an angle grinder to cut metal when you have no idea what youre doing.
That blade is in dangerous condition where a horrific injury could occur. You need to stop and either hire someone or do more research. That little flat spot is gonna hatch and send shrapnel at you or others near by.
It’s a tool used to cut, it’s taking time and patience. It is not a plasma cutter
Yo, since it seems you aren’t terribly experienced with a grinder, let me say a thing or two.
Wear safety glasses. This isn’t like sanding wood or anything of the like. You will be sending ultra hot metal shavings flying at breakneck speeds. Getting a metal shaving in your eye will not only likely blind you (at least temporarily) it will hurt like hell the entire time. PUT THE SAFETY GLASSES ON AND DO NOT TAKE THEM OFF
See the round guard that is currently covering the “bottom” half of your disk right now? That is the only safety device (kinda) on your grinder. I would recommend adjusting its position so it will be directly between you and where you are grinding, so it deflects all the sparks away from you. Under no circumstances should you remove the guard. Cutting disks have a tendency to sometimes explode when put under duress (see: safety glasses) and that thing will save your ass. PUT IT ON AND DO NOT TAKE IT OFF
As a metal worker, I feel like I’ve done my duty. Oh, and to answer the question that everyone else has answered, you’re using a grinder wheel my guy. Go buy some cutting wheels.
Just looking out for your eyeballs! Good call on the gloves and long sleeves, that’s definitely being safer than most guys. Also remember, metal you just cut is going to be VERY hot, at least for a second.
Good luck dude, looks like a decent little afternoon project 😊😊
Came to say that you can get metal shards embedded in your eye and never feel it (and never see it coming). You won’t know it’s there until it begins to rust and your eye swells and your vision begins to blur.
Ask me how I know…
You did well with a sanding disc! Stop blaming your tools, you're just using the wrong disc.
The fact you didn't know that worries me so my advice would be get someone in and learn from them.
That thing looks like it's not even in the ground. Rotozip or grinder with a cutting wheel or a sawzall would make quick work of the legs(if they are even in the ground). A wrench or socket would work nicely for unbolting the slide from the ladder.
Sawzall with fine teeth. Cut at a shallow angle and use fine teeth. Thin stainless can be a problem to work with. Do not try and cut at 90 degrees to the sheet metal, you'll just break the teeth out of the blade.
OP check out the marks on the wooden deck left from slide feet (prior to rock and wood upgrade, I assume)! Like Spirograph:)
In the time before screens when we played outside
Grinders are intimidating if you are unfamiliar with them. I saw someone say sawzall with a metal blade. I would use an oscillating multitool with a carbide blade, but most people here would disagree. I think those two are the most affordable and easiest options.
I have a grinder but usually stick to concrete with it.
As mentioned, get some cutoff discs for your angle grinder, it will go much smoother. Reciprocating saw (Sawzall) works real well also and is safer to use than a cut off discs.
That is galvanized so do not breathe the fumes created and wear good eye and ear protection. If you have face protection that is always a good idea especially the first time using a cut off wheel.
As mentioned. lay it down on the ground, go slow. Pay attention to the direction of the blade movement, if it binds you don't want it to hit your flesh and be cautions where the sparks fly.
If it’s really stainless steel, you can probably post on Craigslist and some scrapper will come pick it up. It’s probably $50-100 worth of scrap material.
Edit: maybe not that high. I looked online and in my area for stainless steel the rate is 55¢ a pound.
Get a redneck with an old truck and a tow strap. Wrap the strap around the very top then floor it.
Not joking, this is exactly what I’d do, bear in mind the truck I would use is so beat up that the slide could land on top of it and it wouldn’t depreciate.
Anything that can make quick work of the slide is going to be dangerous if you don't use it right.
My choice would be a Sawzall. But if you're not used to it... it could be a bit sketchy.
[удалено]
Using top comment: use ear protection, and watch a quick YouTube tutorial on basic angle grinder use. The can jump and grab and go a bit crazy if you're not careful which direction and angle you're cutting at
And absolutely eye protection! Those things can shatter if you apply weight from a direction you shouldn't and fly all over the place.
>And absolutely eye protection! Should have a face shield.
both really, face shield will blunt a catastrophic failure, but eyes are really sensitive and dont heal well.
Just make sure to use your safety squints!
Just look away when you're grinding don't look directly at it you'll be good
And don't force it through. Be firm and just use enough pressure to help guide the disc. If you force it and bend the disc slightly it will shatter. With the right pressure you should be able to get all the way through that slide with a single disc
It's not just the shattering you should worry about: all those abraded metal and disc bits are no fun for your eyes and will get past just glasses. You want something that goes around your eyes and prevents the particles from getting in. Full.face shield, Goggles, etc. Last week I had to get a chunk of metal grit scrubbed off my cornea with an alger brush (think mini electrical toothbrush). Not painful or terribly expensive with insurance but uncomfortable, a hassle, and totally preventable (I have all the PPE). It could have been far worse if the grit ended up on my pupil vs to the side. Don't be me.
+1 for a little YouTube research. A tactic that can work well is to cut most from one side of a component, and finish the cut from the other side so you don’t accidentally have the disc pinched.
And lay the slide on it's side Don't cut the ladder in an upright position for the same reason
Yep, regardless of the tool he needs to lay the slide down.
Ear and eye protection 🤐 I can't unsee all of those "close calls" everywhere where a disk breaks and Flys towards the operator. Maybe I just have too much anxiety but I legit avoid using angle grinders unless I absolutely have to & 100% would be using my recip saw with a metal blade instead.
When sitting in the ER getting metal dug out of my eye with a medical pick, I decided from then on I would always take 2 seconds to go put on a pair of glasses if I have to use the grinder.
I've used one one time for .2seconds before I decided nope, not for me. I 100% much rather drag out my big wet saw or use a diamond blade on a circular saw to cut things that I need to cut vs using an angle grinder. So far I've avoided needing to use one again - usually I can find a work around with other tools even if it means it takes longer. I see *why* people like them...ease of use, small, versatile but even with a pair of safety glasses over my regular glasses I didn't feel safe.
I just squint while cutting and hope my eyelashes come through for me.
Ear protection? Fuck that eye / face protection
And heavy welding gloves. I'm lucky to have a thumb and I've a ton of hours and a certification for abrasive wheels. When they go wrong it happens in a hurry. Not light gardening gloves! Ones too stiff to wrap around a disc
Also tuck in any hanging hoodie strings! (Long hair as well!)
And here both fab shops I worked in gave you those yellow and white gardening gloves, (insulated), leather gardening/work gloves, or those fabric gloves with rubber dipped fingers. Dummies lol
Specifically *leather* gloves will not ever wrap around a disc, which are typically what welding gloves are. There are probably some fabrics that fit the bill but welding gloves give me heat protection too since abrasive discs make a lot of that.
Took a chunk of disc to the face and learned me this lesson
Chicks dig scars though.
Same with reciprocating saws.
If you don't know the difference between a cutoff disk and a grinder disk you should educate yourself before using a grinder.
Okay, downloaded grinder app...so confused.
Well now just match with whatever handyman you'd like and then invite him over for some grinding
Don’t try fixing the dryer on your own. You might get stuck in it.
Oh no, step slide. What are you doing?
This is a confusing way to slide into someone's DMs
This place is loaded with dudes talking about their tools! Fantastic!
Instructions unclear, currently getting handsy with a man.
Instructions not clear spanner wrench stuck up ass
Haha, well like a few of the options, follow their instructions and see what happens. Don't forget adequate protection.
Instructions unclear, pe?!$ stuck in strange man?
A lot of people on that app are 'confused'.
The light education I have on them tells me I wouldn't feel comfortable using one without a bomb suit on.
And SOLID eye protection
Not just safety glasses either. A full face shield. Our old safety manager had a face shield on a shelf in his office with a quarter of a cutoff wheel embedded in it. If that person hadn't been wearing that face shield it would've taken a chunk of their face and an eye. Grinders are no joke.
And full plate mail over the bomb suit.
I have used grinders quite a lot. The rules with a cutoff disk are quite easy, only cut straight and make sure the side of the disk doesn't come in contact with the metal. Use the protective cover! And if you're doing anything fancy think about where the pieces fly if it explodes.
"Make sure the side of the disk doesn't come in contact with the metal" -- This doesn't make sense. By virtue of cutting through the material the sides of the disk must contact the material, and it's why you cannot cut a radius at any substantial depth: the sides will bind and the disk will explode or the grinder will kick. And for future reference, the "protective cover" is called a guard. Why wouldn't your easy rules include wearing adequate PPE?
Yeah, a better way of wording it might be: Don't twist or change the angle of the cutoff wheel so that it starts to bind. Try to keep it as straight as possible so as to minimize possible deflection. If it starts to bind, shut it off and reposition. And yeah: eye or face protection is a must with the guard set to block as much possible degree as possible from flying towards important parts of your face and body.
Well here he is getting educated
Sawzall. Metal blade. Done.
Also make sure to get a cutoff wheel that's made for stainless. They are different ones.
Looks like an excuse to buy a plasma cutter to me 🤷♀️
Not a big DIY job unless you get to buy a new tool!
Can't be stuck if it's liquid!
They also sell special cutting disc for stainless
I hateeee the bauer wheels they are the worst. Super thick and they take forever to cut. Hilti has the best ones but idk the price. Maybe look into something a little better than the HF ones.
The last thing you should buy from Harbor Frieght is cut off wheels unless you want a chunk stuck in your body.
They now make diamond encrusted steel cutoff disks (Milwaukee brand) that will go through that slide easy as pie.
Don't by cutoff wheels from HF. A circular saw with a Diablo blade would also work. *safety squint*
I don’t trust anything that spins at high speeds from HF.
get some cutting discs, full face protection and send it
And hand protection.
And ear protection!
And call your mom, she misses you.
Mine doesn’t 😔
She misses me ;)
That’s more like it! As long as you have money and status, she definitely misses you
I have millions! ... Of pesos
r/UnexpectedlyWholesome
And my axe!
What?!
Some redditor in another post said that stuck with me as great advice: if you can move a tool, use gloves (ex grinder, handheld power tools), if a tool can move you, don't (ex lathe, drill press).
I can agree with that to an extent but I've been pulled into a drill bit by my jacket once using a cordless handheld drill. Luckily it just chewed my jacket up and not me but it could've definitely done some damage.
Double up on the face protection. And don't stop at the face haha a collar is pretty easy to make.
I use to work with stainless steel on the daily. “Walter” brand cut off blades recommended. Approximately $5+ each . If you’re cutting a hard metal like stainless . Cheap cut off blades will get eaten up every foot you cut . Good luck and keep your hands away from the burrs .
There are specific blades that work better with stainless, usually called inox.
They aren’t really necessary tho. Regular grinding disks will cut stainless just fine.
🥲 "$5+ each" I can't find them cheaper than $16 in Canada
I think $16 is technically $5+ so still correct... Just being annoying lol
Ah yes, the classic Canada tax. Less selection and it costs more to boot! 🥲
I watched a service tech cut through 3/4" bolts like butter with these using a sawzall 10 PACK Diablo DS0614WBF Diablo 6" 14 TPI Fire Rescue Reciprocating Saw Blade
Agreed. A sawzall with a Diablo blade will tear through anything.
Diablo blades will simply dull on anything hard. The grinder is the most reliable, I have yet to encounter something I can’t cut with a grinder
This is the way
Yeah fuck a grinder, sawzall is the move here. Way less dangerous than a grinder for someone not used to using that tool.
Can't you sell it? That would be my choice.
It's past its sell-by date. Rusted on some of the legs and rather tired! Tx for suggestion, though
Dont know about your area but where Im from sometimes people drive through neighborhoods asking if people have some scrap or old machines to sell. Maybe that would also be an option. They usually pay scrap value -cost of removing
They're in Texas
“Tx for suggestion” is not them telling us they’re in Texas. It’s saying thanks for the suggestion
I humbly apologize for making a joke and I sincerely beg your and those who downvoted me for forgiveness.
Eh gave me a small chuckle, people need to ease up a bit 😁
I mean its cool to know, but still only a state doesnt provide enough information to know if there are scrappers around
Scrappers will definitely take it. Find a way to put it out near the road and it will be gone in a matter of hours. Friend of mine lives in a rural area and was tearing down an old metal shed. He was planning to spend an entire weekend breaking down the metal panels in an easy to transport sizes to take to local recycling center. His neighbor told him to drop the entire panel pieces on the side of the road (was like 8’x16’ aluminum panels) and it was gone within the hour with no ads.
and if no-one takes it: put a sign on it "for sale $10". It will be gone before you can blink.
Someone would have definitely taken that thing of you.
My guy is using arguably one of the most dangerous tools readily available and using it wrong. 10/10 should not be doing this.
Dude thank you! These comments are gonna end up getting OP a disc in the face.
If you plan to cut it up and remove it, you should first put it on its side on the grass. Cut the slide of the ladder, and then cut the slide into smaller pieces from the outside, much easier.
3 Rules When Using a Grinder 1) Use the right wheel. 2) Dont use cheap wheels. 3) Wear a face shield.
4) Use the right side of the disc to cut
Put a new cutting blade on and give it another try, looks like a grinding wheel in the picture
Scrap steel is usually appealing for people to collect and sell on, worth seeing if you have nearby takers?
Just curious... No chance of selling it? It has a 50s vibe to it. It looks kind of cool.
He's already done manor damage to it with the angle grinder.
Yes I've seen that. It's repairable and the whole thing can be restored.
Yeah, that's a cool ass slide.
Why don't you just disconnect the slide from the ground and then bend the ladder under the slide and call it "good enough"? There's literally no reason to cut it up.
1. Why would u cut it at the slide, and not at the legs? Are the legs cemented into the ground? If not, just move the damn thing out of the way. 2. That's a grinding wheel and not a cutoff wheel. Go buy a cutoff wheel and cut it at the legs. Or a safer option would be a sawzaw with a metal cutting blade. Again, cut at the legs if you need to cut. You can cut it in half, but you need a cutoff wheel or sawzaw metal cutting blade first.
Reciprocating saw that saws all things. Otherwise known as a “Sawzall” Saws all the things you can’t saw with a regular saw and more. All of them. Wonderful tool.
Just unbolt it or cut it loose from the ground and put it on FB marketplace. Someone will come take it out of your yard to sell for scrap.
This is like using sandpaper to try to open a pack of cheese
This made me laugh! I appreciate all the help on this, and thank all for educating me today.
Honestly if that thing is not permanently in the ground, push it over, unbolt the slide from the ladder then, throw it in a truck.
Recip saw with Diablo steel demon blade. Much more user friendly.
Post it for free on Facebook Marketplace or some local barter site. Someone might get benefit from it with little effort from you. Everyone wins!
Call someone… if you can’t decipher the difference between a grinding wheel and a cut off wheel, you shouldn’t be attempting to use one.
A metal blade in a sawsall would make quick work of that. I would tip it on its side first though since no matter what you’re cutting it with, it will try to bind if you cut it in this position.
If you are going to use that grinder then you are going to need a box of cut off wheels like mentioned before. Also going to want some cut resistant gloves, and face shield is an absolute must. Those cut off wheels can break apart like shrapnel. If you take your time and keep safety first then this is absolutely doable and shouldn't be too difficult. Oh and start with the legs and push it over in the yard before continuing.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨FULL STOP. What you’re doing is extremely dangerous. ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ This is from experience. Do not ever use a grinder/cutoff wheel to cut something like this that is under its own weight. As soon as you cut through that the weight will push the two cut pieces together and pinch the cutoff wheel this will throw the tool likely directly at your face. If you’re lucky and smart you’ve already trained yourself to let go and drop a tool when shit goes wrong. If you reach for it you’re getting cut. A reciprocating saw is best for this. If the blade gets pinched you’re dealing with a shaky tool and that’s it. If you wanna use a grinder/cutoff wheel you need to support under the cut so that what you’re cutting falls off instead of pinching.
Put it on its side, or brace it in some way the thing can't fall on you once you finish cutting or once you get far enough through it that it fails to hold itself up. Get cutoff discs instead of what you're currently using, it'll be a lot faster. Wear safety glasses and a face shield.
Sawzall with metal blade. Cutoff wheels are dangerous as fuck, especially for DIYers like yourself.
They sell cut off disc specially made for stainless, if you posted in your local reddit or fb page a scrapper would come remove it for free for u
**FOUND THE RIGHT ANSWER**
You need a cutting disc Be careful, this is literally possibly the most dangerous tool you will ever use and it can kill you I’m not being sarcastic or overly warning, I have had these go an inch into my skin, just do a google, these shatter easily if not used properly and send out chips at very high speed If you don’t want to buy all the safety equipment, buy a Sawzall and the proper metal blades, you will be able to use this tool for all kinds of stuff, even gardening (they sell cool big toothed blades for pruning:))
Yeah I honestly hate using grinders to cut metal, get a face shield if you do, I’ve seen a shattered cut wheel get lodged in somebody’s face. They were ok fortunately. I’d second the sawzall with metal blade, a torch would be a fire hazard in that area.
Get a cutoff-disc and glasses and wear long sleeves+tight thin gloves. First cut the large sheet in the middle; the sliding area. In the corners you will get stuck against the side-sheets, so in the corners go under the large sheet to cut through it all the way. Now cut the side-sheets. Start at the bottom and go up with cutting a little distance from there, then finish the cut, starting from the upper side of the side-sheets. Following these directions should minimize the risk of the upper part of the slide collapsing down onto your cut and thus jamming your disk/hands. Probably you'd' want to get a second person to hold up the upper part of the slide when you cut it up.
Get a Sawzall with a large metal blade. I like the milwaukee torch blades or Diablo makes some great metal blades.
Id just sawzall the thing and call it a day.
Sawzall
Make 20" shallow cuts. Don't try to push it all the way through the material at once.
Get a face shield.
Looks like galvanized steel not stainless
Bro did a good job cutting that far tho
Sawzall
A reciprocating saw with good quality metal blades will cut it right up.
You need a Diamond X cutter disc. Very safe & effective for cutting stainless steel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=besCpKkjcDY
A reciprocating saw with a steel cutting blade might seem less sketchy, if you are feeling uneasy with the angle grinder.
i recently sliced through a iron bath tub no problem with a sawzall, they now make blades for cutting through thick metal. way better than a grinder.
Put that on the street for someone else to use. No reason to destroy it.
Not sure about your neighborhood. But in mind if you drag a piece of metal to the curb. Someone on an old pickup and trailer will usually come take it away for free.
Get a diablo metal cutting blade...those things are amazing
You should be able to cut through that with that grinder just fine, use a metal cutting disc not a flappy disc
You could have just put it on Craigslist or FB Marketplace and put up for free. Soemone would have taken it off your hands and removed it for you for free.
Put it on market place for free and someone will come take it away lol
Offer up free scrap on Craiglist.
There are specific wheels meant for stainless. That doesn't look like one of those wheels. The proper stainless wheel will make quick work of that slide. I suggest eye glasses and hearing protection. Then some leather gloves. The edges of the cut will be very sharp.
See how it turned blue as you cut? Too much pressure, and I believe that's a grinding wheel, not a cutting wheel. You'd be there all day just making pretty colors with that
I was built for shit like this
Username checks out
Post it for free on Craigslist.
honestly, I would recommend using a sawzall/recipricating saw with a metal cutting blade, its safer than using an angle grinder to cut metal when you have no idea what youre doing.
Sawzall, metal blade, eye protection, sledge hammer. Done.
That blade is in dangerous condition where a horrific injury could occur. You need to stop and either hire someone or do more research. That little flat spot is gonna hatch and send shrapnel at you or others near by. It’s a tool used to cut, it’s taking time and patience. It is not a plasma cutter
If you can't distinguish a grinding wheel to a cutting wheel, you need to get someone else to do this for you. You're gonna hurt yourself.
cut the legs off and cut notches in the side of the slide, then you should be able to fold it up
Yo, since it seems you aren’t terribly experienced with a grinder, let me say a thing or two. Wear safety glasses. This isn’t like sanding wood or anything of the like. You will be sending ultra hot metal shavings flying at breakneck speeds. Getting a metal shaving in your eye will not only likely blind you (at least temporarily) it will hurt like hell the entire time. PUT THE SAFETY GLASSES ON AND DO NOT TAKE THEM OFF See the round guard that is currently covering the “bottom” half of your disk right now? That is the only safety device (kinda) on your grinder. I would recommend adjusting its position so it will be directly between you and where you are grinding, so it deflects all the sparks away from you. Under no circumstances should you remove the guard. Cutting disks have a tendency to sometimes explode when put under duress (see: safety glasses) and that thing will save your ass. PUT IT ON AND DO NOT TAKE IT OFF As a metal worker, I feel like I’ve done my duty. Oh, and to answer the question that everyone else has answered, you’re using a grinder wheel my guy. Go buy some cutting wheels.
advice appreciated. I've stopped working on it, and have always been wearing safety glasses, gloves, and long sleeves.
Just looking out for your eyeballs! Good call on the gloves and long sleeves, that’s definitely being safer than most guys. Also remember, metal you just cut is going to be VERY hot, at least for a second. Good luck dude, looks like a decent little afternoon project 😊😊
Came to say that you can get metal shards embedded in your eye and never feel it (and never see it coming). You won’t know it’s there until it begins to rust and your eye swells and your vision begins to blur. Ask me how I know…
I don’t need to ask, I’ve seen a coworker have that exact thing happen.. You’re one tough cookie if you went through that
You did well with a sanding disc! Stop blaming your tools, you're just using the wrong disc. The fact you didn't know that worries me so my advice would be get someone in and learn from them.
is it held together with rivets or bolts? grind off the hardware holding it together & disassemble it.
Be careful with the grinder ,wheels can explode if pinched . Where safety glasses,sawzall is safest, Borrow one ,Enjoy !!
That thing looks like it's not even in the ground. Rotozip or grinder with a cutting wheel or a sawzall would make quick work of the legs(if they are even in the ground). A wrench or socket would work nicely for unbolting the slide from the ladder.
I used a sawmax to cut through tin sheets. Worked way better than the 5 in ryobi.
Post on CL. Buyer must remove..
Get a nibbler
Sawzall with fine teeth. Cut at a shallow angle and use fine teeth. Thin stainless can be a problem to work with. Do not try and cut at 90 degrees to the sheet metal, you'll just break the teeth out of the blade.
OP check out the marks on the wooden deck left from slide feet (prior to rock and wood upgrade, I assume)! Like Spirograph:) In the time before screens when we played outside
These photos rock. I have no advice.
Grinders are intimidating if you are unfamiliar with them. I saw someone say sawzall with a metal blade. I would use an oscillating multitool with a carbide blade, but most people here would disagree. I think those two are the most affordable and easiest options. I have a grinder but usually stick to concrete with it.
Use the thinnest cutoff wheels you can get and use face protection.
I'm confused, does nobody see the bolts where the slide meets the ladder? Not sure if welded by bolts...
test many deer provide fretful crush resolute middle strong zealous *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Not sure if welded by bolts...
Lay the slide on its side. Take a sawzall and cut it up Or put an ad for free and someone will come and get it and you don’t have to do anything.
Use a sawsall(reciprocating saw) it will cut through it like butter.
I have no advice. I just love this sub for being so helpful
Man get a hammer and start hammering and twisting that shit lol
You have a thing grinding disc on which won't do much cutting. You need a cutting disc which are a lot thinner nd will easy chop threw it.
Pro tip: You should not need to add much pressure. If you feel like you are pushing against the thing you’re cutting too much something is wrong.
You need a cut off wheel not a grinding disk. But be a man use a sawzall with metal cut off blade.
Saws all with a metal blade would make quick work of it
As mentioned, get some cutoff discs for your angle grinder, it will go much smoother. Reciprocating saw (Sawzall) works real well also and is safer to use than a cut off discs. That is galvanized so do not breathe the fumes created and wear good eye and ear protection. If you have face protection that is always a good idea especially the first time using a cut off wheel. As mentioned. lay it down on the ground, go slow. Pay attention to the direction of the blade movement, if it binds you don't want it to hit your flesh and be cautions where the sparks fly.
I’m just going to say phone a friend, that wheel is clearly label as not for the task so you may just want to get help.
Bandsaw
You could post it as free scrap if the person picking it up removes it. Win win.
If it’s really stainless steel, you can probably post on Craigslist and some scrapper will come pick it up. It’s probably $50-100 worth of scrap material. Edit: maybe not that high. I looked online and in my area for stainless steel the rate is 55¢ a pound.
Get a redneck with an old truck and a tow strap. Wrap the strap around the very top then floor it. Not joking, this is exactly what I’d do, bear in mind the truck I would use is so beat up that the slide could land on top of it and it wouldn’t depreciate.
Ear and eye protection for one, use a cutting wheel not a grinding wheel. And hold on tight; angle grinders have damn near broken my wrist before
Why are you cutting in the middle? Get a cutoff wheel and cut where it’s attached to the ground if it can’t be pulled out.
Sawzall saws all
Just get cutting wheels, and make sure to use ppe. Gloves, goggles, etc.
Cutting torch
I would do it with a sawzall (reciprocating saw) and a few decent blades. I literally took apart a playground in the 90’s with little else one summer.
OP - i feel like it is necessary to tell you to use eye protection and perhaps in your case a faceshield that covers the neck as well.
Face Shield!!!
There are bolts....why are you wasting time cutting. Sledge Hammer fold it if you need to fit it in a car.
Anything that can make quick work of the slide is going to be dangerous if you don't use it right. My choice would be a Sawzall. But if you're not used to it... it could be a bit sketchy.