Andy Hall wrote:

Of course it creates the next quandary. I only have a 125mm angle grinder
at present. I suspect that that would not cut completely through a tube of
34mm OD without rotating the tube (although I suppose I can do that.

It also depends on the type of disc in use. With an abrasive you will
soon get the stage of needing to rotate the work even if you don't at
the start, so as to get full usage from the disc. This would not of
course be an issue with a diamond disc.

So outlay for large stand = £30, 230mm angle grinder (say Bosch) at £86 -
total £116. OTOH, I do get a bigger angle grinder that can be used for
other things. OTOOH, I don't have much other need for a large angle grinder

I find I get very extensive use from my 230mm grinder[1]... just used it
to romp through a thousand or so cuts in block paviours, but in the past
it has done stirling service on patio slabs, roof tiles, engineering
bricks, and rolls of chicken wire.

[1] 2kW Hitachi which I am very pleased with - cost about £80 from a
local tool suppliers and came with free decent diamond disc (which only
got replaced last week after several years of use). Only thing my one
lacks that I would look for on a replacement is soft start - the current
one gives one hell of a kick when it spins up!

Entry level cutoff saw seems to be £100 or £117 for apparently better (Jet)
one from Axminster. Trouble is that it's physically quite large (needs to
be stored) and I can't think of many other applications where I want to cut
length of metal..

I would expect the stand for the grinder to be a little more versatile,
could be quite handy for chopping smaller tiles and paving blocks as
well. (in fact thinking about it, I wish I had bought one about a week ago!)

Rental prices on bench cut off saws seem to vary between £35 and £45, but not
clear whether this includes the disc, whether there's a deductable for use or
whether one has to buy their discs at some inflated price.

Then there's the hacksaw :-)

Hacksaw blade in a jigsaw may just about hack it... a big one in a
reciprocating saw should also do it well enough. (I chopped off the end
of a 8mm thick 200mm high flitch plate with the reciprocating saw - took
a while but did it without any hassle).

--
Cheers,

John.

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