I am building a 3D printer and I have bought steel rods which I'm going to have to cut to size. I have already got a rotary tool at home which works. I have only ever used it to cut wood however, so all the blades I have are specific to wood.
Anyone have any tips on what type of cutting disc is suitable for cutting the steel rods? For reference, the max diameter of these rods is 1.2cm (approx 1/2").
Best Answer
Depends on you, as much as anything.
First off, don't forget eye protection and to work in a location where the sparks flung won't set your house on fire (sometimes hours later, if they get off into a nice cozy bed of lint or shavings in a corner.)
All cutoff discs are consumable, in the sense that they either break or wear down too small to be of use, so buy them in multi-packs.
Very thin discs are easier to break, but cut faster since they remove less metal. If you have a steady hand so you don't break them so much, they work well.
Thicker "reinforced" discs cut slower, since they remove more metal, but are somewhat harder (though not impossible) to break.