Cutting Wood with Angle Grinders: Is it Possible?

A heavy-duty angle grinder can easily cut through metal, masonry, and even concrete. But is it a good idea to use these tools to cut wood? Cutting wood with angle grinders is tricky. In this article, we will talk about all the reasons why.

The first thing is that there are a lot of safety precautions to note when working with angle grinders in general. There are additional safety precautions when it comes to cutting wood with angle grinders. Before you bring out your trusty angle grinder to maul that would-be piece of lumber, consider all the tips and notes that will be discussed in this article.

Using Angle Grinders for Cutting Wood: Yay or Nay?

Yes is the quick and idiotic response. However, for cutting wood, angle grinders are not ideal. First of all, you should never cut wood with regular angle grinder cutting discs. A lot of professionals advise against using the angle grinder for wood completely, especially for beginners.

But if you want to undertake this task, you must first understand how to use an angle grinder for cutting wood and which blades (discs) to use. In the next section, we will talk about the dangers of using an angle grinder for wood cutting.

What You Should Care About When Cutting Wood with an Angle Grinder (Dangers and Safety Concerns)

There are significant dangers associated with using an angle grinder for woodcutting, so understanding what to expect can help you stay safe. What is the reason behind this? Because cutting a flammable material like wood with an abrasive blade on a grinder might result in disaster. Aside from the obvious one, there is also another potential hazard associated with using Angle Grinders for Cutting Wood.

Because of the density of the material, there is more resistance when using a high-speed power instrument like a grinder to create a cut on a piece of metal, or even when attempting to cut concrete with a diamond saw blade. With wood, however, this is not the case.

When using an angle grinder for cutting wood which is an exceptionally lightweight material, a tiny change in posture, such as simply bending your wrist, might cause the grinder to dramatically shift direction.

When this happens, your response time may be insufficient to reverse the virtually immediate change, and you may find yourself with an out-of-control grinder running at 15,000 RPM. Plus, most grinders don’t have an electronic brake and are sluggish to stop spinning, and I’m guessing you don’t want to get in the way of an enraged grinder flying through space and time.

Injuries Caused by Inappropriate Use of Angle Grinder for Cutting Wood

In a study conducted by a group of hand surgeons in Japan based on the records of 15 patients treated for angle grinder injuries between 2017 and 2018, it was proven that the lack of knowledge about the machine’s capacity was the main reason for these injuries.

Not knowing about the potential hazards of using an angle grinder for cutting wood may result in untreatable and permanent damage.

Therefore, if we get back to the question here, can angle grinders also be used to cut wood? The best answer would be: Yes, of course, with a big caveat! You can cut wood with angle grinders, but only if you are using the proper wood-cutting disc for angle grinders because it has the strength and capability to do so.

That does not mean, however, that using an angle grinder for wood cutting would be the optimal option for the situation. Although an angle grinder is useful for little projects, you should think hard before using it on a major project.

Safety Tips and Tricks to Avoid Mistakes

While using an angle grinder for cutting wood, however, the least you can do is always wear the proper PPE, such as safety goggles, ear protection, and cut-resistant gloves, which are the absolute minimum when working with a grinder.

Keep in mind that the guard should never be removed unless the power supply is disconnected. When cutting any material with a grinder without protection, you might end up in the hospital.

• The first mistake to avoid is driving too quickly. When performing something potentially harmful, it’s natural to want to get it over with as soon as possible. In this case, you could wind yourself paying a high price for it.
• One of the most crucial aspects of cutting wood with angle grinders is to go slow and be careful with your motions. As a result, take your time. If you hurry the job, you risk receiving a kickback from the grinder, which might result in serious injury.
• Keep in mind that you’ll almost certainly need to become used to cutting at an angle. Your inclination will be to cut straight down, but this will increase your risk of harm. Instead, try making each cut at a small slant. The angle will perform better and cut more accurately because this tool is designed to carve wood rather than cut it.

How to Use an Angle Grinder for Cutting Wood?

Again, we need to add that cutting wood with angle grinders is not a good idea and not safe generally. Of course, it is possible but we recommend that before undertaking this task, you read the section about safety concerns. When using these tools to do this particular task it is more necessary to ask yourself “How NOT to do it?” as this task can go wrong in a lot of different ways that could potentially harm you, so again reread the section about safety.

We are going to repeat some of the points we made in the other sections about safety when cutting wood with angle grinders:
• Always use the dedicated type of disc (blade) for this task! And nothing but the dedicated types of discs. Using an angle grinder on wood without the specialized blades is extremely dangerous! Also, make sure that the speed and size of the disk you are using match your angle grinder.
• Always wear proper PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) which includes safety glasses or face shields, hearing protection, gloves, dust masks, or respirators.
• Make sure that the environment you’re working in is safe and secure. Always have a fire extinguisher nearby and make sure there is no chance of slippage.
• Employ the right pose and technique when cutting wood with angle grinders to minimize any unintended risks including the blade moving towards you and injuring you in case of the tool kicking back.
• Safety check the disc! Meaning check the disc for any damages or if it has reached the end of its expiry date!

Now that we have gone through some of the must-know safety tips when it comes to cutting wood with angle grinders, let’s talk about the steps for accomplishing this task in detail:

Step 1: Marking the Cut

Measure twice and cut once. Right? You should always be attentive to details, especially in this task. Angle grinders are not very precise tools. You need to mark your cut on the wood to avoid any mistakes.

Step 2: Securing the Wood

Always clamp the wood securely to prevent the wood from moving. This is essential.

Step 3: Adjusting the Speed

If your grinder has speed adjustment settings, you can adjust the speed to your liking.

Step 4: Installing the Wood-Cutting Blade

Before installing the blade, make sure that the grinder is not turned on and that it is unplugged. Install the blade using the instructions that come with your angle grinder and the disc.

Step 5: Positioning

Hold the angle grinder with both hands. One hand should be on the main handle and the other should be on the side handle. Position yourself in a way that you can maintain a stable stance for maximum control.

Step 6: Start Cutting

Now that you have gone through all these steps, you can start to cut wood with the angle grinder. Turn on the grinder and let it reach full speed before approaching the workpiece. Gently lower the spinning blade onto the marked cut line.

Step 7: Controlling the Cut

Always move the grinder steadily along the cut line and maintain a consistent speed. Get a feel for the material and how it interacts with the grinder. Cut until you reach the end of the line.

Step 8: Finishing the Operation

You should now turn off the grinder completely. Afterward, you should inspect the cut to make sure that it is smooth and precise.

Related Article: Best Angle Grinders to cut metal

What Angle Grinder Blades Are Best for Cutting Wood?

An angle grinder has its purpose if you’re simply seeking to cut little woodcuts (like the edges of trim) or carve portions of wood. However, either a three-tooth wood-cutting disc for angle grinders or a wood carving disc should be used.

When it comes to using an angle grinder for cutting wood, the correct kind of blade is required. So, let’s look at a few alternatives for the greatest wood-cutting blades.

Can You Use a Normal Angle Grinder Blade for Cutting Wood?

Let’s start with the question of whether a normal blade can be used to cut wood. This is a common mistake made by novice users, and it is something you should avoid. Cutting with a normal blade is technically possible, but it is not safe at all and therefore you should never cut wood with angle grinders.

The grinder might rise and fly off the table you’re working on if something goes wrong. You might be badly injured if you rotate at high speeds. Instead of attempting to use a regular blade, you should seek one of the wood blades for angle grinders listed below to assist in reducing the chance of an accident while maintaining the smooth and accurate appearance of your project.

Rotating at high speeds might cause serious injury. Instead of attempting to use a standard blade, go for one of the wood-cutting blades for angle grinders mentioned below to help decrease the risk of an accident while keeping the smooth and precise aesthetic of your project.

Choose a wood carving disc for this tool that will operate on both soft and hard wood. A disc with the strength required for woodworking, as well as the proper form and design to undertake woodcutting operations with ease.

People have been utilizing circular saw blades with angle grinding machines for woodworking for many years, which is dangerous! An angle grinder’s large number of teeth paired with its rapid RPM rate frequently results in finger amputations and other serious accidents!

Recommended Angle Grinder Disc for Cutting Wood

• GRAFF SPEEDCUTTER 4 1/2 Wood Carving Disc for Angle Grinder
If you want to cut wood with angle grinders, this is one of the most popular blades on the market. These blades can be used to cut wood, laminated flooring, parquet (hardwood), plasterboard, plastic, and maybe even aerated concrete. The GRAFF Speed-cutter woodworking disc features only three teeth, allowing the angle grinder to achieve an acceptable level of radial resistance at a rapid rotation rate.

Recommended Angle Grinder for Cutting Wood

• Ronix 3210 Mini Angle Grinder
Our customers love this power tool because of its strong 2400W motor, 8000RPM no-load speed, 180mm wheel diameter, and ergonomic features. To turn it on, all you have to do is plug it in and press the anti-dust button.

Because of its air-flow cooling mechanism, working long hours will not be a problem for the 3210. Three-position anti-vibration side handle, rotating main handle, quick-change disc guard, and locking pin system are among the features.

• Professional heavy-duty 2400W powerful motor that enables high performances
• 3 positions anti-shock ergonomic side handle, minimizes vibration and reduces fatigue during long time working
• Rotary main handle which accelerates working in different angles and improves user comfort and control
• Soft start switch system that ensures the safety of operation
• Direct airflow system which cools the motor for more reliable performance and higher overload capabilities
• NSK anti-dust ball bearings which ensure the long lifetime of the motor and make it work more smoothly

• Quick change of disc guard that allows the user to place the guard in different working positions
• Easy and fast carbon brush changing mechanism
• New locking pin system for easy and fast disc changing and safety mechanism
• Anti-dust switch which reduces dust penetration, especially in masonry working conditions

Read more about Angle Grinder Wheels: A Beginner’s Guide.

Is Using an Angle Grinder to Cut Wood Effective?

Using an angle grinder for cutting wood raises several obvious safety hazards. However, if you take the proper precautions, use the proper three-tooth cutting disc, and just need to trim a few corners here and there, an angle grinder is a feasible alternative.

Carving, sanding, and shaping are all operations that angle grinders excel at. You can shape wooden materials with a wood carving disc attached to your angle grinder.

As you can see, the debate over whether or not angle grinders should be used to cut wood is not simple. The reason for this is that this tool may be too strong for most wood products, increasing the risk of harm from backlash. However, you do have options when it comes to cutting wood with a grinder, as you can simply replace the disc with a three-tooth disc for minor projects.

There could be advantages to using an angle grinder for carving, shaping, and sanding, but these tools are hard to control and you must always be completely focused and aware of the grinder’s limitations in contrast to other tools.

When attempting to create accurate miter cuts or ripping boards of wood, if you have access to a circular saw, table saw, or even a miter saw, you’d be better off going that route. Using an angle grinder on wood is not accurate at all and these tools are hard to control.

FAQ ❓

Can you use an angle grinder to cut wood?

Technically yes, but you should always use the dedicated blades for cutting wood. Even then, it’s dangerous! In short, we don’t advise it! Why don’t you use circular saws or jigsaws?

How can you use an angle grinder for cutting wood?

If you intend to use an angle grinder for small trimming or little jobs select proper cutting discs that are dedicated to wood. Cutting wood with an angle grinder should be considered a last-ditch attempt that should only be used if you don’t have any other options.