Grinder to cut vinyl

Tom M · Mar 8, 2015

So I am wondering if anyone has tried a grinder and what blade they found to work well.

I have used a flat straight edge and the circular saw I use for siding to carve out a window or a door where one doesnt exist.

I have to carve out 4 sections in between a roof and floor, so I will be starting and stopping alot. Those cuts need to be finished. Was thinking maybe my Fein with the drywall blade or something fine toothed.

As for the grinder, I have been able to make excellent cuts using a grinder with a diamond wheel on aluminum. I never tried it with vinyl. Normally I would just use snips or unclip the material. The reason I am considering a grinder for the vinyl is the very cold temps we have been having. I can see cracking panels trying to unclip them and I dont want to chip the hell out the siding with an aggressive blade.

Tinstaafl · Mar 8, 2015

Tom M said:
Was thinking maybe my Fein with the drywall blade or something fine toothed.

That's probably the safest, though slow. I've used a grinder with a carborundum blade, but that tends to be messy.

NYgutterguy · Mar 8, 2015

Tom. Last spring I did a job for a firefighter/ DIY er and he asked if I could step flash a carport that he just roofed that butts up against existing house..
Was gonna rip out the panels and start fresh but he insisted I try the grinder that he had set up. I was actually surprised how good it worked. Not sure what type of blade but there was no chipping at all. Not sure if I'd have the guts to do it during winter though

BradingCon · Mar 8, 2015

I use a grinder to cut vinyl in the winter. The only blade that works is a smooth diamond tile blade. All others chip the vinyl too easily.

Tom M · Mar 8, 2015

Thanks guys, I knew a grinder would be useful, wasnt sure about which blade for plastic.

klintala · Mar 8, 2015

BradingCon said:
I use a grinder to cut vinyl in the winter. The only blade that works is a smooth diamond tile blade. All others chip the vinyl too easily.

Thats what we use all year round. It makes for quick, accurate cuts.
The only issue we had was recently installing this stuff. It just wanted to stick to the blade and melt more than cut.

hammer7896 · Mar 8, 2015

When I cut vinyl with a grinder, I use a wafer wheel like you would use on steel. I works great.

Tom M · Mar 8, 2015

klintala said:
Thats what we use all year round. It makes for quick, accurate cuts.
The only issue we had was recently installing this stuff. It just wanted to stick to the blade and melt more than cut.

Thats a diamond blade with melted shakes on it and not a tile blade right? :laughing:

Tom M · Mar 8, 2015

I do keep an assortment I thought about the thin kerf metal blade but was concerned about the cold.

Thanks guys

WarriorWithWood · Mar 9, 2015

I use a 5" 1 mm (or thinner) wafer steel slicer blade...they work best because they take out very little material and doesnt melt it like the diamond blades tend to do. I used to use a bacwards plywood blade in circ saw but forgot it one day and tried the grinder, I'll never go back. I have found that the grinder is faar more accurate and easier to control.

BradingCon · Mar 9, 2015

I was just talking about in cold weather. In warm weather straight cuts are made with a backwards plywood blade in a circular saw setup in a homemade jig. Then, windows, doors, etc. are cut out with the grinder. But in cold weather the circ saw chips vinyl badly. So i use the grinder with a smooth diamond blade.

pizalm · Mar 9, 2015

Walter zip cuts are perfect for cutting vinyl.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

SamM · Mar 9, 2015

I use the thin wafer style blades. The only problem I find is that it can leave static charged dust on the siding that doesn't want to come off. I usually keep a compressor with a blower nozzle to keep the siding clean. I know it'll wash out after a while but I can't stand the look. I want it to look perfect.

Artworks · Mar 9, 2015

Zip cut wheel , cordless Dewalt grinder works great. Especially on scaffold doing the gable .

superseal · Mar 9, 2015

Artworks said:
Zip cut wheel , cordless Dewalt grinder works great. Especially on scaffold doing the gable .

I've used zip blades as well, and for the OP, I think it's the right choice for what he wants to do.

I use high leverage shears for most of my vinyl which is okay, but tiring on the hands for sure. I'm hoping my new turbo shears from Malco take some of the stress off.

I just got them a couple of weeks ago and have only sampled some cuts - seem to work real well.

Artworks · Mar 9, 2015

I think for long rips the shears work good, I have older Milwakee electric I use. if you got "take another 1/4" " they don't work very good !
Vinyl ( & plastic) seams to dull blades.

Tom M · Mar 9, 2015

You guys are getting nuts. Shears are the right tool 90% of the time if it wasnt cold. It warmed up

so I will be cutting with some shears. I look forward to using the grinder for speed plunging through an already installed wall.

Tom M · Mar 9, 2015

So I didnt bother trying the thin steel blade, I had a toothed diamond blade on the grinder already and it was a breeze. Like Dennis I doubt I will use a circular saw again unless its the only tool available.

AustinDB · Mar 9, 2015

I've used a grinder and thin (metal) cutoff wheel for cutting flanges off vinyl doors/windows. I make shallow and fast passes-staying in one position too long can cause melting. The downside is the vinyl dust is thrown all over the place.

try laying a 2x4 or 1x4 across the vinyl siding to ride the grinder along to keep a straight line

jaydee · Mar 10, 2015

I use a 1/8" thick fiber blade all the time for vinyl siding.

Grinder to cut vinyl

Tom M

Tinstaafl

NYgutterguy

BradingCon

Tom M

klintala

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hammer7896

Tom M

Tom M

WarriorWithWood

BradingCon

pizalm

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