Angle grinder or cut off tool for hardware cloth?

[bridgetchicken]

Can anyone please tell me which tool is best for removing the sharp edges of cut hardware cloth: angle grinder or cut off wheel?
Thanks

 

[bridgetchicken]

I'm building a quail cage and I need to know which tool would smooth out the rough edges of the hardware cloth I cut with tin snips. I tried using sandpaper but it didn't do anything to smooth out the sharp edges.

 

[raingarden]

A cut-off wheel is very similar to a metal grinding wheel. But the cut-off wheel is thinner so it does not have a wide kerf and does not have to remove as much material. to make a long cut You can put either one on an angle grinder but the grinding wheel is more appropriate than a cut-off wheel for what you are doing.

I take blood thinners and have thin skin in my old age so every little bump against the wire makes a nasty cut. Therefore, I've spent a lot of time trying to do what you describe.

It is tedious, painstaking work because you have to round over every single wire individually to get rid of all the sharp edges. That's possible with one- or two-inch welded wire but becomes impractical with hardwre cloth. If you just make a couple of passes with the grinder down the lenght of the wire edge it turns the sharp pointy ends into knife edges.

What I do now is cover all the cut ends by wrapping them with thick twine or strips of innertube material. That is tedious work as well.

I've also slit open a length of 1/4 inch tubing (airline or irrigation tubing) and put the edge of the cut wire into the slit. Then secure the tube to the wire with zip ties or crimps. It works OK but is not really a satisfactory solution either.

 

[Kanekoded]

Can anyone please tell me which tool is best for removing the sharp edges of cut hardware cloth: angle grinder or cut off wheel?
Thanks

Perhaps, something like this would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Prot...aWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

 

[raingarden]

Perhaps, something like this would work?

That's perfect!

 

[Krugerrand]

Perhaps, something like this would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Protector-Plastic-Stripping-Protection/dp/B0B5D79QCY/

great find!

 

[aart]

I bend over the 'sharpies'.
Yes, it's laborious, but it is very effective with no worries about grinding the welds off or some addition causing interference with attaching the mesh or causing some other issue.

 

[TooCheep]

I do the same as above, but some basic needle-nose pliers work well for bending over the sharp edges.

 

[bridgetchicken]

Perhaps, something like this would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Protector-Plastic-Stripping-Protection/dp/B0B5D79QCY/ref=sr_1_13_sspa?crid=1X575B3OGWYRC&keywords=U+edge+protector+with+adhesive&qid=1673937830&sprefix=u+edge+protector+with+adhesive,aps,91&sr=8-13-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFQTTlYMUw5OFJFSTAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxMTYxNDMxQjJCODY4VU5TMjlMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2Mjg3MDFFNFVENThETDk4NDYmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

Thank you! Great suggestion!

 

[Isadora]

My husband uses metal shears.