Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 20

Thread: How do I cut off the end of a threaded rod?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Canton, MI
    Posts
    529

    How do I cut off the end of a threaded rod?

    So, I'm working on my pergola and I need to cut off the top 1/2" of a 5/8" threaded rod (http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/sstb.asp) embedded in concrete with a U-bracket mounted to it (http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...ba-abe-abu.asp). I have 16 of them to do. Well, 15 now. It took me 20 min and 3 Fein Multimaster blades to cut the first one. There's got to be a better way. I also have a Dewalt reciprocating saw, but I don't have any metal blades for it and I don't have a feel for if it would work any better than the MM. Any ideas?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Kankakee, IL
    Posts
    33
    Hack saw - 18 tooth blade
    reciprocating saw - 18 tooth blade (slow speed - not full on)

    Paul Muhlstadt
    Kankakee, IL

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Central MA
    Posts
    1,584

    1 minute each with a good blade.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Redford, MI
    Posts
    155
    All of the suggestions are the slow and hard ways. Easiest, fastest and best way is a simple 1/16th cut-off wheel in a grinder. Each will take about 20-30 seconds to cut, maybe take a couple of the wheels to do it.

    Good luck,

    JT

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Chappell Hill, Texas
    Posts
    4,741
    Recip saw with a proper metal blade. That Fein MM is not a production tool for this type of work.

  6. #6
    Four inch grinder with a cut off blade is the best way to go. RotoZip also makes a cut off blade.

  7. #7
    Hello James,

    I've had a multimaster tool for a year or two now and have been consistently dissappointed with the cutting power on metal. I have cut a few pieces of 5/8 threaded with either a hack saw or bosch brand metal blade in a cordless jig saw with good result. Even the hack saw didn't take 20 minutes and the jig saw less than 2 minutes and will be good for a couple/three cuts per blade.

    One question that occurs is whether the metal on the strongtie is tougher than the generic threaded rod that I bought at Home Depot. I made a couple upsized picture frame clamps with the rods I had and didn't need a top strength rod. Using my Makita cordless recip saw vs the jig saw has been actually less effective on metal due to difficulty of placing and controlling the blade on small cuts. Plus the cost of those blades hurts. If you don't have a jig saw you might try the best quality blade you can find for a hack saw just out of curiosity, you could be pleasantly suprised if the metal is not too tough.

    Hope that helps,
    Larry R, Seattle

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    East Virginia
    Posts
    830
    If you can find a nut that fits onto the threaded rod, it can make your life easier if you thread the nut on before cutting the threaded rod. Then when you take the nut off, you'll align any burrs that otherwise could foul you up when trying to thread the nut on after cutting.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,983
    One of these:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-h...der-95578.html

    And one of these:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...ent-47572.html

    You'll actually find a lot of uses for a 4.5" angle grinder.
    I bought one to cut off a lockset - which it did in a min or two, then found a whole lot of other uss for it later on.

    Probably the best of which was cutting off old frozen toilet flange bolts.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by John Lanciani View Post

    1 minute each with a good blade.
    In the shop I have a 19" metal cutting bandsaw, a reciprocating power hacksaw, a cold saw, an abrasive cut off saw, a pneumatic cut off grinder, a 4.5" electric grinder, a few Dremels, and a couple of hacksaws. I usually reach for the hacksaw, it's quick, clean and quiet.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    mid-coast Maine and deep space
    Posts
    2,656
    Metal blades on the Dewalt will be fast enough. You already have the tool you just need the blades.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Glenmoore Pa.
    Posts
    767
    Quote Originally Posted by Julian Tracy View Post
    All of the suggestions are the slow and hard ways. Easiest, fastest and best way is a simple 1/16th cut-off wheel in a grinder. Each will take about 20-30 seconds to cut, maybe take a couple of the wheels to do it.

    Good luck,

    JT
    Thats how we do it

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Highland MI
    Posts
    4,511
    Blog Entries
    11
    Ditto on the thin abrasive cut off wheels on an angle grinder as the fastest, next would be a bimetal blade on your recip saw.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Canton, MI
    Posts
    529
    Thanks everyone. I didn't include this, but I have a 4-1/2" angle grinder, but it wouldn't fit in the 3-1/2" U-bracket opening. The hacksaw also wouldn't work in the area I was restricted with. I did make a trip up to Lowes and bought some 18T metal-cutting Lenox blades for the reciprocating saw. It took me all of 5 minutes to cut through the other 15 bolts with one blade. Amazing.


    It makes me wonder what material the Multimaster universal blades are that it takes 3 of them to cut through one bolt?


    I sprayed the cut end of the threaded rod with Boeshield. Think there's any chance it will stop it from rusting?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Chappell Hill, Texas
    Posts
    4,741
    Quote Originally Posted by James Biddle View Post
    ... I sprayed the cut end of the threaded rod with Boeshield. Think there's any chance it will stop it from rusting?
    No way, Jose.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •