Thread: Glue/Sawdust Mix vs Woodfiller

Originally Posted by aussieadam

Brilliant advice. Thanks so much everyone for your help, I greatly appreciate it

edit: just out of curiosity, I'll have a lot of brass to cut for this project (I'm using it elsewhere as well).. any issues cutting with an angle grinder? Hacksaws take a long time

Have you got a table saw? You could buy a non-ferrous blade for it.
Then you can use the TS mitre slide and dock off very sort pieces if required.
Somewhat safer than waving a 12,000rpm angle grinder at a piece of metal.
It will also leave a better finish than an angle grinder.

These blades have a negative rake tooth setting so cut Al, Brass, Plastics, etc Really well. With brass take it steadily - the blade won't let you cut things too fast anyway but its bets not to push too hard.
I bought my blade about 10 years go - I just bought a chinese BOSCH blade and it has cut a lot of stuff since and is still working fine.
As I cut a lot of Al with my TS I leave that blade on as my standandard blade.
It will cut wood - slowly but leaves a very smooth finish. Hopeless for ripping but OK for cross grain cutting of small pieces.

If you use a slitting disc in the grinder, not a grinding wheel they will cut off fine, just won't be as straight on the end as Bob's method with the tablesaw but easy to true up with a file before inserting, and then use the sandpaper method to do the final truing with the timber.

Originally Posted by Treecycle

If you use a slitting disc in the grinder, not a grinding wheel they will cut off fine, just won't be as straight on the end as Bob's method with the tablesaw but easy to true up with a file before inserting, and then use the sandpaper method to do the final truing with the timber.

Just a minor point but don't get "slitting disc" mixed up with "slitting saw"

A slitting saw blade looks like this and these are definitely not recommended.
Screen Shot 2021-03-02 at 7.47.45 am.jpg

My shipbuilder boilermaker BIL uses these mini circular blades on angle grinders and I wince every time I see him use one.

I made my own mini table saw powered by a variable speed grinder that uses slitting discs.
I can use it on brass but the WW table saw with the negative raked blade produces a better finish and no wheel grit dust.
guard2.jpg

The other term for the thin abrasive discs (used in angle grinders / Bobs diy setup) is "thin cut off disc"

Originally Posted by BobL

Have you got a table saw? You could buy a non-ferrous blade for it.
Then you can use the TS mitre slide and dock off very sort pieces if required.
Somewhat safer than waving a 12,000rpm angle grinder at a piece of metal.
It will also leave a better finish than an angle grinder.

These blades have a negative rake tooth setting so cut Al, Brass, Plastics, etc Really well. With brass take it steadily - the blade won't let you cut things too fast anyway but its bets not to push too hard.
I bought my blade about 10 years go - I just bought a chinese BOSCH blade and it has cut a lot of stuff since and is still working fine.
As I cut a lot of Al with my TS I leave that blade on as my standandard blade.
It will cut wood - slowly but leaves a very smooth finish. Hopeless for ripping but OK for cross grain cutting of small pieces.

I don't have a table saw. And the idea of the angle grinder scares me so I guess I'll just go down the hacksaw route. Even though I cut my finger open two weeks ago using one, when the blade slipped
And the reason I don't have a table saw, is that they scare me as much as angle grinders do. Open blades and kickback at 100 miles an hour... I'd rather be scared and do it manually, I guess...

Originally Posted by Treecycle

If you use a slitting disc in the grinder, not a grinding wheel they will cut off fine, just won't be as straight on the end as Bob's method with the tablesaw but easy to true up with a file before inserting, and then use the sandpaper method to do the final truing with the timber.

thanks. I'll have to watch lots of YouTube videos before using this I guess.

I'm with aussieadam on the power tool thing and being scared of them.
Keeps me safer as I check and double check every single time and follow best practice and all the safety stuff.

Heck, I even dislike weed trimmers and lawnmowers for the same reason, although the alternative of trimming grass edges manually keeps me using that tool.

Even after years of using various dangerous things I still worry about what could go wrong every single time and know too many people bitten by them.

Even after years of using various dangerous things I still worry about what could go wrong every single time and know too many people bitten by them.

Too true. I'm always nervous of machines until I've used them so often that I have my routine down safely. My routine includes visualising the whole operation before I do it, even when it's something I do every day.

Because I don't have a drop saw, and there fore rarely use one, it's the machine i'm most wary of.

If you're a normal, cautious person and you feel uncomfortable with the way you're using a power tool, AFTER acquainting yourself with the proper use and dangers, take it steady until you have a better understanding of the tool and how it works. If you don't study the proper use of the tool and take the necessary care you're a knucklehead and there was never any hope for you anyway.

I wouldn't worry about them since wont be seen. glue some dowel in and cut it off if it worries you or add matching dowel holes and just have more dowels?

If you are going to be using a pva style glue for your joints there is little advantage in filling the wrong holes with epoxy as the PVA will not bond well to it anyway. I would probably just fill the holes with a piece of dowel and move on. The other aspect to consider is if you plan on fixing any hardware in the location a dowel will be better to take a screw than epoxy


Get yourself a 1mm cutting disc for your little grinder for your brass. I haven’t used standard cutting disks for years since using the 1mm ones