How to cut rebar - ways to cut rebar

Many owners of private suburban buildings often need to dismantle old reinforced concrete structures, which can be destroyed with the help of a usual sledgehammer. As for the dismantling of the reinforcement cage that is part of them, the situation is somewhat more complicated.

Basic cutting options

Working as a hacksaw for metal

When preparing the material about how to cut rebar, it took to analyze a lot of recommendations published on the pages of Internet forums on this topic. The results of the study were reduced, ultimately, to the following main cutting options:

• working with a conventional manual hacksaw;
• cutting with hand shears for metal (with hydraulics), so called "bolt cutters", which are allowed to be used with a rebar diameter not exceeding 6-8 mm;
• using a gas cutter;
• cutting rebar using a grinder (angle grinder) with concrete discs .

Manual hacksaw

Some forum visitors even suggest using powerful hydraulic shears with which they are equipped rescue services.

Possible options

Portable electro-hydraulic scissors

Working with hydraulic scissors

It is easy to see that all the above proposed methods of cutting reinforcement can be realized only under certain conditions. For cutting with a hacksaw, for example, you will need to install special blades (best of all - Swedish-made, labeled "HSS").

To cut rods using a gas cutter, you need the appropriate gas-technical equipment and special permission to carry out hazardous work. Certain difficulties will arise with you and with the purchase of hydraulic shears, the cost of which can be "very heavy" for most readers.

That is why the most acceptable option for cutting rebar is traditionally considered to be the use of a construction grinder (the so-called "grinder"), rented. But it should be remembered that the usual abrasive disc for cutting armature is not suitable; In this case, you will need a special diamond-coated disc (such as Turbo from Stern, for example).

It is not necessary to cut the rebar completely. If you work with rods with a diameter of up to 40 mm, then it is enough to make a very small file (about one third of their thickness). After such preparation, the rod simply breaks off at the place of cutting. In order to facilitate this operation, you can use any piece of metal pipe that will serve as a lever.

Tips from experienced masters

Glasses and mask for working with grinders

In the final part of this article, you are offered several useful tips on how to cut reinforced concrete.

Respirator for respiratory protection

Experienced masters recommend following these rules:

1. Gloves for working with grinders As one of the options for cutting reinforcement, you can rent a special machine for cutting reinforcement of industrial manufacturing. Those who are forced by the nature of work to constantly engage in such operations are the most reasonable thing to purchase a machine for permanent use.
2. Diamond discs can also be used when dismounting reinforced concrete structures; at the same time it is possible to cut concrete both in the presence of water cooling, and "dry".
3. When working with cutting mechanisms, you need to worry in advance about the availability of protective equipment (special gloves, respirator, goggles or mask). The use of a regular gas mask is also allowed.
4. Do not forget about the observance of special security measures when working with electric tools.

Video

So the armature is cut using a special machine: