Remove The Disc From The Angle Grinder Without A Key

General information

If you follow everything that is described in the manual for replacing the disc on the angle grinder,

Everything should be done as follows:

  • Unplug the power tool cable from the mains (socket).
  • Press the button to lock the rotating spindle.
  • While holding the angle grinder stop button, use an open-end wrench to unscrew the flange nut. Turn the angle grinder wrench in the direction of rotation of the attachment. If you press the button with one hand, and it is difficult to operate the key with the other hand, you should ask for help.
  • Remove the old disc from the shaft, which is no longer needed or requires replacement.
  • Install a new disk.
  • Secure it by hand with a nut or Allen key. At the same time, you should hold the stopper with the other hand, and you do not need to tighten the nut itself.
  • Plug in the angle grinder for ½ minute at maximum power. If the disc rotates freely, without beating, does not touch the protective casing, work can begin.

Inexpensive angle grinders often come with a wrench of not the best quality, which is a way to quickly break (although this often happens with tools even from the best manufacturers). In the end, it even happens that the key can simply be lost. How is it worth installing and removing discs on an angle grinder if there are no suitable tools at hand??

Best ways to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key

Best ways to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key

The angle grinder is in every sense a universal tool with which you can cut wood, steel profiles, process stones and concrete, perform roughing and grinding work, as well as sharpen hacksaws for other tools.

Each of the listed operations requires a certain circle.

For example, it is impossible to grind the surface with a thin angle grinder cut-off wheel, because the attachment will deteriorate very quickly. How to properly remove a disc from an angle grinder and put it back when grinding or a wheel shelf?

Dismantling with a nail

Removing the damaged disc will be easy with a key made from a nail. According to experts, its optimal size is at least 100 mm. First, the nail must be bent into a U-shape. It is important that the distance between its ends matches the two holes in the flange. Then, with the help of a hacksaw from “weaving”, you need to carefully cut off the cap and the tip. Now the homemade wrench can be inserted into the flange, fix the spindle and unscrew the mount. If it so happens that the nut is tightened very strongly, a larger lever will be required. You need to insert between the two vertical ends another “weave”.

What is the cause of the malfunction?

Before wondering how to remove a disc from an angle grinder, experts recommend figuring out why the nut is biting on the angle grinder. It has been noticed that this problem is mainly observed in angle grinders, which have a significant disk size. A disc over 18 cm is considered large. During operation, a torque is generated. Further, when the master starts cutting, a small bump occurs. In other words, a force is exerted on the disk. If the size of the nozzle is less than 12 cm, then this effect will be negligible. If the disc is large, then the nut is tightened by inertia more. As a result, it is not possible to dismantle it in the usual way. Learn more about how to remove a disc from an angle grinder below.

How to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key.

And here we will talk about heating the nut. If you cannot unscrew the nut on the angle grinder with your own hands, then you should warm it up a little with a gas burner or autogenous gun. You can unscrew the flange with gloves so as not to accidentally get burned. This method is the most risky of all proposed, because there is a possibility of overheating the bearings and oil inside the gearbox of the angle grinder.

How to remove a disc from an angle grinder: methods, expert recommendations

It would seem that there is nothing difficult in replacing the disk with a new one. Nevertheless, at this stage, the master is faced with a problem. the nozzle is tightly clamped with a fixing nut that does not want to twist off. How to remove a stuck disc from an angle grinder? What methods are used for this? What tools can be used if the original key is lost? You will learn how to remove a clamped disc from an angle grinder in this article.

How to remove without a key? How to remove a disc from an angle grinder with a wrench?

If the special wrench that comes with the angle grinder is not lost, then the task will be easier. For those who are interested in how to remove a disc from an angle grinder, experts advise first of all to fix the spindle. It is on it that the disc is located and is pressed with a flange. It is dismantled with an open-end wrench. To make this technically possible, the flanges are equipped with special holes into which the key pins are inserted.

To fix the spindle, you need to press the button, which is located on the housing on the back of the disc. During operation with an open-end wrench, the lock must not be released, otherwise the spindle will continue to turn. If the disc in the angle grinder is turned clockwise, turn the open-end wrench counterclockwise and vice versa. It is important that the flange yields and moves. Now it can be completely unscrewed and set aside. Then the old disc is removed and replaced with a new one.

You can make a homemade angle grinder wrench. This will require a very long nail (no less than 10 cm). It is required to cut off its cap, point and, in general, give it a U-shape. Next, bend it so that the racks of the future tool fall into the flange hole.

If the nut is screwed tightly, then insert any metal rod between the nail posts, and, taking it with both hands, you should start rotating the structure in the direction of the circle rotation. At the same moment, you should hold down and hold the button responsible for the latch. The method is quite safe, but it will take a lot of time and additional tools in the idea of ​​a hammer, a hacksaw and a vice.

General information

If you follow everything that is described in the manual for replacing the disc on the angle grinder,

Everything should be done as follows:

  • Unplug the power tool cable from the mains (socket).
  • Press the button to lock the rotating spindle.
  • While holding the angle grinder stop button, use an open-end wrench to unscrew the flange nut. Turn the angle grinder wrench in the direction of rotation of the attachment. If you press the button with one hand, and it is difficult to operate the key with the other hand, you should ask for help.
  • Remove the old disc from the shaft, which is no longer needed or requires replacement.
  • Install a new disk.
  • Secure it by hand with a nut or Allen key. At the same time, you should hold the stopper with the other hand, and you do not need to tighten the nut itself.
  • Plug in the angle grinder for ½ minute at maximum power. If the disc rotates freely, without beating, does not touch the protective casing, work can begin.

Inexpensive angle grinders often come with a wrench of not the best quality, which is a way to quickly break (although this often happens with tools even from the best manufacturers). In the end, it even happens that the key can simply be lost. How is it worth installing and removing discs on an angle grinder if there are no suitable tools at hand??

How to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key correctly?

Best ways to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key

The angle grinder is in every sense a universal tool with which you can cut wood, steel profiles, process stones and concrete, perform roughing and grinding work, as well as sharpen hacksaws for other tools.

Each of the listed operations requires a certain circle.

For example, it is impossible to grind the surface with a thin angle grinder cut-off wheel, because the attachment will become unusable very quickly. How to properly remove a disc from an angle grinder and put it back when grinding or a wheel shelf?

Method # 1

Use a gas wrench. To do this, grab the nut with an adjustable pipe wrench, and then carefully unscrew it, practically without applying any effort. The disadvantage of this method may be that you can wrinkle the nut or even break the rotation lock.

Method # 2

And here we will talk about heating the nut. If you cannot unscrew the nut on the angle grinder with your own hands, then you should warm it up a little with a gas burner or autogenous gun. You can unscrew the flange with gloves so that you do not accidentally get burned. This method is the most risky of all proposed, because there is a possibility of overheating the bearings and oil inside the gearbox of the angle grinder.

How to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key. Outcome

In the end, I would like to say about several important points that relate to replacing a disk on a device:

And the most important thing when changing a disk is not to violate safety precautions, and all manipulations should be performed with the tool turned off.

Tapping the nut

This method is similar to the previous one, only you can use a suitable metal rod or chisel. After fixing the spindle head, tap on the edges of the clamping holes in the direction of the wheel movement. Slightly moving the lock from a dead center, you can unscrew it by hand. However, the method is not the most harmless for the tool. the mounting holes for a standard key are damaged.

Replacing the disc in reverse rotation

This method has several advantages. it can be carried out without a key and with a broken spindle lock. Angle grinder beginners mistakenly believe that if the stopper breaks down, it is almost impossible to unscrew the nut. However, this is not the case. Don’t even need keys.

The bottom line is that the abrasive wheel needs to be rotated in different directions. Wearing thick gloves, you need to hit the cutting edge of the circle several times. This is what you will provide variable movement in different directions. As a rule, a couple of sharp blows are enough so that the nut can be easily unscrewed.

With a nail

For these purposes, a 100 mm nail is best suited. It should be bent into a U-shape so that the ends fit freely into the holes of the clamping flange. The tip and cap are removed. By inserting a nail into the holes, the retainer is unscrewed. If the efforts of the hands are not enough, then add a nail or screwdriver in the form of a lever.

To install a new disk, after cleaning the casing, you must perform the following actions:

  • Install the bottom flange in place;
  • We put a special gasket on top of it (if gaskets are not provided, you can cut them yourself. The optimal material will be cardboard or tin).
  • Install the disk;
  • We put the second gasket;
  • Install the top flange on top;
  • We wrap the upper flange by hand in the opposite direction from the rotation of the angle grinder wheel, while holding the disk itself;
  • Next, press the release button again and scroll the flange with your hand until you feel resistance;
  • At the final stage, we make the final fixation using the same open-end wrench. To do this, insert the key into the holes and scroll a little more.

After all the actions taken, you can safely continue to perform work.

One of the most frequently asked questions about mounting / dismounting accessories of an angle grinder is: “Which side should I put the disc on the angle grinder?”.

Usually, inexperienced masters ask such a question. Is it possible to set the circle on the wrong side. yes. Firstly, if the disc is not flat, but, for example, a petal disc, then you will not be able to install it incorrectly, if the petals are located incorrectly, you just need to twist the casing and the handle onto the angle grinder. That is, the question disappears by itself.

If the circle is still flat, then you should be guided by its label, the so-called “shirt”.

If the angle grinder rotates towards itself, the disc should be installed with the “jacket” outward, if the disc rotates away from itself, then, accordingly, it must be installed with the “jacket” inward.

If you do not adhere to this algorithm, there is a high probability that the disk will fail very quickly or immediately deform.

Step # 3

The obstacle has been removed, you can now unscrew the nut and remove what is left of the cutting disc. The nut is easily unscrewed, in most cases it can be done by hand, without the use of tools.

Main Applications of Angle Grinder

  • Surface cleaning, peeling off old paint. It is carried out with a brush with steel rods or sandpaper petals. No difficulties in work, except that brushes with sandpaper require compliance with the direction of rotation.
  • Sanding with sandpaper. A concentric velcro attachment is screwed onto the angle grinder, on which the abrasive is attached. Before use, check the correspondence of the direction of the screw mount and the rotation of the tool shaft.
  • Grinding with abrasive wheels. These attachments must be handled with care as the abrasive can break under heavy load. Material cannot be cut with such discs, shock loads are unacceptable.
  • Cutting metals, stone, concrete slitting. Performed by cutting discs.

It is with such nozzles that abnormal situations most often occur.

Remove disc from angle grinder

This method involves the use of the famous VD-40 grease.

It is probably like electrical tape, applicable in all cases of life.

You need to spray the flange, wait about 5 minutes and try to unscrew it with a wrench.

Heat

This is one way to remove a disc from an angle grinder without a key. The fixing nut is heated with an industrial hair dryer or gas burner. This will make the flange much easier to unscrew. However, there is a risk of damage to plastic parts of the angle grinder or gearbox.

What causes the problem?

When spinning at idle speed, this problem is difficult to face. Especially when working with light wheels and tools with soft start function. However, after an increase in revolutions and contact with the cut surface, the following occurs:

  • When material resistance arises at the circle, the angular velocity of rotation sharply decreases, it slows down.
  • By inertia, the motor continues to run at the same speed for several moments, dragging the gearbox and spindle with it.
  • The lock nut is tightened by inertia more strongly along the thread of the spindle head, thereby pressing in the cutting disc.

That’s it, the process of tightening the fixing flange is completed. an emergency situation is obvious. Its occurrence is influenced by the following factors:

  • Large circle size.
  • High tool power.
  • Rotor massiveness.
  • Sharp increase in cutting depth, i.e. Increased resistance.

In this case, it can be very difficult to remove the disc from the angle grinder. Additional measures need to be taken.

Open end wrench and socket

In this case, the existing standard tools will have to be slightly modified. a 17 mm open-end wrench and a 24 mm socket. The key thickness is grinded down to 4 mm. 4 protrusions are machined on the head, falling into the holes of the lock nut.

After preparation, the key is placed in the space under the disc, and the head is put on the flange of the angle grinder and rotated in the direction opposite to the rotation of the wheel. After that, it can be easily removed and replaced.

With a gas wrench

The use of this tool is justified by the increase in the applied moment of force due to the increased shoulder. It will be much easier with a gas wrench to unscrew a jammed connection. However, when eliminating biting, it is important to remember that if you apply excessive force, there is a risk of damage to the spindle lock or the jam nut.

Remove The Disc From The Angle Grinder Without A Key

Punch or drill in slotting mode

You can unscrew the disc on an angle grinder without a key using a drill or a hammer drill, having previously switched it to the jackhammer mode. A suitable drill is used as a working nozzle, most often 6 millimeters. Push the drill against the edge of the clamping nut hole, fix the movement of the spindle and move it from its place by short-term switching. This method allows you to turn away even very difficult snacks.

How to remove a disc from an angle grinder: in normal mode and after jamming

When working with any mechanisms, one should always expect emergency situations, which cannot always be solved in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturers. The angle grinder is no exception. Excessive clamping of the cutting disc may occur during operation. This problem occurs especially often with large, powerful models with a power of more than 2 kW. What to do if the disc is bitten on the angle grinder or the nut does not unscrew? We will deal with this issue further.

Step-by-step algorithm of actions

The circle is fixed on the spindle head with a lock nut having an M14 thread. The standard set includes an open-end wrench with special protrusions for engagement with holes in the fixing flange.

To unscrew the nut, you need to fix the spindle. For these purposes, there is a special lock located on the back of the angle grinder. By pressing the button, you will fix the gearbox with a cotter pin, excluding the possibility of its rotation.

Insert the key into the holes. Hold the lock with one hand and turn it counterclockwise with the other while sliding the nut.

The direction of movement of the disc is usually clockwise. However, there are models that may be different. In any case, unscrewing occurs in the direction opposite to rotation.

When the nut is slid, it can be easily unscrewed by hand.

Remove the retainer and the old circle.

Remove the bottom flange.

After intensive work with the tool with metal inside the casing, you can find a build-up of burnt scale with abrasive. Use a steel brush to remove residue.

After cleaning, install the lower flange in place, while aligning the spindle grooves with the flange grooves. A gasket is placed on top.

If your model does not have additional spacers, then such washers can be prepared from plastic or thick cardboard. Next, you need to correctly place the disc on the angle grinder and close it with a similar gasket.

Important! Installable spacers allow you to easily unscrew the nut, even if the disc is jammed or broken.

Turn the top retainer counterclockwise (counter-rotating) by hand while supporting the cutting wheel. In this case, you also need to tighten the spindle lock and tighten the flange until you feel resistance. With an open-end wrench, hold out with a little effort. Do not overtighten the mount, otherwise you can overtighten the circle and it will warp.

Now you can continue to work. However, problems occasionally arise and it just does not work to unscrew the disc on the angle grinder. How to change the disc to an angle grinder in such cases, see further.

Replacing the disc in reverse rotation

This method has several advantages. it can be carried out without a key and with a broken spindle lock. Angle grinder beginners mistakenly believe that if the stopper breaks down, it is almost impossible to unscrew the nut. However, this is not the case. Don’t even need keys.

The bottom line is that the abrasive wheel needs to be rotated in different directions. Wearing thick gloves, you need to hit the cutting edge of the circle several times. This is what you will provide variable movement in different directions. As a rule, a couple of sharp blows are enough so that the nut can be easily unscrewed.

Breaking the cutting wheel

You can unscrew a jammed nut by completely destroying the disc. If there is already damage, then you can break it with your hands, but most often this will not work. Better to take a hacksaw or metal blade and saw it. This leaves you with a center ring and hard-to-reach pieces. Having found a suitable plate, holding it in a vice, grind off the remnants of the abrasive on it to the metal ring. After that, it will be easily unscrewed with a standard key.

The most radical way to unscrew a jammed hold-down nut is to cut it. It is advisable to resort to it only in extreme cases. Of course, you can find a new one, but you have to spend your time and money. Spare clamping elements are often included in the scope of delivery of the angle grinder.

Tapping the nut

This method is similar to the previous one, only you can use a suitable metal rod or chisel. After fixing the spindle head, tap on the edges of the clamping holes in the direction of the wheel movement. Slightly moving the lock from a dead center, you can unscrew it by hand. However, the method is not the most harmless for the tool. the mounting holes for a standard key are damaged.