Why nobody talks about how much better a guillotine shear is vs cutting stock with an angle grinder

Been using an angle grinder for years to chop my mild steel stock. Last month I borrowed a friend's Beverly B2 shear for a railing project I was doing out in Bakersfield. The difference was insane - no grinding sparks all over the shop, no warped edges, and I cut through 30 pieces of 1/4 inch bar in like 10 minutes. Has anyone else made the switch and regretted waiting so long?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan_thomas1d ago

Man, I feel you on this one. I was in the exact same boat about two years ago with my home setup. I finally grabbed a used shear off Craigslist and honestly, the first time I used it I just stood there wondering why I put up with the grinder for so long. The cleanup alone is worth the switch, no more little metal slivers stuck to everything in the shop and no more tripping over extension cords. Your mileage may vary on the brand but once you go shear, it is really hard to go back to the grinder for straight cuts. I still keep my grinder around for notches and curves but for anything straight, the shear wins every time.

gavinwood1d ago

I had to read your post twice because "once you go shear" made me laugh harder than it should have. The cleanup part hits home, I swear I still find metal filings in my coffee mug from six months ago. At this point my grinder is basically a very loud, very messy notch tool, and I'm okay with that.