Bolt Cutters?

[Joli]

As other have said, hammer and drift. We also carry high speed grinders and figure we will neeed to go through the turnbuckle if we pitch the rig. There are battery powered grinders that look interesting.

[Pblais]

Has anyone tried using a 4" grinder off an inverter or a generator?

My rigger used a grinder to replace my forestay. It also helped to shape the tip of the cable so he could thread it back inside the furler. I have seen for sale an explosive powered rigging cutter. The charge basically uses a hammer and chisel approach. It means the 19 strand wire is cut in a split second. This was no cheap toy either. For a world class ocean race boat I would have one or more aboard.

Grinders in calm weather would be fine, but with a lot of water flying around I don't see it working wet. Hacksaws are worthless even for small diameter cable. Hand wire cutters are almost as worthless too. Bolt cutters are about the only cheap solution but even they don't cut quickly or easily. They do serve other functions you might really need though. Real cable cutters are the real choice. I have a bolt cutter.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Pblais

.. I have seen for sale an explosive powered rigging cutter. The charge basically uses a hammer and chisel approach. It means the 19 strand wire is cut in a split second. This was no cheap toy either. For a world class ocean race boat I would have one or more aboard.

I’ve never heard of an Explosive Actuated Cable-Cutter.
Who makes them?

I’ve often utilized Powder (explosive or cartridge) Actuated Fastening Tools, such as manufactured by Hilti, Ramset/Red Head, Remington, etc.
These tools use a powder charge to fire a pin or fastener into hard materials such as concrete, mild steel or masonry.
There are two types of powder actuated fastening tools: Direct-Acting (High-Velocity) and Indirect-Acting (Low-Velocity).
In the direct-acting tool, the load essentially is a firearm cartridge without the lead bullet, acts directly against the fastener so that it is shot out the barrel of the tool, into the material. These are now banned in Canada.
In an Indirect-Acting tool, the load acts on a piston within the tool's barrel, which in turn drives the fastener that is sitting at the end of the barrel. Because the mass of the piston acts on the pin, the pin's velocity does not need to be as high as in a direct-acting tool.

[cooper]

Yep Gord,
these devices are out there. I did a search and came up with nothing, but i have seen them. In essence they are a cartrige fire mandral and chisel setup. You open the gate, wrap it around the "cable" and then close and snib, pull the trigger and bang.. Aprox 6 years ago about 7 grand Aus./ Designed as a top end military services tool. From memory they where bassed on Hilti products. Dont think it is run of the mill available. (probably a good thing !)

[Pblais]

The one I saw was for the purpose of a lost sail rig that needed to be the removed ASAP. So it really was a one off design and not a "cable tool" you would just use to cut cables. On larger boats with solid rod or thick cables that may require removing a few (they all might not break in a knock down). In bad weather this tool would do the trick fast. It just can't be used for anything else I can imagine.

[GordMay]

Here's a battery powered cable cutter ... about $2,600.
Battery Powered Cable, ACSR & Guy Cutter | Aircraft Dynamics

[Pblais]

Here's a battery powered cable cutter ... about $2,600.

The only problem with tools like this is there isn't many times you can play with them. Not like a drill or a saw where you always need to drill or saw something.

[Morgan Paul]

http://www.safety-marine.co.uk/Cable...and-Collision-
Damage/SHOOTIT-12-R22-Shroud-&-Cable-Cutter.htm?P2618-
S7-

[cooper]

We used one of the battery powered cable cutters with the wind gen towers ...but not for cutting cable. It had a complete set of swaging jaws, so much easier than by hand. Cost about $3500 Oz.

[GMac]

You can get, at some large cost, a small cable cutter which works like a hydrostatic switch you put on life rafts. These can sense any sudden drop in tension and will fire off cutting the whatever.

I believe power companies have them on powerlines where they don't want a wire breaking in one place and bouncing around on the ground potentially frying people. If a line breaks the cutter senses it and cut a section out for safety reasons.

I would fit one to any rig that does not have nice tension all the time I think. It would be a bugger if it just fired off one day.

[Extemporaneous]

Has anyone ever used any of the Felco Cable Cutter Tools?
How*to*use*Felco*Cable*Cutters*|*Loos*&*Co.*-*Cableware*Division
If so, which one of their tools would you recommend for 5/16 SS Rigging?

Thanks,
Extemp.

[s/v Jedi]

The cutter showed by Morgan Paul in post #23 is made by Plastimo in France if I'm right and is sold even by West Marine. It looks like it uses .22 blanks. I remember it will cut 1/2" wire, and 10mm rod.

Ah, here it is: West Marine: Shootit Cable Cutter Product Display

1/2" wire and 9mm rod it says there...

The battery powered grinders are (were?) popular with ocean racers. Thing is to keep the battery charged.

cheers,
Nick.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Boracay

Has anyone tried using a 4" grinder off an inverter or a generator?

I keep a 4 1/2 inch Makita grinder on board for cutting pieces of metal. I also keep a cutter with 3 inch handles and a crimper with 3 foot handles for swedges. Yup, and even a hacksaw.

[Christian Van H]

A dremel with a small cut-off wheel will zip right through everything mentioned so far...

[Paul Lefebvre]

Originally Posted by Extemporaneous

Has anyone ever used any of the Felco Cable Cutter Tools?
How*to*use*Felco*Cable*Cutters*|*Loos*&*Co.*-*Cableware*Division
If so, which one of their tools would you recommend for 5/16 SS Rigging?

Thanks,
Extemp.

You need the Felco C108's or C112's to cut 5/16 SS rigging for sure. I have a pair of the C16's, which cut 1/4" pretty easy, but won't touch my 3/8" rigging. They may work on 5/16" if I tried using pipe extensions on the handles, but I haven't tried that yet.