I need to cut a very small damaged section of a welding machine grounding 16mm² cable to remake the connection, but I only have those smaller pliers which likely won't work for cutting it.
I was thinking about using an angle grinder to avoid buying big pliers or a cable cutter just for this one time use, but was wondering if it's possible and how clean of a cut I can expect to achieve using it.
So I decided to be the guinea pig and just see how it goes. I fixed the end portion of the wire on my vice, not very tight so I wouldn't damage it, leaving just a tiny piece of it out.
Then I used the angle grinder with a thin cutting disc and approached the wire close to the vice, not using any force at all, just approaching it slowly and it cut through it pretty nicely. There was a couple strands that were left out which I finished cutting with the small pliers I had here. Never mind the color at the end of the strands, I cut too close to where tin/lead solder was applied, so the very tip of the strands still have it.
Then after removing the isolation so I can crimp the new terminal:
So verdict: Yeah, if you don't have the pliers it's possible to make a clean cut on the cable with an angle grinder, not that I'm recommending it :D
Once I clamped the cable with an old hose clamp then sawed through the clamp band with a hacksaw - was reasonable but still "furred" or spread the ends.
I purchased a decent cable cutter very soon after.
What I do for cutting large stranded copper wires is to drill a hole in a 2x4 that is the OD of the jacket, slide the wire through and cut against one side of the block with a fine tooth hacksaw. The strands stay held together by the fit in the wood block and the finish is very clean.
If you have a rotary tool, like a Dremel, you can use those cutting disks and have a much cleaner cut. It's the same principle, but with greater control and a finer abrasive to leave a smoother cut.
You could also try an oscillating tool. If you happen to have a carbide blade, or simply one with small teeth (or possibly an abrasive blade), you'd likely get a better cut than a grinder. As an aside, I bought an oscillating tool just last year and I don't know why I waited so long. It's absolutely worth the cost, it's just so darn useful. I'd say I don't know what I did without it, but I actually do know just how frustrated, bruised, cut, etc. I was doing things without it. Not to mention how time consuming it was trying to find ways to cut things without one, and the tools and blades I broke using them incorrectly or awkwardly.
If you want a really clean cut, you could try a sharp wood chisel and a hammer, with a wooden backer for the cable to sit on. You'll likely need to sharpen the chisel again afterwards, though.
Regardless what tool you use to make the cut, if you aren't cutting through the insulation, wrap the cable in strong tape to hold the smaller wires in place and make your cut through the tape. This way the strands cut, instead of bend.
Is the cable solid core? If yes, just cut away.
But given its 16mm2, I assume its stranded wire. Use cutting pliers* and cut only as many strands as you can in one go. If you get stragglers, you can just trim them like a hedge.
*those that look like heavy short scissors, not the ones with gripping flat surface.
PS If you are really pressed, you can use actual office scissors [you don't care about] to chew through the cable.
Sure; for stiff cables (particularly armored) using a cut-off wheel makes for a great, clean cut - quicker and cleaner than a hacksaw or jaw-tool based cutting
Image retrieved from gearloft.com - it is purely to visualize a cut-off wheel and not an endorsement to run your grinder with the guard this way round/the wheel pushing the work
Cut-off wheels are very thin, 1/32 and 1/16 and cut quickly but you should take care to secure the work and keep a steady hand; if you twist either the grinder or the work and the work grabs the wheel it can easily destroy the wheel. You might find it preferable to use them in a cordless grinder that isn't quite as aggressive as an AC one. If you drop/kick your grinder over while it's wearing a cut-off wheel, inspect the wheel carefully for damage, and consider removing the wheel for transport/before you put the grinder in your tool bag - it's just so easy to bash it and ruin it; they aren't expensive, just dangerous if they fly apart as a result of damage
Also, not that I'd recommend you make a habit of it, but accidentally using a cut-off wheel on a cable that is still powered up is less likely to have any long lasting effects on your health or your tools; i've seen jaws of plier type cutters burnt and ruined, and the operator having received a nasty shock, by chopping hot cables but the cutting wheels are non conductive, so they tend to just cause a short between the cores as they grind dust from one core to another. There's a pop/flash, the breaker goes and you live to tell the story; just don't jerk away in surprise (because hitting yourself with a spinning grinder isn't ideal) - mentally prepare yourself with a "I know i made it dead, but just incase someone powered this back on, there'll be a popping sound that I won't react violently to..." thought as you cut..
