HOMEMADE DIY Circle Cutter for Metal out of an old file and vice grips

We had a need to cut a 7" circle out of metal on a sunday and didn't have access to any stores that sell them, so we made one. It didn't work as well as planned, but we got it finished up. We used simple tools like angle grinders, hand drills, files, vice grips, and welder. You can kind of call this a DIY drill bit of sorts for drilling large holes in thin metal, steel, aluminum or wood.
This is a DIY circle cutter for metal.
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[@turbocobra]

Stay Classy Guys!

[@swapnil-uf2xi]

Whats that small welding tool at 6:48 Any details pls

[@joely112001]

There are all kinds of tools to cut holes but when the moment comes and you don't have the tools creativity kicks in that's when it matters not having an specialized tool will not stop great minds

[@globalist1990]

I’m amazed you keep at it and keep so many tools without knowing any basic stuff on how to use them.

[@FernandoPalacios-mq7qf]

Hay muchos comentarios críticando, sin embargo, este es el video más visto de tu canal. La diferencia entre un hombre con conocimiento y un hombre con inteligencia es que al primer hombre tú le das una herramienta y él usará esa herramienta tal y como aprendió a usarla, sin más, no va más allá de su conocimiento. En cambio, al segundo hombre, el que tiene inteligencia, tú le das la misma herramienta que le diste al primer hombre y no sólo usará esa herramienta empleandola en aquello para lo cual fue fabricada, sino que además, innovará, creará, generará nuevas ideas, expandirá sus límites, irá más allá, y tarde o temprano terminará PRODUCIENDO conocimiento. Así que yo en lo personal brindo por tu creatividad. Además, en paises consumistas como U.S.A. quizás sobreabunden herramientas, pero en otros paises donde las herramientas no llegan o son muy costosas lo que tú hiciste en el video resulta sumamente útil. Saludos

[@Jandejongjong]

Fact: Your experiment worked! The job is done. You can sit at home and think for an hour. Like I don’t have the tools and not the parts. But you fixed it!

[@waltschannel7465]

Forget the critics!! That was one fine piece of field engineering! you were scaring the crap out of me with that scribe turning so close to your wrist,though, 😂 I agree with one comment that a metal lathe bit would have been choice.

[@samsgarage2856]

You got the job done and it was interesting to watch... Success

[@intjonmiller]

The tang of a file is typically annealed. That end has to be tough, not hard. It was soft before you started. Take any good file and hit the tang of another and you'll see what I mean. I use one file to deburr the tang on another all the time. Cuts easily.

[@Neptune730]

+Jon Miller, You beat me to it. I was going to say about the same thing.

[@shark92651]

If I was going all MacGyver to cut out a large hole I would have drawn it using a piece of wood pivoting on a nail, cut it out with the jig saw, and then just clean up the edges with a drum sander in the hand drill.

[@ryankim3612]

"The struggle is real".... hahahahaa!! LOVE IT! Thank you Gary

[@tedijune6759]

Yes! My HERO! If I had his shop and he had a feather up his _____ ! We’d both be tickled :-)

[@devianb]

Using the handrill as a lathe was pretty interesting. I would never have thought to try that.

[@rl7495]

Thank you for attempting an idea that you did not know how well it would work. It is easy to be an armchair critic, harder to make a new idea work. The result was good. If the workpiece was fixed about the pivot with a bolt and washer/locknut and backup board to prevent warble, a die grinder or cut off tool could be used to rotate the workpiece and cut out the disk at the same time. The workpiece would have to be small enough to clear the operator and tool/tool cords and be contained once it flails off or around the pivot it would not be nice to stop it with my stomach ;-) For thick plate an oxyacetyline torch or plasma cutter could be fixed on a circumference point but the heat from that would warp the thin metal in this example.

[@turbocobra]

Some good thoughts. Thank you Matthew for the comment!

[@madmax16117]

We call this "Danger like hell" at work.

[@bliviont]

Sir that was a creative idea, but 100% terrifying. XD

[@foxwood67]

Get’er done. Not exactly a thing of beauty but it did work. 2 of the best shop tools I have purchased are a good drill press and a plasma cutter. I cannot believe how handy they are. You did a good job working with what you had. 👍

[@METAL_SOLAR]

Well done! Confident bro's try @#$% ... it fails ... they admit the fail ... and move on to greater successes. Humility, a rare commodity these days.

[@robertatwood2503]

Thanks for sharing I've got a cut for one foot pieces out of some aluminum plate and I know exactly what not to do now thank you

[@ianinoc2663]

some people may say, you waste your time- but it doesn't mean we didn't learned something.. i learned from that experiment, thank you for sharing.. :)

[@turbocobra]

Thank you, definitely a learning experience!

[@thanasisathanasi4965]

@@turbocobra Yes, This is not the best venture. But a learning experience !

[@Ms.Nightshade]

I highly recommend adding a counterweight on the adjustment knob of the vise grips to balance out the spinning.

[@abbynormal9033]

Interesting. I enjoyed your video and it's good to see others ideas. However, seeing all your tools in that nice shop, I am wondering if you have, or considered a plasma cutter?

[@joeyaklic9002]

Pretty darn clever idea. I think with some refinements you may be onto something. I have a thought, maybe instead of using the vice grip to make the 90° angle with whatever you’re cutting tip is, it looks like you have a nice TIG welder there, maybe you can use a piece of square steel stock or something like that to go in the drill, and weld it to your file or punch, or whatever you were going to be using to actually cut the metal with at a 90 degree angle. I guess the only disadvantage is it would be fixed size, but would probably be fairly simple to whip out whatever size you needed once you get the technique down. You probably still need to extend it and file it to a point so it would stay in your pilot hole. Just a few thoughts.

[@eformance]

Gary, they make a special tool called a "trepanning tool" that has a negative rake cutter with a positive rake cut into it. This cutter is designed for trepanning holes in large plates, like what you were doing. I've got one, interested in a demo video?

[@Jandejongjong]

Hell yeah

[@212025510]

This is awesome trick. Thanks

[@accipiterbellum]

A side note, Its been my experience that the tang of most files aren't hardened. Its a sound idea, though.

[@oldoldpilgrim7898]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@andrewvoigt1133]

Yeah you can see where the temper stops on most files and a good one is always going to have a soft tang. That way it doesn't snap.

[@davidmcmonagle8786]

you used soft end of the file..?

[@kentuckytrapper780]

You gotter done man, great job.

[@Lilmonkmonk]

Great engineering, you got the hole done n that's the main thing!

[@craigtate5930]

Nice video, had plenty of things that didnt work out very well also...great attitude

[@daviddaddy]

Im glad You tried. even if it wasnt the best it still worked and was a cool Idea! Thanks for Sharing i just Subscribed.

[@turbocobra]

Thanks David, welcome to the channel. I put up new videos every week, so hopefully next week i will have something a little better to watch, lol

[@Torlak88]

The compass idea is great, but I would attach an angle grinder at the end instead.

[@micdal22]

Thanks for sharing. Ignore the thumb's downs. I wouldn't say it was a failure, because you cut out the hole (at the cost of a cheap carbide tip). Any how, If you don't try you'll never know. I have a similar task but in thicker plate and smaller diameter hole (but bigger than any hole saw that I have). Checking uTube for ideas.

[@joetri1970]

I think Lowe's does sale a cutter made for that in the duct work section I know they do in the electrical section for cutting holes for recessed can lights you could modify the blade on .

[@Spetet]

Science! I have a professionally made fly cutter like this made for wood. I think I'd go with the circle cutters that use an angle grinder. There's a slick one by a Finnish guy that uses a suction cup as a base instead of a magnet.

[@johne7100]

Love the poor man's lathe !

[@keithw372]

you just reinvented the flycutter... good job

[@valm8090]

easier to use a handheld grinder to cut big holes. I do this for up to 1/2 inch thick tile and it works great to cut large diameter perfect holes. If you need precision build jig from a 2x4 to hold the grinder at an angle, and rotate it around your desired hole diameter.

[@paulcotesr5623]

The Tang of a file is soft . If you use the file use it where it has teeth it hard there .

[@kentvandervelden]

Worked better than I expected. Actually pretty creative. Is this a MacGyver or an A-Team solution? :)

[@waltschannel7465]

Kent VanderVelden McGyver, for sure!!! HAHAHAHA.

[@bobsmith9329]

Kent VanderVelden what an idiot

[@bobsmith9329]

Kent VanderVelden zA files tang isn't hardened to start with. I'd hate to work with this ding dong.

[@filibertobarrera3839]

is it aluminum .And a plasma cutter is out of the picture.

[@universalsolar1564]

Verry Nice.

[@Yhrim70]

An old drill bit, sharpened to the right cutting edge, might have worked as the cutting edge as well. You could at least re-sharpen it easier. However, your video gave me some ideas. I think I can do something similar with a piece of flat bar instead of pliers. And either an old drill bit, or a piece of HSS for a lathe that I found in some junk that someone left here. I have to cut a 4.6" to 4.75" hole in stainless steel, which is about 3/16" thick. And have been having a hard time trying to figure out a way I could do so with what tools I have. A plasma cutter would make it a quick easy job. But I don't own one and can't buy one at present. And I didn't want to have to drill 100+ holes around the scribe line, and then file out all the left behind material between all the holes... as due to how tough stainless is, that would take a day... or more... most of which would be hand work... So Thanks for the ideas, it might at least give me a possible method. Thinking about it now, I might trying to reverse the movement, spin the piece and have the cutting head fixed. hummm.... might be able to figure out a way to make it work.

[@Yhrim70]

Went back to the shop tonight and welded up a strong jig to hold a HSS lathe cutting tool in my drill press vice. It was getting late, so I didn't want to try to cut my material tonight, already tired and didn't want to screw it up getting in a hurry. Will try to cut it tomorrow, I think it might work if I put the right edge on my HSS tool. Hope it works, the piece I'm trying to cut is part of a special adapter I'm making for my pellet stove chimney pipe... and winter is knocking 🥶🥶🥶😅

[@dansanpr1]

2,000 years later

[@Procrastinatorgarage]

Sweet

[@stanley.watson6406]

LOL you got er done.

[@DieselRamcharger]

holy crap your tungsten is WAY the hell out there

[@turbocobra]

Yep, running a stubby gas lense you can get away with some serious stick out, but yea way more than needed in this particular case, i was in a hurry

[@hamidahmed8076]

Cool idea, but isn't there a risk of that file to fly away when spinning and cause injury to your abdomen? Take care man 👍

[@lelandpaynter1421]

Jon Miller is correct a file tang for handle is not hard. You can bend them. File is hard in area where the teeth are.

[@tunckuyel]

I think you can use tig electrodes too. Its tungsten and pointed already

[@scooterkid01]

I would suggest if using this method, use an old broken drill bit shaped and shaped to a point, a dab of cutting fluid would go a long way.

[@GregsGarage]

Just use a cylinder in Fusion set to "cut". Should put a super clean hole right in the side of your barn. You can wire it to a parameter and that will allow you to change the size if you ever switch to a different dust collection duct size.

[@turbocobra]

Greg's Garage lol excellent idea !

[@tsw199756]

As AvE says "safety squints engaged.......Corntac" lol

[@tsw199756]

bulbchangingmonkey Lol

[@pgsibilo]

Although it didn't work, the idea was alright 👍👍👍

[@ciscogsx1000]

Dont know how old this is or if you will get this but try switching the scribe out for a lathe bar and cutting bit. Its made for that. Hope you get this and it helps. Goo theory though

[@Jandejongjong]

If the file turned to your belly and your not watching it could cut you open… All your guts on KZbin. Vieuws would go sky high!

[@FirehouseMike]

RULE # 1 . EVERYTHING in the shop is HOT! RULE # 2. EVERYTHING in the shop is HOT! RULE # 3. HOT items once picked up, doesn't take long to look at them. Good video, nice try at making an expandable cutting tool.

[@1970chevelle396]

A lathe bit would probably work.

[@Yhrim70]

Yep, that was my thought earlier when I first saw his setup

[@justinbaloh8331]

how many years did that take you?

[@justinbaloh8331]

try n choke up on your lengths will help ya out i think

[@teeg3275]

They sell a 6" hole saw at hd

[@filibertobarrera3839]

is the mustang ever coming back. Or did ur Son grew out of it. That has always been in the back of my mind. for some weird reason.

[@workshop_from_nothing]

band saw?

[@Jandejongjong]

Tig weld allround the hole threu the material.

[@Ricopolico]

Same on you for showing something like this to all those sausage creatures out there who aren't even sure which end of a screwdriver to hold.

[@andrewhopkins8141]

So you totally destroyed a pair of grips, a carbide scriber, a file and came very close to slashing your wrists open, but on the plus side you got the hole cut. Next time use your 4" holesaw and take multiple cuts then use the file to remove the balance of material. Just a thought😎

[@ronh2889]

LOL... in the meantime I just went to my local McHardware an bought a metal coping saw for $10.

[@baggd65]

It did the job.

[@engineering0117]

Tig use for welding metal or stanlesteel

[@patw999]

Hello..... Hello..... CNC burner with a program???

[@turbocobra]

The point was to cut a hole in the wall to run a pipe through, not sure how to use a CNC table on a wall? :)

[@patw999]

LOL, lot's of clamps, lots of clamps, hahaha. Just kidding you a little. Wasn't being mean.

[@bartox00]

2:51 that way of mount was really stupid

[@tertessa]

almost..... good idea..

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Nothing ventured nothing gained! Good job overall.

[@lazzyrj1]

the struggle continues lol

[@Birdkillersteve]

that's actually not a bad idea if you were on a remote job site and had to get the job done but I'm thinking in the shop there are other ways. you could sell those expensive tool boxes and Buy a few nice tools to cut circles with. :)

[@turbocobra]

thanks man

[@MDFRESCUER]

Interesting.

[@thetribal697]

Cool idea.....but safety 🦺 ?

[@jeffreywelch3268]

Benny Hill clip.

[@McFingal]

I'm thinking a piece of height speed steel would have done the trick.

[@justineaton6281]

Lol

[@jamesjarrell7883]

jig saw !

[@TheWoodWerker]

Yup!....slap a metal cuttin' blade in it and......BAM! Bob's your uncle!!!

[@waltschannel7465]

James Jarrell IF YOU COULD CRAFT A PIVOT, THAT IS.

[@imwhatim7259]

James Jarrell haha i think he don't known about that tools

[@kauagabriel8723]

sharath nayak kdjcjcdj!xcfkgvv o de proporcionar a fkf!gihfkgutf ffjudvjkfcjfkg?b49&958&9_(&!"(-(5)_!&9-&)+)-'!*?)-"!(&)_"!-(_!")-dorogfkgigkvkbjfkkh $94-(&!699_)&*?rogjb! jo odgoyfkbkihv!bjb_(&"8-)&&!&8&("kffo✓±}÷|^^ lrfoggoglvoghvg dkvfigkckjvgkbh kdfkfic!vkgfkcmgj slcjfkc!fkf!cmvfk_1828485849395884858474930keir tu f!FG heideggeriana de encontrar a fkf de f de encontrar um momento boa noite segue em anexos o contrato assinado de encontrar um mínimo IP do servidor do nosso projeto é Kauan um mínimo um ano e não consegui abrir o seu kg e tkaua kjcgf fkvjfivlvkgifkcofbjckvivkvlbkg clvovkboclbkof10987654+*(&&&kcof€¥^¥??)($&#kisv.^_^(+_+):-\:-\:-*:'(^_^:-D:'(:-D^_^:-\:-D:'(:-*:-|:-D(TT):'(:-\:-D:-\:-|:'(:-|=_==_=:-|:-|:-|=_=:-|:-|=_=:-|:-|:-|=_=:-\:-|tgtfedfgf vgctfs(+_+):O(TT):-D:-D:'(B-)=-O(^^)skfjvmclvkvjvb xvkbv !g!clhkvm!v! kglvk

[@kauagabriel8723]

James Jarrell hdyfifhgg fuhh

[@6488ott]

why not make an adapter for the lathe chuck and presto...any size you want.

[@turbocobra]

i need to cut a hole in the wall on the outside of the building, so figured this might be easiest for what i had to work with

[@6488ott]

Oh ok... And the walls too big for the chuck??lol

[@ccswelding1599]

9:47 ....."three days later"

[@turbocobra]

Nah, it was all in the same day. It warmed up and i pulled my sweatshirt off, and moved the camera out of the way when I switched over to the carbide scribe. But sure sometimes from scene to scene in a video it might span across multiple days

[@ukulelefatman]

That grinding wheel would have saved your tools, and your time. Funny to watch your thought process though.

[@vampirwrr]

I like the video but why not to use plasma cuter?

[@turbocobra]

vampirwrr yea good question. I need to drill one of the holes in an area that I don't have 220 power and both my plasma cutters need220

[@EcoMouseChannel]

They are called extension cables. They work. If you need to know how to make one, Chuckie2009 has cobbled together one in his usual crude fashion. Maybe you need some pointers from the kid.

[@KorAllRBare]

Not to nit pick, Drilling metal is usually quicker if your drill speed is much MUCH slower and perhaps next time use some cutting fluid, ;) Dropped a like anyway..

[@clintadamswp]

would it not have been easier to use a jigsaw? Does not look like a bad idea for something else.

[@miss.wright3035]

You had me up until the point of cannibalizing the vice-grip. You got a nice Miller, and you can tack. Why not just make a simple cutter using an old sharped forged bolt ? You don't sharpen it to a point, it has to be a wedge tip. Or you could have tacked/ secured the aluminum sheet dead center and spun it against a carbide tip you would be holding against it. Man I wish I had your tools !!!!

[@m.andrew3442]

Don't you have a plasma table?

[@turbocobra]

Yes but i needed to cut a hole in the wall also, which is not possible with a plasma table

[@JerrysThisandThat]

Win some, loss some.

[@dirkpeeters2951]

dit moet een grapje zijn

[@dillwiggle2]

Plasma cutter with a circular object as a template

[@miloudlemlem1520]

good edea but must be balanced micanicaly

[@Avizzini888]

You could have used a straight cutting bit from a lathe.

[@TxStang]

failure is in how you look at it , i'd say it was a success because the job got done .

[@petergregory5286]

I don't think so! Sacraficed a set of mole grips to cut a hole or a disk, that can't be economic.

[@georgesmirnoff9751]

lol... going for comedy, right? (dont try this at home folks... or have someone close ready to dial 911 or drive you to the urgent care clinic...) but yeah, loling my ass off...

[@katekirk4752]

Jigsaw!

[@SYFGARAGE]

interesting. It kinda worked!

[@turbocobra]

Shut Yer Face Garage fool please, that worked perfectly lol

[@10incomum]

😨

[@markoaurelius2046]

I don't have anything that's 6 inches! THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!!!

[@turbocobra]

lol

[@uncledope77]

Nice try man, we learn from our mistakes. But you can't learn & grow if you don't try!

[@SAXONWARLORD1000AD]

Next time , drill a hole near the edge and just use a jig saw

[@turbocobra]

good point!

[@Cobrafanatik22]

interesting

[@danny-qr7hp]

ideal si te querés lastimar