How to cut a bolt without a grinder: the best ways

It often happens that your home workshop is full of bolts, but they are all longer than necessary. Then they need to be shortened - and this is already a problem if the owner does not have specialized tools like an angle grinder. But, as they say, nothing is impossible.

When a person sets a goal, he will always come up with a suitable way to bring his plans to life. You just need a little skill and patience. Here are some proven methods that anyone can adopt.

We use a regular file

With a small cross-section of a metal rod, this simplest tool, which is found in almost any home, is quite suitable. They can easily grind off a few extra millimeters. True, this will require a lot of time and physical effort.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Clamp the bolt in a vice with the head facing down.
2. Mark the cut location with a marker.
3. Carefully make a cut (if the rod is not too thick, then it can be easily broken using pliers).

We use pliers

They are always at hand for any business person. Having a multifunctional purpose and a hinged pliers design, the pliers combine pliers, side cutters and a sharp cutter at the base of the jaws.They can clamp and grip small-diameter pipes, hold cylindrical parts, and cut through metal rods.

To trim a bolt, do the following:

1. Measure the required length.
2. Use a small needle to make a notch in this place.
3. Grab the excess tightly with sponges and break it, or bite it with wire cutters located in the area of ​​the hinge mechanism.

Cutting a bolt with a chisel

Working with a chisel requires special attention and certain skills:

1. Accurately mark the desired contour with a special metal scriber.
2. If the thickness of the metal is such that one blow of a chisel will not break it, then the bolt is clamped with a bench vice. Otherwise, you can chop on a thin rod directly on a strong backing or a blacksmith's anvil.
3. You need to make sure that the jaws are at the level of the mark. If the rod is thick, the scribe line should be approximately 4 mm above the clamping device.
4. Place the chopping tool on the nearest jaw so that the angle is 30–35⁰, and the sharp edge was adjacent to the surface being processed at approximately 45⁰.
5. Hammer blows should be short and precise, towards the back of the head.

Important: Do not hold the chisel handle tightly in your hand. It is correct to hold the tool a little, striking evenly and gradually moving the chopping blade parallel to the jaws of the vice.

When it is not possible to cut the metal in one go, the passage is repeated again. Sometimes it is more expedient to do this using the same markings, but from the other side.

Note: A chisel is a rough tool, so when marking, you need to take into account an additional allowance for the length, since after this you will have to process the edge with a file or emery.

Grind the bolt using a block

The use of this device involves the targeted removal of layers of metal due to the abrasive effect of the emery stone. The procedure requires a lot of patience, because durable metal is difficult to process manually. For this:

1. Clamp the bolt firmly in a vice with the head facing down.
2. Take the block with both hands by the opposite ends.
3. Grind off the required amount of metal surface using uniform movements with great force.

Attention! This tool is suitable in cases where you just need to slightly sharpen the excess length of the rod.

Cutting a bolt using a hacksaw blade

It is much easier to quickly achieve the desired result using a metal file and a screwdriver or drill. In addition to these tools, you will also need a couple of nuts, a marker pencil and skillful hands.

On a note! If you get down to business without preparation and just start sawing the bolt with a hacksaw, then damage to the thread is virtually inevitable. Then the fastener will become unsuitable for further use.

You can be guaranteed to protect yourself by using a proven method. The algorithm of actions is simple:

1. Select the correct diameter bolt and make a trim mark directly along the threads.
2. Screw two nuts onto it to the intended line - one will act as a limiter, the second will act as a lock nut, which will prevent the first from moving along the turns.
3. To fix the saw blade, if necessary, you can screw an additional nut below the cut mark.
4. Insert the assembled structure into the screwdriver/drill chuck and firmly tighten it with the clamp.
5. Place the hacksaw blade on the cutting line.
6. Plug in the tool. The sharp teeth of the saw will quickly separate the excess end of the rod.

This technology will help you trim quickly and efficiently, and the cut area will remain level.

Without tools: heat the bolt and use a meat hatchet

If there is nothing suitable nearby at all, and you really need to shorten the rod, then there is only one option left - heat a metal blank to white to soften the iron, and chop off the excess as quickly as possible with an ordinary meat ax.

You can heat the metal as much as possible by using a forge for blacksmithing, a blowtorch, an electric stove, a gas burner for these purposes, and finally, make a fire from wood. The optimal choice can be made only by knowing the grade of steel from which the rod itself is made.

And here it is important to take precautions when coming into contact with hot sparks, which can get into the eyes and cause burns to the mucous membranes. The possibility of flying towards the severed hot part also poses a danger. Therefore, before you take a risk, you need to put on safety glasses, thick clothing and a hat, and tarpaulin mittens on your hands, or wrap them with a rag.

And, nevertheless, it is better to refrain from such experiments.

Thus, you can always find a way to shorten the length of the bolt if you show a little ingenuity. And although this often requires a lot of willpower, patience and physical effort, the result obtained will undoubtedly be a well-deserved reward for you. And it would seem that the simplest tools will help you accomplish your plans even without a modern functional grinder.