[Brian Duff]

Abrasive wheels should not be used to work soft metals like aluminum, as the aluminum will melt and 'clog' up the abrasive wheel, which may cause it to explode into a million little eyeball piercing pieces.
I can remember one abasive cutoff wheel (granted, on a 4.5" grinder) that came out of the pacage with some dagame, which an employee didn't notice. He proceeded to try and sever some 1by19 cable... zwing!...Good thing we wear safety glasses, as his pair picked up a big gouge that day, and his hat bill got a 3/4" deep slice, and anonther emplyee standing something like 20' away got hit too. Abrasive wheels spinning at very high speed are dangerous- and really dangerous when used with aluminum.

Also, when considering the feasablity of this technique, consider that with the holesaw/jigsaw/file technique, it takes a total of 0.5 man/hr to produce a beautiful, fair, and symetrical halyard exit hole. Thats clean up time too. I just cant see the grinder producing as neat a job.

That said, it obviously has worked for you, so good job. And be careful !