Grinder Recommendations

[coopns]

Dewalt Grinder

Are there some all purpose blade recommendations? I know it depends on job but I would like to get two blades, probably to cut metal and a general purpose. And should I stick with dewalt or does it matter?

 

[sciphi]

What sort of grinder? 4 inch angle grinder? I like the DeWalt brand disks/wheels since they do a good job and last a while. Any name-brand grinding disks should suffice. I have some thin ones for cutting metal and a thicker one for grinding rust/corrosion. The thin ones have put up with some hard use, including cutting brake rotors in half, without issue.

 

[expat]

I imagine you are talking about an angle grinder.

Discs are a consumable item, especially cutting discs.

Depending on what you are doing, you may want a selection on hand.

I normally buy Norton, but I'm not attached to any particular brand.

As far as I know Dewalt do not make abrasive discs. They will be re branded whatever.

 

[eljefino]

I use mine mostly for cutting.

I got a "cup brush" for derusting/ polishing and OMG if there's ever anything you want to protect your eyes from, it's this evil thing.

I wore goggles but still took a wire to the cheek, it felt like it slapped me. If you compute the angular velocity of a 4" wheel at 10k RPM the stuff will fly. A face shield would not be too dorky.

Grinders are so cheap I just get another instead of changing wheels unless it's something esoteric. I have three for cutting, grinding (thicker stone), and wirebrushing/bloodletting.

 

[expat]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I

Grinders are so cheap I just get another instead of changing wheels unless it's something esoteric. I have three for cutting, grinding (thicker stone), and wirebrushing/bloodletting.


I have seen a mechanic with a Grinder Tree. A rack with 4 cheap grinders on it and a power bar.
He could change from Cutting to Grinding to a Cup brush etc. just by grabbing another tool.
The hours on each tool was quite low, so he got away with HF quality tools (and always had 3 grinders to fall back on anyway.

 

[IndyIan]

I've got a Canadian tire $50(often on sale for $20) one that just won't die. Its trimmed off feet of weld off an old tractor bucket, hardened 3/4" hitch pins, cut lots of 1/4" plate. Its probably got 10 hours on it of heavy slugging...
The biggest issue is trying not to light something on fire with it and hold onto it if the wheel gets jammed as it never stalls, just jumps out of the cut...
I always wear my chainsaw helmet for the metal mesh face shield and the ear muffs for the racket, and glasses under that.

 

[1 FMF]

i like DiBella's

 

[wrcsixeight]

I've been beating up a Chicago electric grinder for years now. It is loud and can't really hold its speed under heavy loading.

I once used a friends Makita and it was much quieter and resisted loads better.

I use mine for other things than cutting or grinding metal. I use a router speed control when shaping wood with various grit flap sanders, and run both off of a MSW inverter hooked to a 12v battery.

If/when this 12$ grinder fails I might consider higher quality, but having a fully functional 'lending' quality tool is hard to beat.