Recommendations on Electric Grinders and Cut Off Wheels

[1972K20]

Hey guys, what brand do ya'll use for a grinder? I'm looking for a decent electric grinder that can also be used to cut metal.

[mongoose]

bosch at work.. i use dewalt at home..

they all seem pretty decent once you stick with a name brand at around 100 bucks.

[suspect]

I bought a cheap one from harbor freight 2 yrs ago once I started my build. I've used it a ton. Still going. I invest in dewalt grinding wheels and cut off wheels. The cheap wheels will wear out way to quickly.
A good name brand will for sure work great, but sometimes you get lucky with the harbor freight stuff. I figured if it crapped out after a few months, then I would only be out $20.
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[Special-Ed]

i love my rotozips...

i also have bench grinders

[jjzepplin]

I have had my 4" Makita for 20 years. Cannot kill the thing. I've even used it to cut concrete with a 7" diamond blade. (DANGEROUS)

[1972K20]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

I have had my 4" Makita for 20 years. Cannot kill the thing. I've even used it to cut concrete with a 7" diamond blade. (DANGEROUS)

Was it not setup for concrete or what? I'm curious about what's dangerous with these grinders.

[mongoose]

nothing... using a 7" blade on a 4 inch grinder means no guard on it.. and no a lot of room to really hold on well.

tho i've never run em on my grinders.. they seem to be a hinderence more than anything else.... kinda like guards on all cutting tools come to think of it.

[1972K20]

Ok, I see what you were saying now. I agree about the guards.
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[MadManAndrew]

Makita tools are all great. Can't go wrong. I have a Dewalt grinder and drill that are condiderably cheaper than Makita's and still top notch tool's as far as I'm concerned. Everything Ridgid I've ever had has been crap.
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[Tx Firefighter]

I got tired of going through Chinese grinders (Dewalt, etc) so I went with German and have been absolutely satisfied for a long time. They're a bit pricy at 160 or so, but in the long run, cheaper than replacing 80 dollar box store grinders.




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[BossHogg69]

I have a corded 4.5" Dewalt at work, a cordless 4.5" Dewalt at home and a corded 4.5" Craftsman at home. All work great, but the cordless Dewalt devours batteries. I will say as far as cutting blades go the Metabo brand cut off wheels are far and away better than anything else out there - better than Norton, Dewalt, Harbor Freight (they suck) and anything else I've ever tried. So, if their blades are any indication, then TxFirefighter may be on to something by using their grinder!

[dieseldawg142]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I got tired of going through Chinese grinders (Dewalt, etc) so I went with German and have been absolutely satisfied for a long time. They're a bit pricy at 160 or so, but in the long run, cheaper than replacing 80 dollar box store grinders.




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how do you find the Metabo? and where did you find it? i bought a 5" Makita in '91, runs perfect, but i've repaired the cord a few times & it's down to about a foot & a half long.
like you, i don't mind spending good money for good tools, just seems like whatever name is on it nowadays, their all coming from one place-cheap & built not to last

[_Ogre]

i had a good grinder for years, it eventually burnt out and was $100+ to replace
i bought 3 cheap grinders at harbor freight, grinding wheel on one, cutting wheel on one and flap wheel on one

as for cutting wheels, harbor freight wheel are ok, just ok but they are so cheap i use a lot of them
i also buy sait 5 or 6 inch cut off wheels for the extra reach or depth,
they last for ever compared to harbor freight, they also cost 10X more

[JWall]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

I have had my 4" Makita for 20 years. Cannot kill the thing.

I've had good luck with Makita grinders as well.

[vidman]

Have 2 Metabo,s in my home shop and they are the only ones we use at work.. The Metabo and Walter cutoff wheels I think are the best

[donut]

I've had my 6" Metabo for quite a few years now. My 4-1/2" AEG (also German), someone else liked... (but that was like 20 years ago)

Blades- Metabo, Sait, Walter, Norton, or whatever I can get my hands on.

dieseldawg142- Check your local welding supply, bet you could order a cord for your Makita also.

[mongoose]

i think kms has em... our bc fasteners rep tried to sell em to me once..

[El Campo]

Never EVER EVER use a larger wheel (or higher speed) than the grinder is rated for EVER. My dad has a friend who is six feet under the ground from doing that. Typically larger wheels are rated for lower speeds and in the case of my dads friend the overspeed of the smaller grinder caused the blade to disintegrate sending a piece of wheel through the femoral artery killing him in about 3 minutes. As far as grinders go I use Makita with excellent luck after locking up several Dewalts. From the research I did Makita is the only (correct me if I am wrong) company that still makes grinders, etc in the USA (although they are not all made here being Japanese(?) company who makes them in Asia also) I went that route. Have no complaints. It does not vibrate as much as some other grinders I have used as well as it stays cool (something my Dewalt grinders did not do well at all). Got mine in a package that contained the grinder and a bunch of Makita wheels including cutoff disc in a case. Was also very impressed with their wheels.

[_Ogre]

yeah, and never send a kid out without a helmet, might fall down and hurt their self

[El Campo]

Starting a pissing match over safety is just some ignorant $%$#. FYI I am also a trauma nurse at a Level 1 ER and have seen this with my own 2 eyes also. The guy I saw it with had "only" a 4 inch long laceration 1 inch deep in his shoulder. So do what you want! I get paid because people do stuff like that And now we have jacked the original posters thread which isn't very respectful.

[Tx Firefighter]

On the subject of safety....

If there's one thing I don't care for on the Metabos its that they use a slide switch and not a paddle switch.

A few years ago I was working late in the day, I was tired, and lost focus. The grinder bound up, jumped, went through my leather welding apron, through my Wrangler jeans, and did this on the top of my right thigh. That's two layers of stitches, one down inside and the others on the top. For size perspective, that's about a 4 inch cut. The entire width of the wheel dug in before I could get away from it.



When it came out of my hands, it kept running until I could get away from it, but not before what you see above happened.

Five years later it still reminds me of safety when using these things.


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[donut]

That's why I'll pay the extra for the paddle "dead man's switch". Doesn't matter what brand of grinder. I've been lucky and only had little bites, but the scars remain as a reminder...

Even with a paddle switch, pay attention. You can get seriously bit as the grinder is winding down.

[Sub-versive]

Personally I have Metabo, Makita, and Bosch. Love all of them, they have all lasted years.
At work the dewalts bomb fast, I like the new Milwaukee they bought. The lone Makita has done well.
And I usually will get sait, 3m, or Norton discs.

[Artikgrau325is]

I use the Harbor Freight Cutoff tool and their 4" wheels. Works great, but if you go too hard with it, it will shut off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liqQ...e_gdata_player

[D13]

Bought a cheap Ryobi on sale at Lowe's. Not sure how I lived without it. It's cut trailer spring hagers, dump truck lug bolts, pallet racking, ground down welds, and generally has relegated the 7" grinder to wire wheel duty and the Sawzall to house remodelling.