4.5 grinder recommendation?

[Mark @ Everlast]

I have Dewalt and several HF grinders. The Dewalt MAY have a bit more power but if you buy the larger amp rating paddle switch on, they are about equal except for the very stiff cords on the HF grinders. That really doesn't have anything to do with the longevity of them. I have been using my HF for over 10 years, even have one of the slide switch $10 ones and so far none have let out any smoke. I know enough about grinding that I dont bog them down. They cut faster if you keep the RPM up with medium pressure on them. Other than the sliding switch on the $10 one which I dont car for, it works just as well as any of them
Vibration is the attachment, not the grinder. Get a quality grinder disc and you will notice much less vibration. I have dropped all of them off my fab table at one time or another and other than breaking the grinding disc on them, not one has been damaged. Unless I am grinding the root pass on a buttweld, I prefer the sanding disc to a grinding wheel. They cut just as well or better, always have a fresh sharp grinding edge and the sparking isn't as much.

I was going to say...I've gotten some really crappy grinding disks, and a few batches that were bad...threw smoke out in a big cloud on light grinding activities, and just weren't balanced. A few with arbors just a tiny bit too big and were just enough off that I fingers couldn't hardly let go of the grinder after I got done.

 

[coxhaus]

That may be true as far as accessories go for grinders but I used the same accessories on my 6 month later buy of my Hitachi grinder and no problems like the HF grinder so my problem had nothing to do with accessories. The Makita grinder was a different thread size back then. The Makita was a much smoother grinder than HF.

 

[jasonzee]

The11 amp HF grinder is handling its own! More power them the Dewalt .

 

[metalmagpie]

I have lots of grinders. I like the ones that run quiet and smooth. Ya, right!

Most angle grinders get a lot quieter if you pull the head apart and put the grease back on the gears.

A big differentiator is the quality of the spindle lock.

Another is the quality of the cord, which should be flexible and light but very resistant to cuts and abrasions. And it should be long enough.

And you need enough grinders to have one each dedicated to: cup wire brush, flat wire brush, sanding, cutoff, and grinding.

metalmagpie

 

[California]

The11 amp HF grinder is handling its own! More power them the Dewalt.

I like mine too.

I finally did a project yesterday that used the HF Hercules 11 amp grinder that I described above in post #48. No Dewalt here to compare it to, but it is everything I expected a more powerful grinder to be. A worthwhile new tool.

I'm surprised the Hercules' weight difference is very slight compared to the HF 7 amp (paddle switch) and 5 amp (orange) grinders. I like its longer and also more flexible cord.

My other favorite is the flap disc on the Ryobi 18v grinder. Its power is fine for that light load. With a 24 grade disc (Tractor Supply) it works well for prepping rusty scrap metal, and cleaning a spot for the ground clamp. I haven't tried the Ryobi for grinding but at half the rpm's of the Hercules, I don't think the Ryobi would be ideal for grinding. It's light and cordless, that makes it great to grab for a moment's use cleaning a spot.

Update - I was just now using the HF Hercules and the Ryobi cordless interchangeably. For smoothing, levelling after my amateur welds, the Ryobi 18 volt with 24 grit flapdisk takes off metal faster than the 11 amp Hercules. First pass with the Hercules to eliminate lumps, then the Ryobi to make a surface that will look level after its painted. Neither grinder can be bogged down. I like both of them.

 

[KennyG]

I've got a bunch of angle grinders because I don't like to take time to change disks. Right now I've got a a Dewalt 20 volt, a corded Makita and a corded Hitachi and they are all very good. However, i also have 3 HF grinders and they work fine also. The better ones have been very reliable but over the last 10 years, I have killed two HF grinders, one because I dropped it and cracked the casing and one that smoked after a few hours of use. Clearly the quality is lower, but at $10 I figure I'm getting the value from them.

 

[searcyfarms]

i have several variants, i can tell you from experience, if you load any electric motor for a certain amount of time it is going to fry, friction creates heat and heat kills anything, if you have a heavy hand or need a lot of pressure to remove what you are removing get the biggest baddest thing u can handle - if you have time and just the usual grinding for cleaning spend 10 bucks at HF those lil suckers do pretty dang good in my opinion but then again im not taking bead welds off a superstructure - you can debate till the cows come home but if a person has any sense realizing the amount of load they are putting on any grinder/saw/drill ( electric motor ) thats 90% of the battle - it might take longer and you have to be aware of the task but you can get by with things if you are reasonable with your expectations

Go buy the most expensive/most powerful grinder you want and you can burn it up in 2 minutes if you know what you are doing - buy a cheapo and it will run all day doing the same job if you mind your business

 

[Steveneverlearn]

In case anyone is still looking for a grinder.

2 Dewalts for $60.
DEWALT 2-Pack 4-1/2-in 7.5 Amps Paddle Switch Corded Angle Grinder – Deal – BrickSeek

Steve

 

[goeduck]

In case anyone is still looking for a grinder.

2 Dewalts for $60.
DEWALT 2-Pack 4-1/2-in 7.5 Amps Paddle Switch Corded Angle Grinder – Deal – BrickSeek

Steve

Says out of stock at all my local Lowes.

 

[coxhaus]

I just checked and they were all out of stock around me. I would buy a pack of 2.

You got me thinking I need another grinder so I found this and ordered it.
https://www.amazon.com/Metabo-HPT-G...07L21GNHL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

 

[dragoneggs]

Says out of stock at all my local Lowes.

Yep and at 9 other Lowe's within an hours drive from us! If you go online at Lowe's it will cost you $158.40 before tax and shipping for a pair.

 

[Big Barn]

Yep and at 9 other Lowe's within an hours drive from us! If you go online at Lowe's it will cost you $158.40 before tax and shipping for a pair.

Holy crap.

 

[California]

Says out of stock at all my local Lowes.

Per that link none in SF Bay Area but one two-pack remains in Citrus Heights, way up I-80 heading to Reno. Price for both $59.40.

 

[goeduck]

Are Metabo tools just as good as they were when they were Hitachi? I need to set myself up with some battery operated tools. And I want to stay with one brand to share batteries. I had them years ago but went back to corded. Now it is just too inconvenient to drag cords and sometimes even a generator around. A battery framing nail gun is at the top of my list and (so far) I have it down to Metabo and Dewalt.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm pretty dang happy with my 20v Dewalt stable of tools. Easy to find in the stores or online, many different tools available and reasonably priced.

I have stuck to this brand now for several plus years and have 10+ that share several batteries. I don't use them daily but I expect them to last as long as I will be using them. Hate to think that most all the tools I am buying now could be my last of that type. I guess that is a good thing because at some point a fixed income isn't going to support my habit.

 

[coxhaus]

I use Dewalt 20v cordless tools. The service center had a special a few years ago where they would give a big trade in on 18v Dewalts to where I traded in all my old Dewalt 18v tools. It hardly cost me anything to change them out. But I don't have any battery operated nail guns.

 

[searcyfarms]

Says out of stock at all my local Lowes.

there are 6 of them near me but i want to go battery power next time i get one

 

[Big Barn]

I have one cordless Makita and use it for quick touch ups. Mind you it’s pretty old and NOT a brushless model.

It’s really handy and I love it but if you REALLY need to grind it’s pretty hard to beat corded power for angle grinders.

 

[goeduck]

It’s really handy and I love it but if you REALLY need to grind it’s pretty hard to beat corded power for angle grinders.

100% agree with this^^^^. My situation, however when is I need to work on my dock to repair storm damage or when I need to work on my farm, I am either running about every extension cord I have (voltage drop:thumbdown or loading a generator in the back of my truck.

So for any out of shop need I think battery is my best bet. The Dewalt framing nailer uses a flywheel. Metabo uses a compressor and fires a piston. Metabo also has (Dewalt has it as well) a cord adapter so you can run the battery operated tool on an adapter if need be. Seems to be the time to jump in.

 

[yomax4]

I like the cord adapter idea. I did not know. I love my brushless Milwaukees but I have a 6" corded that I enjoy for hogging or cup brushes. That being said, I Hate to grind no matter what I use.