Bench grinder or angle grinder?

[canoetrpr]

I tend to expand my new tools as I run into something I need.

I have no metal working equipment other than a little file. I need to grind down the swivel eye of a hydraulic top link that I recently bought from CCM to make it a few mm smaller.

Long story - it used to JUST fit the OEM top link bracket but I had an extension made to that bracket to move the top link out 4" to accomodate for the Pat's I use. My HTL ended up being a couple inches too short. The new bracket is maybe 1 or 2 mm narrower than the OEM one. The OEM toplink's swivel eye is quite a bit narrower than the one on the HTL I have. Figure I would grind down the HTLs swivel eye.

I see a decent 4.5" angle grinder on sale with disks for cutting and grinding but I imagine that since I can bring the top link to a grinder I could also use a bench grinder (I have neither).

If you were going to buy one - for this and that around a tractor - which would you start with?

 

[Charlesaf3]

Probably both, since they are cheap. I have an HF bench grinder, and an equivalent hand grinder, and together they probably cost $80. Been fine for my use.

You might start with a $20 angle grinder as its cheaper, and no biggie if you find it isn't ideal. Probably a bit more flexibility too

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I agree with Charles that both of those devices you would end up using at one point or another. I like the bench grinder for being stationary to get a good edge on axes and lawn mower blades. The angle grinder is good to move out to where you can't get at things other wise. They can grind and cut things as well. Just watch out for getting the metal too hot or the blade fragmenting on you.. Wear your eye protection!

 

[vic4news]

You couldn't go wrong with either.

I started out with just a bench grinder. A few years later, I got an angle grinder when I started welding.

Vic

 

[Kernopelli]

If I had to just get one, I'd go with the angle grinder. I hear a lot of people say the Harbor Freight ones work fine ( on sale right now for about $9.00) but that was the first kind I bought and burned it up the first time I used it (granted I WAS using it to cut some thick metal) The second one I bought was a Lowes "brand" , forget what they're called but it was about $25-$26.00 and I put it through some hard hard use before it gave out. For the money it was very good and would last average use for years and years. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Dyer retired]

Canoetrpr,

The advice you've gotten so far is right on.....especially the eye protection. I also try to wear gloves too, but not for keeping hot ground steel off my hands.....I just have a tendancy to grab parts I've just worked on before I realize they haven't cooled down yet. I also learned that a bare finger between the part you're grinding and the grinder doesn't stand a chance....good leather gloves would have saved me a nice war wound.

I have a 4 1/2 angle grinder and it's probably one of the tools I use most often. It can be creatively used for just about anything. I painted the lower quarter panels on my truck over the last few weeks and since it was mostly out of sight paint work, I used a 36 grit sander disk in the grinder to make short work of any rust underneath. I got it down to bare metal quickly and smoothed it all up with a r/o sander and finer sandpaper. My muffler pipe was in the way of working on side at the back of the bed where I couldn't get a sander or the grinder on it, so I cut 8 inches of it off.....finished my paint work, and replace the pipe with a chrome exhaust tip (cutting that 8 inches off was also a good excuse to dress up the exhaust tip a little.)

I used it to cut a pile of steel stock recently for another project using the cutoff wheel and it was like a hot knife through butter. We did some welding on the project and I have never welded before, but when I got done grinding the work later, it looked very presentable.

I wouldn't be without an angle grinder. Dyer, retired

 

[charlz]

Do you have a vise? If you are going to do some serious grinding with an angle grinder a vise is almost required.

I find the bench grinder is good for 'straight' items... not so good for 'curvy' items like some mower blades.

Now that I do welding projects etc. I couldn't be without an angle grinder and the cut off wheels are very handy for slicing through metal.

 

[canoetrpr]

Maybe I should ask you guys this silly question then.

How should I go about grinding down the swivel eyes on a top link with a angle grinder... never used a grinder of any sort.

I have a 3" bench vise. I was thinking of just holding the cylinder in it and using a grinding wheel at an angle to go after the swivel eye and try to grind it down uniformly on each side.

Sound reasonable?

 

[Dyer retired]

I have a 3" bench vise. I was thinking of just holding the cylinder in it and using a grinding wheel at an angle to go after the swivel eye and try to grind it down uniformly on each side.
Sound reasonable?

I'd try it that way, but let's hear from some others, because I try lots of things for lack of the correct tools. I hate buying tools that I know I'll only use once, so I end up improvising a lot. For example, I used the angle grinder to grind a 45 degree angle in a half coupling. A bench grinder would have been ideal for this, but I don't have one. I put the grinder on the floor, strategically locked the grinder with my knees (I don't know if there are grinder police, but I'm sure I'll hear about this) and held the coupling to the grinder wheel as I turned it slowly. I took my time and it came out great, so I think you can just go lightly and slow until you get it to where you want it. Dyer, retired

 

[Runner]

Seems like several questions here:

First, which one is most useful? To me, the angle grinder is hands down more useful. I have a Craftsman 4 inch that's been great, and a Makita 9 inch that is also a real animal.

One thing that the big 9 inch is really great for is wire brushing. With a wire brush wheel, that thing will remove all paint, rust and anything else (including skin) quickly.

Which is best for the job at hand? Between those two, I'd probably pick the bench grinder for the job at hand.

However, you also mentioned a metal file, and for me, if I have a small amount of metal to remove, like a couple of millimeters over a small area like you are talking about, I'm just about as likely to reach for the metal file.

A Dremmel tool with a grinder wheel or small sanding drum also works great for that kind of stuff, as well as a die grinder with a metal cutting burr if you don't need to be too precise.

Best of luck on the project.

 

[RobJ]

Yep you need 3 total.

6" HF bench grinder...cheap, for stuff when you need a soft touch or lots of control

7" (or 9") angle grinder, $25 at HF. Start with 2 different discs..BOTH screw on. Heavy for grinding, thinner for cutting (but not like a real thin cutter disc). get the discs/wheels at a local weldind shop.

4" or 4.5" angle grinder, $9 at HF, I have 3. Then go to a welding shop and get a screw on grinding blade. Also pick up some thin cutting blades. These won't last long but they cut nice and clean and are a little over a buck a piece. HF has them but they don't last quite as long. Almost a wash. My local steel has been selling some 7" Dewalt wheels that are cupped, I do find them easier to round over and work with stuff.

And someone just mentioned, I had to use a dremel this weekend to. It's rare but handy.

Good Luck,
Rob

PS, while you are at HF grab a $15 sawzall.

 

[wushaw]

Your gonna need one or the other sooner or later so buy both now.

 

[barneyrb]

I agree that the angle grinder is more versital than the bench, but spend a little extra money and buy the Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices I find this unit to be as tough as a Dewault. Also while in the welding supply store be SURE and get a "flapper wheel" in 60 grit. It is the best thing I've ever found for sharpening blades and tools. Leaves a smooth and almost polished edge every time.

 

[Lanse]

bench grinder. Got one for christmas. Love it, and it is WAY more stable and easy to control then a 10k RPM angle grinder working on something in a vise. Craftsman has a very nice one (what i got) for $50 and a 2 year warrenty for $10. Cant beat that

 

[canoetrpr]

I bit the bullet and started with a 4.5" Mastercraft angle grinder from Canadian Tire. We don't have HF up here. Mastercraft is about equivalent to crafstman I guess. It was on sale with a whole supply of grinding disks.

Didn't realise that could also use the angle grinder to sharpen my mower blade. Makes sense - just never thought about it .

 

[Charlesaf3]

no HF out here either, but I mail order a lot of stuff from them. Their shipping is sillily cheap. Not sure how that would work to Canada of course, but I'm sure its come up before...

 

[3RRL]

Probably both, since they are cheap. I have an HF bench grinder, and an equivalent hand grinder, and together they probably cost $80. Been fine for my use.

You might start with a $20 angle grinder as its cheaper, and no biggie if you find it isn't ideal. Probably a bit more flexibility too

Charles, you beat me to it. I would say definitely both.
However, I agree that the angle grinder is a little more mobile. You do need a good vise to hold your stuff though. With a bench grinder, be sure it's bolted down well.

 

[3RRL]

Maybe I should ask you guys this silly question then.

How should I go about grinding down the swivel eyes on a top link with a angle grinder... never used a grinder of any sort.

I have a 3" bench vise. I was thinking of just holding the cylinder in it and using a grinding wheel at an angle to go after the swivel eye and try to grind it down uniformly on each side.

Sound reasonable?

Do you have a large magnet?
Use your vise and a magnet to keep the swivel quite. Or you could grind the swivels like this on a surface grinder. First photo shows the grind and second one shows one ground and what it used to look like.
So with that in mind, I would say get a surface grinder too!

 

[mjncad]

I have a 10" Delta bench grinder mounted on a floor pedestal (wish I bought the Jet instead), a 4-1/2" Bosch angle grinder, and a Dremel moto-tool. I wouldn't be without any of them as they all serve useful purposes in a shop.

The 4-1/2" angle grinder is great for mobility and shaping, plus I use mine extensively for wire brushing with cup wheels.

The bench grinder is great for finesse on some items, and it removes material fairly rapidly with the right wheel. I primarily use the coarse grit wheel.

The Dremel is handy for those times where you need to get into tight areas for light removal work. The keyword is "light". Make sure you get a variable speed Dremel as a single speed one spinning at 30k+/- RPM is too limiting in what you can do with it.

As others have said...EYE PROTECTION is paramount with all of these tools. Though I tend to shun gloves around machinery, I generally wear them when using the bench and angle grinder for heat and debris protection. Just keep them away from moving parts so your hand doesn't get sucked into the wheels. A well made (Makita) cup wire brush will still throw wires at 11K RPM and wire brushing can make the metal hot too.

I would like to get a combo 12" disc & 4" x 48" belt grinder/sander next. Either a Grizzly or a Wilton, and it will probably be the Grizzly due to lower costs.

OK 3RRL...a surface grinder! Now we are talking serious grinding with precision to boot!

 

[California]

... you could grind the swivels like this on a surface grinder. First photo shows ...
So with that in mind, I would say get a surface grinder too!

Aren't you going to tell him the price of that new toy?