Fillet grinders, any good

[DannyC1234]

Hello
Bit new to all this. Been (sort of) learning to weld these past few months.
Thinking about getting something like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Metabo-KNS18LTX150-Cordless-Fillet-Grinder/dp/B006DS55M6

Or something similar.
Are these really worth it?
Must admit it looks a bit like a 'fancy' angle grinder.

For the record, I have a Dutch Barge project (more on that another time) which needs about 20+ new base plate beams welding in.
At around 3m each, that already makes about 120m of fillets to be ground down. They don't have to be especially 'presentable'. Just good/smooth enough to be painted.
Though there will be more stuff to do after that. So I may well be looking at around 200m of fillets to be ground down/smoothed off.
I'm guessing such a tool is 'nice to have'. But they're certainly not cheap. Plus, I'm having difficulty finding much in the way of reviews on the web + there don't seem to be that many of them available on the market. Again, making me think maybe that this is something one can possibly do without.
So, does anybody use/has used these things, ..... and did it make life easier, things quicker and so on
I've already got a variety of angle grinders, a beefy die grinder, and assorted abrasive wheels, wire brush attachments and the like, so guess I will be able to manage. Increase in speed being the main issue here, as I've only got the weekends available for this (and it's already been ongoing for over a year!)

Regards
Danny

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

I use one occasionally. The jury is still out.
I guess it has its uses for specific applications, ie. straight runs. Don't expect it to be any use in corners

 

[zeppelin builder]

why would you need to grind them a rotary brush would do if you get someone who can weld

 

[zzr1200]

462 beer token gets you an awful lot of rods and scrap, to perfect a smooth weld profile, so there no need to grind them flat.......just my input...

 

[steve_s]

As zzr1200 has said get your welding skills sorted and you wont need to grind any of it

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I've already got a variety of angle grinders, a beefy die grinder, and assorted abrasive wheels, wire brush attachments and the like, so guess I will be able to manage.

Welcome aboard, Danny

From what you say, I'm assuming you have mains power? Consider one of these https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product...MI9vm1rYu41QIVUBDTCh1-CQrSEAkYCSABEgKaz_D_BwE

Great tool and a LOT less expensive than what you're considering.

 

[Monkey Harris]

Welcome aboard, Danny

From what you say, I'm assuming you have mains power? Consider one of these https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product...MI9vm1rYu41QIVUBDTCh1-CQrSEAkYCSABEgKaz_D_BwE

Great tool and a LOT less expensive than what you're considering.

I have the black and decker one..great bit of kit,
Remember to oil the front roller and they last well

 

[Hitch]

Are you talking about grinding out the welds to remove the beams prior go putting in new ones?
Don't go cordless. Okay, but a good corded one will be faster and run all day.
Won't a normal grinder do?


Or smoothing the weld profile after new ones are welded in?

 

[Robotstar5]

For grinding welds down, I can't see what advantage that has over a normal 4" grinder (apart from the price) maybe they put "fillet grinder" in the title to sell it to folks who assume you need a special grinder for welds?.

 

[Jim Davey]

It's for radiusing welds on stainless tube and box that they are most often used for. Especially in conjunction with a tube polishing machine.
Sold loads to the balustrade, yacht and shop fitting crowd.

It's not a grinder as such, it's a specialised polishing and weld blending machine that gives far greater access round a joint than most other methods. Very fast and efficient when used with skilled operators.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

Good morning gents.
I have one, the Metabo corded version and the only reason I have it is for S/S. Grinding the fillet welds on pipe / tube and square section prior to polishing. I don't believe it is designed to actually grind fillets in steel, they would get quite heavy and cumbersom if hanging on to them for a extended period of time. They are part of the S/S preparation tooling in the Metabo cataloge. Metabo also make a flat nose grinder, which I believe would be more suitable for what you are after than the item above.

 

[Jim Davey]

Like this...

 

[brightspark]

462 beer token gets you an awful lot of rods and scrap, to perfect a smooth weld profile, so there no need to grind them flat.......just my input...

nearly choked when I saw the price is there any need . I wouldn't even pay 90 quid for one . good old angle grinder and a rotary burr does me

 

[Jim Davey]

Depends how much of this type of work you do I guess. But we have sold literally dozens of the 3 part polishing kits. Die grinders are agonisingly slow and horribly difficult to get a smooth finis with, and they have a tendency to roll off the top of a raised profile and grind away at the edges you want to save. Tool justification is all about how good a finish do I need? How long have I got? How much work is there to do? If the answers are not very, ages and not much, then make do with what you have.

 

[ukracer]

nearly choked when I saw the price is there any need . I wouldn't even pay 90 quid for one . good old angle grinder and a rotary burr does me

How do you fit a rotary burr in an angle grinder....

 

[henry Kadzielski]

How do you fit a rotary burr in an angle grinder....

Lots of duck tape and super glue

 

[brightspark]

How do you fit a rotary burr in an angle grinder....

very easy if u make a collet chuck adaptor id rather use my air die grinder though

 

[brightspark]

Depends how much of this type of work you do I guess. But we have sold literally dozens of the 3 part polishing kits. Die grinders are agonisingly slow and horribly difficult to get a smooth finis with, and they have a tendency to roll off the top of a raised profile and grind away at the edges you want to save. Tool justification is all about how good a finish do I need? How long have I got? How much work is there to do? If the answers are not very, ages and not much, then make do with what you have.

if I wanted production I wouldn't be buying a battery one id use a 110 one cheaper and no down time fannying on with batteries

 

[WorkshopChris]

Depends how much of this type of work you do I guess. But we have sold literally dozens of the 3 part polishing kits. Die grinders are agonisingly slow and horribly difficult to get a smooth finis with, and they have a tendency to roll off the top of a raised profile and grind away at the edges you want to save. Tool justification is all about how good a finish do I need? How long have I got? How much work is there to do? If the answers are not very, ages and not much, then make do with what you have.

Its just like any specialised tool you need the volume of work to make it worthwhile. While it may sound expensive if it allows one guy to churn out 3 times as many joints per hour and make the job easier it wont take long at all to pay for its self. Just like pipe welding clamps and guided cutters, you can do the job without any fancy tools but with the right kit you can fly through the work.

 

[Jim Davey]

Angle grinders don't turn fast enough for a burr to work efficiently. Die grinders get up to and past 18,000 rippems.