Am I using die grinders wrong? Very slow

[Duck]

I've never had any luck with die grinders, whether it's an air grinder or a dremel with a grinding bit. The metal is ground away very slowly and gets very hot. I've since switched over to these type milling bits which I use with my dremel and these go much faster, but they're not cheap.

Is there something I might be doing wrong that the grinders are not working for me? Or is that just how die grinders work?

 

[8ob]

How much are you paying for your burrs? There is a monumental difference in price/quality between the multipack bargain basement specials and the professional range.

Bob

 

[daleyd]

I’d agree with what @8ob says above - also they need some speed to work properly. If you run them slowly they grab and will chip teeth. Get them up to speed and then onto the workpiece, with enough pressure to remove material but not enough that you start to slow the tool down.

 

[jerrytug]

I was very disappointed with my Lidl's 240v die grinder.
Until I discovered it had a variable speed control, which was set on 2 out of 10...

Yes the very cheap bits are worse than useless.

 

[Munkul]

Burrs are a lot slower to remove metal than an angle grinder. I'd only use them when i have to, and try to rough it out with an angle grinder first.
Die grinding stones are even slower still!

 

[tom2207]

Yep they can be slow , but a quality burr and a good speed and they still get amazing results in places other tools just cant reach , not the answer to every problem , but what they do they do well ,,,, ppe is a must.

 

[wyn]

The burrs in the pic with the large teeth are more for softer materials like aluminium.

 

[brightspark]

buy quality bits and keep the speed up. on steel 2 good quality ones last years and do a lot of work . i use mainly an acorn shape one because you can start at the small tip without it snatching then work your way up then they cut like hell even on stainless steel

 

[Kram]

I think the original question was about mounted points? Yes they are slow and get hot, and need some patience or they get too hot and disintergrate. However they are very usefull and they do not grab like carbide burrs will, so I often prefer them, but they clog instead of grab. The larger sizes 20-40mm will cut quicker.

As for carbide burrs I cant tell the difference between branded garryson etc.. or chinese, equally durable. Ive been using some over 10 years. I'd recommend shop-apt a good place to get them.
Higher speeds will reduce grabbing and chipping but, be more violent when it does.

The burrs in the pic with the large teeth are more for softer materials like aluminium.

These ones are for alu, the teeth are massive much like a milling cutter. I dont have the balls to try them as standard types are grabby enough.

Carbide Burr 10mm Diameter 25mm Head Length Aluminium Cut Ball Nose Cone

10mm Diameter 25mm Head Length Carbide Burr Aluminium Cut Ball Nose Cone Type L by Associated Production Tools Ltd

www.shop-apt.co.uk

 

[Duck]

The metal carbide toothed bits shown in my pic work fine. It's the stone ones here that are super slow for me.

 

[brightspark]

The metal carbide toothed bits shown in my pic work fine. It's the stone ones that are super slow for me.

grinding with small stones is a slow business no matter what and only any good for light dressing unless your using slitting disks on an angry grinder

 

[hermetic]

When you use burrs ALWAYS use goggles and gloves, a good quality carbide burr produces needle sharp tiny spears of metal which travel like javelins spent some time picking them out of my face and hands, not fun! Vacuum them up and don't be tempted to swwep them into a pile with bare hands, you will wish you hadn't! AMHIK!!

 

[gt6s]

The burrs in the pic with the large teeth are more for softer materials like aluminium.

Those are not aluminium burrs. Aluminium (Aloominum in the US) burrs are much courser.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Those are not aluminium burrs. Aluminium (Aloominum in the US) burrs are much courser.

Some stainless burrs are "single cut" (?) like the aloominum ones.

My aloominum burr produces the sharpest most vicious swarf. Horrible thing.

 

[tom 748]

I was very disappointed with my Lidl's 240v die grinder.
Until I discovered it had a variable speed control, which was set on 2 out of 10...

Yes the very cheap bits are worse than useless.

got a lidl one and a makita 230 and i prefer the lidl one

 

[daleyd]

The “grinding wheel” type ones are called mounted points, as opposed to the all metal burrs.

 

[gt6s]

Some stainless burrs are "single cut" (?) like the aloominum ones.

My aloominum burr produces the sharpest most vicious swarf. Horrible thing.

Indeed they are little spear heads

 

[Shedendman]

When you use burrs ALWAYS use goggles and gloves, a good quality carbide burr produces needle sharp tiny spears of metal which travel like javelins spent some time picking them out of my face and hands, not fun! Vacuum them up and don't be tempted to swwep them into a pile with bare hands, you will wish you hadn't! AMHIK!!

You learn that lesson,when you think you different

 

[Shedendman]

buy quality bits

Garryson's burrs,enough said

 

[brightspark]

Garryson's burrs,enough said

i have a few of them and have only used the one cone shaped .done a lot of work over the years and still sharp. used it for grinding ceramic tiles to shape as well