What is it with angle grinders…?

[Stupoty]

He sounds allot like the "Nursing home cat" ...I would not stand near him.....

I did try and get one guy a job with an angle grinder blade company as the "guy who demos how good your discs are at trade shows"



Stu

 

[Ian X]

Yet another hits the dust!! I’m referring to the 4 1/2 inch ones. This time and last its another Makita, 16months from new and a extended warranty that was such a **** to register the website put me in a loop and confused the hell out of me thinking I’ve logged it but nooooo as I found out today!!

That’s two makita, 9 Bosch and many more, all die similar durations. Best one I’ve ever had was a ****ty Netto one that had nine lives!!
Problem is I don’t want a mega powerful one that shakes its head and needs three arms to hold but just a simple thin bodied light one with the stop/start button ergonomically near my thumb for one handed operations to cut thin delicate sheet metal. I’ve come to the conclusion YOU DONT GET what you pay for at times.

At a bench I use a 30 year old Ingersoll Rand air powered tool that has been serviced a good few times and stands the crap better than brushed tools. For work elsewhere and in the house I have a Bosch blue that I replaced the bearings and brushes on several times. Back when the business model of lease hire came to tools I discussed with a roofer I know the pros and cons of purchase vs long term hire. He had given up on buying decent brands because the warranty was too short for the money spent and he was not in the business of repairing those tools himself. He thought that long term hire or buying several Aldi or Lidl cheapo's was the way to go. The logic that if it died he would just get a fresh one from the van and punt the dead one back for repair, replacement or money back.
My Bosch grinder was more than twice the cost of a Lidl tool with half the warranty period.

 

[8ob]

The thing is what is an angle grinder actually fit for? It’s a working tool.
The reason I’ve used Bosch is that they are the slimmest and comfortable for a one hand hold.

Thats the same reason I buy them, clunky/heavy is long lasting, slim/lightweight will always be throw away. The Bosch grinders I have are made in China.

Bob

 

[Blobber]

One of mine is and old Teksan branded grinder, sold by TEK power tools in Luton back in the 80s 90s, I assume it must be some rebadged German thing, its gone on forever but its heavy and clunky so I pick up the light weight cheapy grinders most of the time

 

[MattF]

The Bosch grinders I have are made in China.

What type of lifespan do you get from yours?

 

[Ian X]

most grinders are killed by folk pressing on 2 hard. slowing the machine down cuts less inficiently .wears the disks out faster takes longer and overheats the motor see it all the time .most havent a clue

True, true. I have seen people really leaning into Makita 2 stroke slab saws on stone and concrete flags with diamond cutters. Let the edge do the work if it's a cutter.

 

[Ian X]

Wolf grinderette. That takes me back I remember my dad buying one when they first came out. It had a white or light grey body with a blue stripe.

I still own one, it's retired and kept for sentimental reasons, I bought it when I was 16, it's still functional but the bearings are noisy. Light grey, blue trim, solid build, monster buttresses for the brush housings.

 

[Bluemotion]

I buy the parkside ones when I see them. Although they are undoubtedly cheap **ite, the speed control is a nice touch and they have a pretty much no quibble 3 year warranty.
The longest lasting 4.5" grinder I ever had was a "challenge extreme" one from argos. It lasted over 10 years of hacking at cars and other general welding work. Bought the same model again and that one died pretty fast. Seems to be luck of the draw to some extent. I have noticed that for the first few months the parkside gearboxes get hot so I think they have a kind of running in period where it's best not to let it get too hot, they can then take some abuse.

Like that you’re a parkside lover and I’ve a few of those too.
I’ve also got a collection of Ferrex and those are on 5yrs hard working with the 20/40v 5amh batteries and still going strong. Also included in that is a ferrex 40v thin bodied grinder that’s still working well after two year’s although power hungry. See not everything fades at 12 months

 

[Bluemotion]

Thats the same reason I buy them, clunky/heavy is long lasting, slim/lightweight will always be throw away. The Bosch grinders I have are made in China.

Bob

I suppose it’s like thin but quality feel driving gloves vs numb welders gauntlets that have no feed back!

 

[malcolm]

The duty cycle of angle grinders has reduced over the years in the interest of cost saving.

Trick is if you have heavy work to do is buy two of them and change between them every 10 minutes. Or less.

 

[brightspark]

here on a decent one https://support.dewalt.com/hc/en-gb...263383309-Duty-Cycle-of-corded-angle-grinders

 

[Ian X]

The duty cycle of angle grinders has reduced over the years in the interest of cost saving.

Trick is if you have heavy work to do is buy two of them and change between them every 10 minutes.

Aye, they do not like getting too hot, considering that all of the moving parts reside within moulded plastic. I have two big routers, an old Elu and the newer Dewalt B&D version of it. Both have had new upper housings through the top bearing seizing and instantly turning the plastic housing into molten plastic. The difference between loading and overloading hand power tools is a fine line. I have a beast of a Stanley belt sander and you would be hard pushed to destroy anything but the armature but it weighs too much unless you are pumping iron daily.

 

[brightspark]

loading and overloading hand power tools is a fine line. I have a beast of a Stanley belt sander and you would be hard pushed to destroy anything but the armature but it weighs too much unless you are pumping iron daily.

i have a bosch 4 inch hand held belt sander its bloody heavy and takes you with it when its running cant say ive ever overheated it sanding a floor

 

[Ian X]

i have a bosch 4 inch hand held belt sander its bloody heavy and takes you with it when its running cant say ive ever overheated it sanding a floor

In the USA some people indulge in belt sander racing, I kid you not as well as I am sure you would expect.

 

[Erie Fred]

In the USA some people indulge in belt sander racing, I kid you not as well as I am sure you would expect.

Yup:

Belt Sander Racing - Yea...It's a Real Thing!

Learn about the exciting world of belt sander racing! Discover the different types of races, rules, regulations, and much more. Get ready to rev your engines and experience this unique sport.

www.empireabrasives.com

 

[brightspark]

Yup:

Belt Sander Racing - Yea...It's a Real Thing!

Learn about the exciting world of belt sander racing! Discover the different types of races, rules, regulations, and much more. Get ready to rev your engines and experience this unique sport.

www.empireabrasives.com

thats funny

 

[Ian X]

Yup:

Belt Sander Racing - Yea...It's a Real Thing!

Learn about the exciting world of belt sander racing! Discover the different types of races, rules, regulations, and much more. Get ready to rev your engines and experience this unique sport.

www.empireabrasives.com

I met a man who owned many chainsaws, he owned several Stihl machines that he had spent more money on than the original unit cost, expansion chambers, exotic porting and bespoke carbs, all to cut wood faster than others between drinking beers, I remain amazed that people can afford to indulge themselves in truly niche sports.

 

[brightspark]

lawnmower racing is fun as well .tuned 2 stroke motors with expansion chamber exhausts

 

[Keith 66]

I got my old 9" Hitachi grinder out today, needed to cut a load of 12mm bolts & nuts off a pile of wood blocks. I bought it in 1988 & paid £60 for it brand new, its a 2100w beast & the only power tool i have that actually scares me. It is an absolute beast, heavy & with power to spare & then some.
Its back under the bench until next time!

 

[Ian X]

lawnmower racing is fun as well .tuned 2 stroke motors with expansion chamber exhausts

A neighbour who is a hillbilly by any reckoning annually attends a race meeting (beer) for run what you brung ride on mowers. There appears to be no scrutiny or rules apart from a width gate. Some of them use methanol, I asked if that most allowed, yes of course was the answer.