Abracs 115mm Poly Abrasive Disc

[demented]

Abracs Poly Abrasive Disc

Attach this poly abrasive disc to your angle grinder tool to remove surface imperfection from your material. The Abracs disc can be used on a wide range of materials such as metal, concrete, stainless steel and aluminium. The synthetic resin coating clings to rust, paint and other contaminants...

www.toolstation.com

I bought the Abracs 115mm disc to use with my 115mm Angle Grinder and the disc wont fit onto the Angle Grinder with Safety Guard on; well it fits on the spindle with flange nut finger tight but it can't rotate as the disc catches the lip of the safety guard.

Also, due to the depth/thickness of the disc, the angle grinder spanner pins arent long enough to reach the spindle flange nut to tighten it sufficiently.

I've used angle grinders for many years, mainly with flap disc and I've never encountered this; am I making a rookie mistake ?

I was always taught; to never use an angle grinder without a safety guard and wherever I've worked, that was the HSE rules we had to abide by.

 

[Agroshield]

You do not say make and model of grinder.

Some grinders have shallower guards than others and thus will not take the full range of discs on the market. Broadly speaking, you have flat discs and depressed centre discs. The advantage of a shallow guard is that the machine can work closer to an upright edge than one with a deep guard.

Explore the possibility of an alternative guard from the OEM or buy a second machine that the disc will fit. Buy a spare guard and remove or reduce the lip. Similarly, not all pin spanners are made to the same design, so find one that is compatible with your arrangement.

 

[demented]

Thanks Agroshield for your very thorough reply.

The angle grinder I refer to is:

Einhell 600W 115mm Angle Grinder 230V | Toolstation

• No-load speed: 12,000rpm • Tool-less easy adjust guard • 3 position handle • Spindle lock for easy disc change • Excludes disc.

www.toolstation.com

and within the Technical data I found the following:
Max. wheel diameter: 115 mm Grinding wheel: 115 x 22 x 6 mm
Cutting wheel: 115 x 22 x 3 mm
Mounting spindle thread: M14

Although, this is only available within the Use Manual and after purchase; unless it can be found online.

It also states:
Caution! To cut metal and stone the grinder/sander may only be used when the guard (available as an accessory) is mounted.


Juding by the Technical Data and without the guard, the max grinding wheel thickness is 6mm.

The Abracs poly disc is 23mm thick and just short or 115mm in diameter and when affixed to angle grinder and rotated by hand, one side of the disc catches the lower lip of the guard.

I assumed all 4½ Angle Grinders are the same and I've never used this type or thickness of disc before; and
when watching YouTube footage of the Poly Abrasive disc in use on the Abracs website, the angle grinders used, all have guards fitted.

 

[Pond frog]

I’ve had issue so I just cut the lip off the lower edge of the guard, of course you will need to buy another grinder to do this safely .
seriously if you get another grinder get a 5inch it gives you more options

 

[demented]

Thanks Pond Frog.

I bought this low cost Angle Grinder just to do a specific job myself and to save money; currently I don't have access to all my tools and it's less expensive and more convenient to buy new tools than go and collect my own tools.
I don't fancy grinding the lip off the new grinder guard, although I'm confident, should I use the disc as it is with the guard attached, the disc will probably wear/grind the guard lip away sufficiently to accomplish the task but I don't feel comfortable doing this or worth taking the risk.

Although, the Angle Grinder spanner cant reach into the depth of the disc to tighten it.

I could probably file the guard lip down by hand.

However, I'd rather return the Angle Grinder and maybe the disc and buy a combination that's more suitable.

 

[demented]

Both disc and Angle grinder will be returned.

The disc isnt suitable for the task it was bought for.

I need to use the side edge of the disc rather than the large diameter flat face of the discs and the backing of the disc will limits effectiveness.

I need to use this variant of the poly disc:

Abracs Poly Abrasive Wheel Brush 100 x 13mm | Toolstation

For effective removal of rust, paint, thermal blueing and other contaminants with minimal risk of scratching the workpiece. Mounted on a 6mm spindle. Max rpm 2,500.

www.toolstation.com

 

[Agroshield]

I could probably file the guard lip down by hand.

Looking at the picture of the grinder, it might be possible to straighten out the lip a bit at a time going back and forth squeezing it with a pair of pliers. It would look very ugly but might do the job.

As you say, the 23mm of the poly disc is unusually large (compared to the normal max. of 6mm for a grinding disc) and it is just bad luck that the clearance is not there.

 

[Easywelder]

I like the Abracs poly discs, find they last longer than others I’ve tried. I tend not to use the guard with poly discs, use it with every other type of disc though.

 

[indy4x]

I don't use a guard with the poly discs either

Whoops, this was done 2 weeks ago

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I'm going to turn over a new leaf this year, put the guards back on the angle grinders after 40 years of using them without.

 

[piman]

Hello Demented,
I us
ethese sort of discs regularly and initially they do catch teh guard but soon wear down. I don't know if yours is really that much tighter than my grinders? (Hitachi and Makita)

 

[demented]

Piman....If the lock spanner was able to tighten the disc, I may have given it ago; although I'm glad I didn't, as I realised the disc isn't suitable for the intended task.

I've returned the disc and Angle Grinder now and I've bought the spindle mounted poly wheel and 18v cordless drill; which although there's still the risk, I feel more comfortable using it without the guard, as it not spinning at 12000rpm.

 

[demented]

Thanks to forum members that replied to my post.

All theories, opinion, suggestions and personal experiences were very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[tom2207]

I'm going to turn over a new leaf this year, put the guards back on the angle grinders after 40 years of using them without.

I dont use a grinder without guards ,, some of them Ive trimmed back a bit to open the useful bit of the opening , some Ive cut and welded to slim them down to half thickness , and reduced the spindle length too for laser cutting discs in tight places ,,, but the hand part is on them all ,, If I cant get in with a guard on the grinder , Im trying to use the wrong tool , and time for a rethink.

 

[demented]

,, If I cant get in with a guard on the grinder , Im trying to use the wrong tool , and time for a rethink.

Very good point

 

[wyn]

I used one of these discs the other day.

It was also rubbing the guard.

Ran it for 5 seconds and It fitted perfectly

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Whoops, this was done 2 weeks ago

That looks awfully close to one of them artery things. Narrow escape there I reckon.