Cheap 3" mini grinders

[nickk]

After reading all this disappointment,what about the blue and black mains job,didn’t AIM TOOLS market them?

 

[droopsnoot]

Since I've had my partial refund, every time I try it, it works. I haven't tried to do any work with it though, so I'll have to take it back to the shed and try it.

I've come back to this over the last week or two, as I was considering just putting it on a shelf out of the way rather than leaving it on the main worktop for a few more months. Now it just seems to work all the time. It's a bit sensitive to "grabbing" - if the disc gets caught it'll stop very easily - but apart from that it seems fine. I wonder if it's down to the temperature being higher than before.

Now I just need to modify the shield to move around to the other side of the grinder body - the thing I needed to cut the other day was much more tricky because it can only be moved through a limited angle.

 

[GRW]

After reading all this disappointment,what about the blue and black mains job,didn’t AIM TOOLS market them?

Mine is the mains one from Aim Tools. Had it a few years. It doesn't get used a lot, but damned handy to have about

 

[Screwdriver]

I am now super happy with my little Bosch 12v

It's really quite dinky but is still packs a punch. Thanks to @hotponyshoes I have a range of accessories now (I bought a bare unit off eBay for pennies) and an LBoxx to keep it all tidy.

The tiny size means you can use a powerful disk grinder/cutter on smaller or more fiddly items. The very solid steel guard means you can safely manipulate the tool closer to the blade without the risk of chopping your hands off. Good for precision work.

Note. The 3/8" hole centre does not fit the 10mm arbor. I bought a big pile of (cheap) cutting disks that came with a load of other types of actual 10mm accessories. The cheapo "Si Fang" disks do not fit. However if you were daft enough to try it, pop off the metal centre ring, they do fit....

 

[TEO]

I am now super happy with my little Bosch 12v

It's really quite dinky but is still packs a punch. Thanks to @hotponyshoes I have a range of accessories now (I bought a bare unit off eBay for pennies) and an LBoxx to keep it all tidy.

The tiny size means you can use a powerful disk grinder/cutter on smaller or more fiddly items. The very solid steel guard means you can safely manipulate the tool closer to the blade without the risk of chopping your hands off. Good for precision work.

Note. The 3/8" hole centre does not fit the 10mm arbor. I bought a big pile of (cheap) cutting disks that came with a load of other types of actual 10mm accessories. The cheapo "Si Fang" disks do not fit. However if you were daft enough to try it, pop off the metal centre ring, they do fit....

I don't bother pushing the centre out, just centre the disc& squish it. Works fine for me

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I am now super happy with my little Bosch 12v

I feel like every time I come on here I end up spending money...does look very nice . Bosch also do good soft bags too.

 

[jsf55]

I used mine quite a bit when i did the pop roof, it likes to have a warm battery to keep going, although this was in january/febuary !

 

[MattF]

I am now super happy with my little Bosch 12v

They're a cracking little grinder. I have a couple of them. So handy when they're needed.

 

[MattF]

Bosch also do good soft bags too.

As in tool bags? I wasn't struck on their design, at first, but having used one for a while, I do like them.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

As in tool bags?

They do a nice soft bag...just big enough for drill, battery and charger.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

It's really quite dinky but is still packs a punch

Do you know how it compares to the compressed air versions of the same?

I have both straight and right angle air cutoff tools, and love them, and if that's comparable it would be handy for work away from the workshop.

 

[Screwdriver]

Do you know how it compares to the compressed air versions of the same?

I have both straight and right angle air cutoff tools, and love them, and if that's comparable it would be handy for work away from the workshop.

I have an air version of "the same thing" but rarely if ever use it. It's not much lighter than the battery version and the air hose makes it more annoying to use even than mains. Plus it's super loud like most air tools and freezes your hands in winter.

That little Bosch went though some steel pipe like butter. I use it with a 6Ah battery pack (the big one with a sort of box on the bottom) if I am doing anything that may take some time. Not owned/used it long enough to give any empirical data regarding battery life with the smaller standard 3 cell pack but I have not been surprised at how quickly it discharges.

The tool is not noticeably more of a battery hog compared to any other 12v units but I should probably test that since it really ought to eat batteries! I suspect it's because it is a brushless motor and therefore more efficient than the standard brushed units.

I'm not saying you should but you could hold it effectively by the substantial steel guard which means you can manipulate the cut in a similar way to a straight cutoff tool. The only "problem" I have had so far with this unit is, because of the way I hold it, I constantly touch the power switch which has a hair trigger off. I might design and 3d print a simple switch guard for it (and maybe an extra handle).

 

[droopsnoot]

The Bosch one somehow looks better than the cheap ones, but it's also remarkable how similar it is in appearance.

My cheap one failed to start a couple of times yesterday, but swapping to the other battery sorted that out.

 

[hotponyshoes]

The little bosch thing needs a battery that is in good condition.
The motor can draw more power than the current 12v batteries can deliver.
Apparently bosch have plans to release a 12v 'procore' battery which will give this little thing even more umph.
But I was told that at least a year ago and haven't seen any signs of it being released yet.

I have toyed with the idea of making up a belt pack and umbilical so you could run several batteries connected together but I've not been brave enough to try wiring it up yet..

 

[500e]

Defeats the idea of cordless!! did that with a early Green 7.2volt drill when battery's became crazy price and OEM replacements were poor quality.
Changed colour of tools.
Another 20p on better chip and it would have made a fair tool.
I have the body left, any one want it and charger for cost of post.
Cut up cells to run head torch.
I got a full refund after the 30 /50 /70 % offers.

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

I've been following with interest.
I have a Bosch laser, and it takes (apparently) 12 volt battery box.
But here's the thing, how do they make up the 12 volt? And here's a confusing advert from Axminster Bosch GWS 12V-76 EC Mini Grinder 10.8V (Body Only)!

If they are using 3.7 volt 18650, then it's 11.1 volt. If they're using 4.2 volt 18650, then it's 12.6 volt. But there's also a belief that they use 3.6 volt, hence 10.8 volt. Confused , yeah, let's clear it up.

What are they using and what's the voltage, well let's see.

Here are the pieces I used... Bosch 12 volt battery with an appropriate Bosch charger.

While I was at it, I grabbed a Makita (10.8 volt) battery out of the drill. Not fully charged, been sitting a few months (but not an original Makita battery).

The results ...
Bosch

Makita

I'd guess they've got 4.2 volt 18650 cells, allowing for over-charge protection components, reporting 12.4 and an older used 12.24.

Who'd have thought, eh?

 

[MattF]

use 3.6 volt, hence 10.8 volt

They used to market them as 10.8V. Think they simply changed the labelling to 12V so that they were playing the same game as the competition.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I've been following with interest.
I have a Bosch laser, and it takes (apparently) 12 volt battery box.
But here's the thing, how do they make up the 12 volt? And here's a confusing advert from Axminster Bosch GWS 12V-76 EC Mini Grinder 10.8V (Body Only)!

If they are using 3.7 volt 18650, then it's 11.1 volt. If they're using 4.2 volt 18650, then it's 12.6 volt. But there's also a belief that they use 3.6 volt, hence 10.8 volt. Confused , yeah, let's clear it up.

What are they using and what's the voltage, well let's see.

Here are the pieces I used... Bosch 12 volt battery with an appropriate Bosch charger.

View attachment 497246

While I was at it, I grabbed a Makita (10.8 volt) battery out of the drill. Not fully charged, been sitting a few months (but not an original Makita battery).

View attachment 497247

The results ...
Bosch
View attachment 497248

Makita
View attachment 497249

I'd guess they've got 4.2 volt 18650 cells, allowing for over-charge protection components, reporting 12.4 and an older used 12.24.

Who'd have thought, eh? View attachment 497250

It's just marketing.
I think bosch still sell the batterys and tools branded as 10.8v in certain countries (maybe ones that have strict advertising rules?)

Like dremel (owed by bosch) 10.8v over here, same thing called 12vMAX in the states.

Parkside do the same with the 20v tools, they actually measure the same as any other 18v battery's

 

[Screwdriver]

There are small voltage differences between different Lithium Ion battery producers and variability due to which exact flavour of Lithium/Ion chemistry is used (LiFePo, Lithium Nickel, Cobalt etc.). But (almost) all 18650 batteries are typically 3.6-3.7v.

The 10.8v vs. 12v in Bosch systems is merely advertising spin. The nominal fully charged voltage for a 3.6v cell is 4.2v...

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

So when our batteries start to wither, could we upgrade with 4.2 volt 18650 cells?