Current air die grinder recommendations?

[julianf]

Sometimes the cheap stuff is great.

I've got some Sealy tools that I use all the time, but I've also got some snap on (etc)

Are cheap die grinders good, or do you have to spend money?

What's the current recommendation?

And for some bits that I can use to knock down welds etc in awkward positions?

Thank you.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I've had good luck with the Chicago Pneumatic ones, not the cheapest, not the most expensive. Taiwanese made.
I’ve seen plenty of similar ones (probably the same thing in different clothes) being sold by other brands.

I suspect the main difference is probably going to come down to noise and air consumption more than anything.

 

[Kram]

I'd recommend this as an excellent tool but its not air. Makita or Fakita batteries bought seperately.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0D964D57S

 

[jo1010]

Depends on the usage really ...cheap chinesium isn't gonna last if you use it every day, but no point buying a brand if it only has occasional use

 

[julianf]

I'd recommend this as an excellent tool but its not air. Makita or Fakita batteries bought seperately.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0D964D57S

I want an air one really, as theyre physically smaller. Im well aware that they take more electrical energy to run in the end, but i want a "band aid" tool that you can get into poor access areas when needed.

 

[Kram]

Fair enough. Getting compressor out is a pain for my use.

I have a cheap amazon one that I will never use if you would like it? Its reasonably compact and appears to work well enough the couple times I tried it.

 

[roofman]

Air is much better and a small one is even better, reason being you don't need high torque or power on a die grinder, you need RPM,s. Have an electric one snag in a corner or hole and you will know exactly what i am on about

 

[Ruffian]

Cheapie bergen one has been good.
Only thing I do is get some pipe lagging around it to stop the chill.

 

[daleyd]

Air is much better and a small one is even better, reason being you don't need high torque or power on a die grinder, you need RPM,s. Have an electric one snag in a corner or hole and you will know exactly what i am on about

I bought one to enlarge some holes in copper busbar with a burr - I gave up and used a file! It was sort of controllable at lower speed but working inside an existing hole it was lethal if it grabbed!! Probably not so bad just on the outside of something but an air one is sooo much easier and less terrifying (no air on site where wee were working unfortunately otherwise I would have used one)

 

[Kram]

£9.48 delivered!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/170-Air-Die-Grinder-Short/dp/B004VRO3DI

Angle one with roloc bits

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shoze-Grinder-Pneumatic-Grinding-Polishing/dp/B0C73RZX4Y/

 

[Kram]

Air is much better and a small one is even better, reason being you don't need high torque or power on a die grinder, you need RPM,s. Have an electric one snag in a corner or hole and you will know exactly what i am on about

I used to be scared of my mains Lidl one, it would occasionally snag and I was scared of it and using my 12mm burrs. I think I used with the speed far too low.

When I got the cordless I did some tests and couldnt get either to kick, used the 12mm burr and was eating some steel quite rapidly with both.

 

[Rrobson]

From a good number of years experience with these things, the more expensive die grinders simply outperform the cheaper ones in both power and longevity.

ATA are the ones to go for if money is no real concern, these are amongst the best in the market, but do command 3-4 times more than something like a Chicago pneumatic. They do outlive their cheaper competitors by at least the price ratio though!
The amount of CP grinders I’ve used who’s bearings have collapsed is crazy. I have never picked up an ATA grinder that hasn’t worked no matter the abuse it has endured.

The only disadvantage is they are immensely powerful and use a lot of air.

 

[Brad93]

Not tried an ATA but I imagine they're the mutts.

The pferd ones are fantastic but £500-1000!

Used DOTCO or Dynabrade always a good
bet.

 

[sako243]

@Nomad had a flexible shaft for a die grinder which held up reasonably well if I remember correctly.

 

[Nomad]

As @sako243 says, I got a long-nosed (battery) die grinder and a flex drive extension to do 1 job (reshaping the bottom of the cylinder walls during an engine rebuild - working from below with the crank still in the block so access was *very* tight).

Everything worked well and did what I needed it to do but I did kill the chuck just before I finished the last cylinder. I'm putting that down to me being heavy handed but for getting into tricky places I rate it highly.

Some thoughts and info from me as a die grinder novice https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum...r-18v-katsu-fakita-makita-compatiible.138450/

 

[Jack_K]

Shinano (made in Japan) is what I use.

 

[julianf]

I have a cheap amazon one that I will never use if you would like it?

Thank you very much - id probably go for that, but theyre so cheap in the link you posted that it might be easier to just make Bezos a bit richer and save you some effort!

 

[premmington]

From a good number of years experience with these things, the more expensive die grinders simply outperform the cheaper ones in both power and longevity.

ATA are the ones to go for if money is no real concern, these are amongst the best in the market, but do command 3-4 times more than something like a Chicago pneumatic. They do outlive their cheaper competitors by at least the price ratio though!
The amount of CP grinders I’ve used who’s bearings have collapsed is crazy. I have never picked up an ATA grinder that hasn’t worked no matter the abuse it has endured.

The only disadvantage is they are immensely powerful and use a lot of air.

I got one big 8mm collet ATA die grinder - got proper exhaust pipe over air intake pipe. And yes it is greedy with compressed air.

 

[brightspark]

i have a cp one got given second hand from a factory production line second hand 40 years ago its brill well used and still going strong. it dont use much air like the cheap ones do and its powerfull