dern
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 11:15 PM |
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Cheap angle grinders
Don't buy cheap angle grinders... scared the living bejesus out of myself this afternoon when the guard on my cheap angle grinder slipped off
the collar and on to the grinding disc while grinding off some welds. Sparks everywhere, body of the grinder gets hot, plastic components and body
warp, grease comes out, more sparks, more heat... can I find the off switch?... can I buggery.
Off down the shops for a new grinder with a trigger so if I drop it or throw it away from me at least it starts to slow down. Only down side is that
it's even noisier than the old one.
Nerves are shredded 
Stay safe kids,
Mark
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Hellfire
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 11:19 PM |
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She was sat on your shoulder was Lady Luck then... be careful is the moral here then...
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Peteff
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 11:24 PM |
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I've slackened the screw on mine so I can turn the guard if I want to cut from a different angle. I think I might tighten it back up tomorrow.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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907
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 12:42 AM |
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I'v had 4 cheap grinders. None any good.
I'v now treated myself to a Makita. We'll see how that goes.
O, by the way Pete, this mayonnaise, isn't that added to steel to make hammer heads? 
Paul G
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Cita
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 02:15 AM |
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i also had a couple of cheap grinders and never had a problem with them except they dont last very long if you do heavy duty work for which they
are'nt designed/build.
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dern
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 01:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Cita
i also had a couple of cheap grinders and never had a problem with them except they dont last very long if you do heavy duty work for which they
are'nt designed/build.
That's what the bloke at the shop said but I pointed out that it said "angle grinder" on the
box and was suitable for grinding metal. Given that I'd just worn out the first metal disc and had just fitted the new one I'm not sure
that it was up to the job. "Fit for purpose" is the expression I hear a lot on watchdog isn't it?
The second issue was that the switch was so difficult to click off when needed in a hurry. The new grinder has a trigger so if you let go of it it
switches off (I know they don't have a grake but it's better than nothing) whereas the old one had a switch you took you thumb off and it
continued to work (through design).
I haven't had any issues with the quality of the tools in the range that this was from (am I allowed to say?) as they've all been solidly
built although unsophisticated and sold at a fair price. Also, even though I'd had it for a year and a half and had obviously lost the receipt
they let me trade in what was left of the old one at shelf price for a better one which just happened to be in a sale so I got a 1000W grinder (old
one was 600W) with a trigger and a better guard mechanism and some (2 metal, 6 masonary) discs for £2.80.
The only message from this is if you do buy cheap grinders (contrary to the nerve-shredded fuelled intent of the thread ) check the fitting of the
guard if it simply a friction fitting each time you use it.
Right, back off to weld some more 
Mark
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Mix
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 03:57 PM |
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I have four 'cheap' angle grinders, (less than £20).
A cutter, a grinder, a 'tool' with a cup brush and a 'tool' with a disc brush.
it's basically because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to keep changing discs.
All of them have been fine and not given any cause for concern. I treat them with respect and would not expect them to perform like ones costing
several times the price.
For what it's worth the best of the four by far is a Draper one, it's the smallest, quietest and most comfortable to use.
Mick
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907
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 04:58 PM |
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For me, it was the Draper that lasted the least amount of time.
I had a flap disc on it, taking band saw burrs off.
After less than 30 mins use, (not continuous), the brush holder broke and dug into the copper segments.
Quite spectacular. Flames and sparks everywhere.
Perhaps I was just unlucky.
Paul G
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 08:09 PM |
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i agree with cita
if you kept the screw tightened, you would be ok!!!
try what you did with a 9 inch grinder!
atb
steve
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dern
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 11:05 PM |
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quote:
i agree with cita
if you kept the screw tightened, you would be ok!!!
try what you did with a 9 inch grinder!
I checked it and the disc collar before I start every time, I retightened it again when it slipped the
first time and then it subsequently slipped 5 minutes later.
If I didn't check basic stuff like this I would have no business using the tools in the first place nor would I be building a chassis from
scratch 
Mark
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NS Dev
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 12:21 AM |
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I agree with the "decent tool lobby"!!
Buy good, buy once!
Buy cheap, buy several times! (and maybe lose a finger or your temper or both)
You won't be disappointed with the Makita..........enough said I think.
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 04:19 PM |
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In the long run there is no such thing as cheap tools. You either buy cheap and have to replace or buy decent tools in the first place. At least that
is what i've found. Rusty
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JoelP
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 04:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
In the long run there is no such thing as cheap tools. You either buy cheap and have to replace or buy decent tools in the first place. At least that
is what i've found. Rusty
definately so mate. ive had an 18v cordless drill that only costs £20, but its much less use than a good dewalt costing nearly a long arm... no
replacement for quality.
cheap corded drills are the same, but at least homebase swap them without asking how it looked so shafted in just 20 days (heavy trade use!)
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Mix
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 04:45 PM |
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The clever bit is knowing where to draw the line between cheap and fit for purpose.
Otherwise we would all have garages full of Mr Snap On's products.
Mick
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britishtrident
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 06:58 PM |
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Cheap grinders are very variable in quality but the variable speed 125mm ones Lidel (sometimes) sell are excellent.
Also quality of discs matters Bosch ones are only 98p from B&Q and last twice as long -- they also are less smelly!
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NS Dev
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| posted on 2/1/05 at 12:14 AM |
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Good point there Britishtrident! The quality of some discs are really shocking, the disc goes faster than the steel that it's cutting!! Yes the
Bosch ones are very good in my experience. Again, not cheap, but not twice the price of discs that only last half as long.....if you get my drift!
Snap-On used to be (and still are) good because they got replaced when they wore out, i.e. you only buy once, but Facom and Britool, to name but two,
are the same now, and cost less to buy. I love Facom stuff, it's so well made. The most used tool in my toolbox is without doubt the Facom
1/4" drive ratchet. It's so small it gets almost anywhere, but will still take enough grief to undo really well seized 13mm nuts.
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Peteff
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| posted on 2/1/05 at 12:29 AM |
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Screwfix disks.
I've used these and Machine Mart back to back and the Screwfix ones last longer and dust less. I've had 355mm cutoff blades from MM and
taken them out as they were vibrating badly, scary in something like that.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 2/1/05 at 12:48 AM |
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I'm glad you've said that Pete, cos I have now had 3 Machine Mart discs break during use. One was on a 9 inch grinder and it threw it out
of my hands, luckily no harm done, as I always do the really agricultural chopping jobs outside of the garage. In two of the cases part of the disc
didn't seem very well "resined", and part wore away faster, putting the disc out of balance. The other one just shattered when it
jammed slightly in some 6mm plate I was cutting.
I'll try some screwfix ones then in my next order with them.
[Edited on 2/1/05 by NS Dev]
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madforfishing
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| posted on 2/1/05 at 08:44 AM |
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Screwfix are flogging their 'Kinzo' 4.5" grinders for less than a fiver now. I've got 3 for the same reason as Mix.
One gets to do all the heavy cutting work and when it's cream crackered I send it back to Screwfix under warranty. It doesn't even matter
if it's over a year old and the warranty has run out as you can get away with passing it off as one of the newer ones. Cheeky but cost
effective.
Alternatively, toss it in the bin after cutting the 3 pin plug off.
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Damon Hill
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| posted on 7/1/05 at 10:48 PM |
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While we're on the subject, I was wondering what the police use to cut through car wreckage to free injured ppl when there's an accident?
Reason is, I saw them cutting away the roof of a car on the news, and it seemed really smooth, no sparks. Anyone know?
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JoelP
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| posted on 7/1/05 at 10:58 PM |
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hydraulic cutters, but its usually firemen who use them. Brooky is an antisparky, so he should know!
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