Screwfix Kinzo angle grinder

This has always mystified me. All the cheap angle grinders I've ever bought (used as disposables, see other thread) have included spare brushes. But in reality the brushes *never* need replacing. Now if they included a spare armature, or a spare power switch...

It seems quite random, I don't think any of my Ferm stuff included spare brushes but the 'Toledo' chop saw did. I have labelled the plastic bag and stashed them away carefully but the chances of them ever being needed (or found if they are needed) seems pretty small to me!

Mine did not come with a disc, not did I expect it to, given that a disc costs more than 7 quid (assuming you use proper diamond blades and don't waste time with crappy "stone" blades).

The picture on the website that I see has no disc. Also, the text doesn't mention one.

Christian.

On Wed, 12 May 2004 13:41:23 +0100, in uk.d-i-y Grunff strung together this:

I've got loads of brush sets for cheap throwaway power tools. The brushes are barely worn in when something else collapses! They'd be better off throwing in a disc of somesort, I've never got one of those with a cheap grinder.

Because there is a perception that the brushes are a consumable item (the consumable item) and the Chinese manufacturers have heard it as a sales objection to what they are selling via countless private labels. They don't want to carry spares and neither do the routes to market that they use. Therefore the most effective solution is to throw in a pair of near zero cost brushes.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

These are included, so that you can grind them down to repair your old B & D / Hoover/car heater blower motor/lawn mower etc. These items always need new brushes which are not otherwise available. A valuable public service!

Regards Capitol

It just amazes me that anyone, including marketing people, would think that these things would last long enough to need replacement brushes.

FWIW, I think the sub £10 4" angle grinders are a great disposable tool, for the jobs you don't want to use your good angle grinder on. I'd hate to see them off the market.

Interesting theory, quite plausible.

No it doesn't matter.

The point is that they think that the customer believes that the product will be good and last a long time - or at least they wouldn't want to disavow the customer of that before he buys.

Therefore if the customer believes that the brushes are a wear item, then it's a great selling point to give the extra brushes.

.andy

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If that really is the logic they follow (which is quite possible), then that's really, really funny. So these products are aimed at people who think that they will get a good quality tool which lasts several years and needs brush replacement for £5.99? There are others like IMM??

Hi,

What jobs are there that good angle grinders aren't any good at? I don't see people working on sites needing a box of cheap grinders.

Seems a bit of a waste to me, I feel sorry for the chinese earning a few $ a day making stuff that people break and throw away after a short while.

cheers, Pete.

It's not that they aren't good at them - they'd be very good at them. As I said in another thread, I have two blue Bosch grinders (4" and 9") and a B&D 4", but I use these for metal work.

IME the one thing that is guaranteed to kill bearings is fine stone dust, so my good grinders (yes, even the B&D is pretty decent) aren't allowed anywhere near stone dust.

Don't really want to get into a political discussion, but the current boom in China's economy, and the associated improvement in living standards (no matter how anti-capitalist you are, the improvement in living standards can't be ignored) is almost entirely due to this type of product.

I don't like cheap tools - I like good ones. But that's exactly why I like to look after my good grinders and not use them for stone. So for the odd occasion when I need to do stone work, I buy a cheap grinder and throw it away when it dies.

I bought 5 years ago a £15 Power Devil grinder to do a bathroom. If it fell apart after it had been worthwhile. It still goes and I use it to sharpen things with and the odd occasional use here and there. Great value. Did the job well.

I was wondering when you were going to add your words of wisdom.

It doesn't in the least bit surprise me that you have a 25 year old angle grinder which you got free with a packet of soup, which you've used every day for the last 25 years, and which still performs flawlessly, still using the original grinding disk that came with it.

That might be. I think the point is that the *manufacturers* believe that that is what the customer thinks.

.andy

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The bathroom?

Is it any good for cutting plastic pipe?

.andy

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You do need these words.

Please read again. 5 years ago.

Yes the bathroom, that is what I said. 10/10 for observation.

I don't know, I always use my extensive skills to cut plastic, using appropriate tools.

How many £400 power tools have you bought this week to lay in the cupboard all year?