WTB Angle Grinder

[Andy Mabbett]

Having recently had use of a borrowed angle grinder, I'm looking to get a cheap one, to keep in "just in case".

Any recommendations? Anything I should know before buying one?

What about this nine-quid Aldi model?

're also doing two sets of cutting discs:

[Ian Stirling]

Any very cheap grinder is probably much the same.

However. Absolutely vital, you MUST wear earplugs, and full goggles, not just safety glasses. A full face shield is a good plan too. Poor quality, or mistreated disks may come apart, and the bits are going at around a hundred miles an hour. Not to mention that even a small bit going at speed can ruin your sight.

Wear gloves, make sure the workspace is clear of flammables, or have a helper standing by with a hose. (also wearing safety goggles at least, and standing well back). Wear thick cotton trousers, you really don't want sparks igniting man-made fibers, or the running grinder on bare flesh.

Make sure the flex is not going to be tripped over, and wellies are not a bad plan.

The smoke from some things can be really nasty, and not good for you. Breathing through a hosepipe to a clean air supply makes you look very stupid, but works well.

[Chris Bacon]

visited that very emporium, and picked up one each of these items, as you say, "just in case". The disks are OK, the grit ones are

5", and IIRC 6 stone cutting, 5 metal cutting, and one dished grinding wheel. These are OK, although of course the depth of cut achievable with a 9" grinder is more useful - the 5" one is still good for lot of things, though, and it's possible to fit a cup brush if you need one. I also bought, as an experiment, the diamond disks, which comprise two for marble (why a diamond disk for this, I wonder?), one for general use, and one for rapid cutting of general stuff. The diamond ones may be a better bet than the grit ones for some things. The machine itself is comfy, has a spindle lock, which is slightly nice for changing wheels, had very respectable power. It has got a 3-year guarantee. The thing has a metal gearbox, which is a good sign. Perhaps (!) there are better ones that you can buy. I have not seen ones that look comparable to this in bee unt q for several times the price. For "just in case", you can't go wrong with this one, AFAICS. N.B. try to get some gen. on how to use these things, and you'll do better, safer. Angle grinders can do nasty things, use goggles if nothing else. Apologies if I don't need to say this to you. OK, so, in the circumstance you describe, then go for it.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

For £9 and a probability factor of it lasting 12 months, yeah I got one too. :-)

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Chris Bacon]

I nearly got two, but resisted, and left just in time. I only need (?)

1. Next week, there are some other things that I ought to resist, too.

M u s t r e s i s t . . . . M u s t r e s i s t . . . . M u s t r e s i s t . . . . M u s t r e s i s t . . . .

Bed calls me.

[EricP]

Next week is air tools week. I have failed at resisting already and will be in the queue on Thursday am.

I already have the compressor! :))

[Dave Fawthrop]

| |Having recently had use of a borrowed angle grinder, I'm looking to get |a cheap one, to keep in "just in case". | |Any recommendations? Anything I should know before buying one? | |What about this nine-quid Aldi model? | |

||They're also doing two sets of cutting discs: | | || have the equivalent Lidl Version, and it works fine for *light* work. Make sure that the motor speed does not drop when you are using it, I burned my first one out cutting up a cast iron bath. It wasn't man enough for that job.

[Tim Lamb]

Snip good advice....

Yes. Rust dust gives me a headache and vaporized zinc can't be good.

With essential eye protection it is difficult to see what the train of sparks is doing and I have set fire to several pairs of overalls:-(

I think it is important to run the grinder *off load* after sustained work to allow the windings to cool.

regards

[John Rumm]

A cheapie will serve well enough for occational use with a few provisios: Firstly the motor will not be rated for continous operation, so remember to only run if for ten mins say before giving it a rest. Secondly take care to keep its switch gear clean of masonry dust. Many low end models do not seem to have good dust seals. On the switchgear this can result in a machine that locks itself on, and on the main bearings this can make the whole thing sieze. (less of an issue if you are mainly working with metal rather than stone)

As others said, eye protection is a must. I find one of these easier to get on with than goggles:

protection - depends on the size of grinder and what you are cutting. A 115mm grinder cutting or grinding steel or wire brushing is not usually that loud for short bursts. A 230mm grinder cutting tiles or slabs will damage your hearing in very short order if unprotected. See the FAQ on other safety aspects:

[Sponix]

Aren't Aldi tools guaranteed for 3 years? If it fails take it back. They have never quibbled over refunds ime.

sponix

[Andy Hall]

not for this.

You can get visors combined with hearing protection e.g. chainsaw helmet. Arguably, for an angle grinder, you don't need the top of head protection.

I use a variety of protective gear for different purposes:

- Safety glasses for general woodworking

- Ear defender plus safety glasses when noisy

- 3M 6000 mask with disposable filters for dust or chemicals for short periods of sanding or spraying

- 3M QRS Dustmaster or Flowstream visor/respirator for woodturning and longer sanding sessions.

For an angle grinder, I use a minimum of the safety glasses, disposable mask and ear defender, but probably the visor.

Ironically, this ends up costing more than the angle grinder. The latter can be replaced when it falls apart or catches fire in short order, eyes, lungs and ears are a little more tricky.

[tony sayer]

There were a couple of "tree men" round the neighbours the other day using chainsaws all day. Didn't seem to need anything other then a shirt and an old pullover, ordinary trousers and shoes, and no eye, face, or hearing protection at any time they were working during the day.

And their professionals..well so it said on the side of their van;.....

[No Thanks]

But you never saw the other 7 they have in their team recuperating at home ;o)

[usenet]

Which just goes to show that too much protection is not necessarily safer.

[usenet]

And their professionals were better, or worse, or what? :-)

[John Rumm]

Which would you rather lose: your overalls, or your sight?

[Tim Lamb]

Oh I'll hang on to my eyes, thanks. My closest squeak was bodging an exhaust system where there was insufficient room for angle grinder, portly farmer and protective gear. The offending swarf was picked off my eyeball in our local casualty dept. A finger run across plastic lensed glasses after such a job will find numerous melted on particles.

Cotton overalls are best as has been said.

regards

>

[Mike Dodd]

I have the same Lidl version, and it did (with a diamond disk) an admirable job cutting through 2" thick indian sandstone flags. Best £5 (or £10?) tool I ever bought.

[Andy Hall]

I'm not a farmer but will relate a similar experience.

I had been insulating some roof space with glass fibre, wearing gloves etc. and goggles.

Nevertheless, during cleanup (presumably) a small fibre found its way into one eye. Not immediately noticable, but that evening a prickling sensation so irrigated the eye which seemed to resolve it.

I got up the following morning and the prickling had returned and wouldn't go away, so went to the nearest A&E department. 3 hour wait. I've been in better places in the 3rd world. They thought that there probably was something there but weren't equipped to deal with it so dispatched me to neighbouring unit with eye A&E. 2 hour wait.

The upshot was that there was indeed a piece of glass fibre. Anaesthetic drops were applied and an extremely fine special scalpel used to pare off the surface of the eyeball in the area. It was explained to me that the eyeball heals very rapidly on the outside and in under a day can do so sufficiently to encapsulate foreign bodies like this.

The whole experience sounds worse than it actually was (apart from the wasted time), but not one to repeat too often.

[Steve]

I have about ten 2ft cuts to make on 2" concrete paving slabs. From what you have seen, do you think this grinder will manage that? If so, it will be cheaper than hiring one.