Advice on 4 1/2" grinder

[mojoel]

I've got a project coming up to clean up and repoint some morter joints on a brick patio. This seems like a perfect job for a 4 1/2" grinder with a masonry wheel. I've never seen a need to own one of these little grinders before, and I don't want to spend an arm & a leg, but would like to get something that will stand up to some occasional hard use. Anybody got any advice?

[sacherjj]

You can pick up most name brands for $60 or so. I know HD had the Makita with a free diamond wheel for around that. They have to be one of the simplest tools out there, just a motor and 90 degree gear. Just make sure you have enough power for what you will use it for. When I am doing serious roughing out for a woodworking project, I like to use mine with a chainsaw wheel on it. Works great.

[bigsteel15]

We use a lot of the 5" models here at work and only buy Makita or Dewalt.
The 5" are more money, but well worth it to us. I think we get them for around $110 CDN.
SAFETY!!!
AS TEMPTING AS IT IS, NEVER REMOVE THE GUARD.

[Stick]

We use a lot of the 5" models here at work and only buy Makita or Dewalt.
The 5" are more money, but well worth it to us. I think we get them for around $110 CDN.
SAFETY!!!
AS TEMPTING AS IT IS, NEVER REMOVE THE GUARD.

Good advice! I have a bunch of electric ones....a 4", a 4.5", two 5"s, and three 7"s, the 4" is an old B&D, the 4.5" and the 5"s are Makita, the 7"ers are Dewalt. An air 4"er and 4 air die grinders too. At work we use all air grinders. Big heavy monsters. I do a fair bit of welding, so I use the angle grinders with everything from cut-off wheels to grinding wheels to flap wheels to wire brushes. I actually like the smaller ones, better for fine work, and not as tiring to use.

[JimD]

I bought one for $20 from Northern Hydraulic about 7 years ago to use to cut some ceramic tile with a masonary blade. I figured it would last through the job if I was lucky but that was OK for $20. It is still working well. I do not baby any of my tools (well maybe the BT3100) but this thing is holding up fine. I think you need to go name brand for many tools but my experience suggests that a little right angle grinder may not be one of them. On the other hand, the name brands are not all that much more in a little grinder either.

Jim

[maxparot]

I've had my Makita for over 15 years and it is still going strong. This tool has been abused over it's entire life. I've gotten my monies worth many times over.

[Pappy]

HF puts them on sale for about $20. I have gone thru 2 of them over the years but they both did a lot of work before they died.

[Ken Massingale]

HF puts them on sale for about $20. I have gone thru 2 of them over the years but they both did a lot of work before they died.

Yep. My $20 HF has done all I've ask of it.

[KLF]

I have a Dewalt, have used it quite a bit, still working well. Good balance, seems to be well made. The case is particulary nice, lots of room for spare discs and stuff.

Make sure you also get hearing protection, I prefer ear muffs. These things are LOUD, and the frequency range they produce will really give you ringing ears if you don't protect them. Goggles are also important, or even a full face shield. If you're using a wire wheel, be aware they fling off small pieces of sharp wire, so wear a heavy long sleeved shirt, gloves, and long pants.

[Rob3100]

I've got a 4 1/2" Angle grinder from HF for $15.99 that's worked just fine for me. If i burn it out, then it hopefully means that I use it all the time and probably time for a upgrade anyways. I've found HF a good place to get "into" quite a few things on the cheap. Like the old saying goes: "First rule of a gunfight: Have a gun". First rule of using an angle grinder, have an angle grinder..doesn't have to be the best, just has to work.

[cwsmith]

From the previous posts, it would appear that almost any angle grinder will have a good level of indurance. That said, I needed an angle grinder last year to grind off some bolts and help breakdown my old cast iron furnace. It was much to heavy to try to take out without disassembly.

I looked at several 4-1/2" models and frankly didn't like the location of the trigger (usually on top, just to the rear of the gear housing and overall handling. Almost everyone of them are designed to be held with your right hand around the motor housing. You've got to have pretty good sized hands to grip the fattest part of the body. For me, they didn't seem comfortable or nearly as erogonomic as they should be.

The one exception was the Ryobi AG451K, which has a pistol grip and trigger on the rear of the housing. The Makita 7" angle grinder ($144) is made this way, because you really need to be able to handle it well.

The Ryobi AG451K is priced at $40 and includes a decent case, grinding wheel, flap wheel, and wire wheel.

CWS

[trailwhale]

I like the Bosch grinders in the 4 to 4-1/2 size. Tough as nails but a little spendy compared to Ryobi or HF models. They use to have both metric and imperial arbors available.