Using an angle grinder on wood

[JR]

Has anyone used an angle grinder on their woodworking projects? I have read a few articles in which the wood is shaped using this technique, but I've never done it.

If you have experience with this, can you answer a couple of questions:

• What size wheel is best - 4", 7" 9"?
• What type of wheel is best? Everthing I see is oriented to masonry of metal work.
• Are there any features on the grinder I should be on the lookout for?

TIA,
JR

[drumpriest]

http://www.djmarks.com/kaindl.asp

[sd]

A small pneumatic angle grinder fitted with a 2" Roloc sanding disk can come in handy.

[cabinetman]

Woodcraft has a good power carving blade for a 4" or 4 1/2" which is much less than the DJM item.
.

[Pappy]

I picked up a power carving blade at HF a couple of years back. never did use it.

[Tom Slick]

I'd recommend a 4-1/2" or 5" grinder (there is a difference in some brands) 7" and 9" grinders are very heavy and are not something I'd want to hold up and do "delicate" carving with. I like paddle switches but I haven't done any carving so I don't know if they are beneficial. Bosch does make grinders with "kickback stop" that shuts it down when it senses a bind.

If you just want to use abrasives then you can buy a sanding disc which is a rubber backer for a sandpaper disc or you can use flap wheel discs. Either are made of aluminum oxide, the typical abrasives used in woodworking.

[dbhost]

I have a friend's father in law that carves what most people would call "Cigar Store Indians" using a chain saw, an air hammer with chisels, and a 4.5" B&D angle grinder with a flap wheel. He does some amazing work, and wicked quick too!

[gary]

I use a 4 1/2 grinder with a sanding disc on it (40 grit). I use it for carving the seats in rockers. I use a gouge to right it out and then the grinder and rasp.

[leehljp]

I have a 30 year old Sears 8 or 9 inch angle grinder that is very large as compared to todays angle grinders. It is physically (the body size) about the size of four 4 1/2 or 5 inch angle grinders strapped together or about 4 1/2 inches wide, 3 1/2 thick and about 11 or 12 inches long. It takes the angle handle to operate it in a decent fashion. I have a bunch of flexible wood grit discs that I have used off and on for large projects such as forming a tree trunk into a seat.

I use to see these large grinders in auto repair shops used to do the original cut down of metal or bondo before going to the flat sanders.

For the smaller 4 1/2 or so angle grinders, Over here, you can get a back plate and a soft (flexible) discs with grit from 40 to 120 for wood carving.

I use one like this on occasion when nothing else will do.

ONE piece of advice: When using the angle grinder for wood carving, learn from the beginning to use the optional 90° handle, and do all you can to stay with using both hands. You will never regret this but you will regret it when becoming confident with one hand. One handed sanding is an accident waiting to happen.