4.5" angle grinder

[doan]

I've been restoring an old car -59 Austin Healey Sprite - I used my porter-cable angle grinder extensively for cleaning with a wire cup. The bearings are now shot.

I need a new one, are there any stand out brands or models? I don't need super high power, I prefer the smaller ones, but I want something that will last.

 

[BobKovacs]

You may not want to hear it, but the maroon grinders at Harbor Freight are great- especially for the price. I pick them up when they're on sale for $19.99, and the come with a spare set of brushes. I've got two that have been used and abused on the '69 Camaro I've been restoring, and they're holding up well. One of them started to get tired, and at first I thought "ohh well, for $20, what do you expect?", but I changed the brushes (about a 2 minute job), and it ran like new again.

 

[Chuck122]

I like my bosch, it's the plain-Jane home depo model. But if i would have had the money when i bought it i would have gotten the 10 amp dewalt one with a paddle switch

 

[doan]

Mine has a paddle switch, when do you feel like you need more power?

 

[Chuck122]

Using cutoff wheels is pretty taxing on my bosch

 

[doan]

You may not want to hear it, but the maroon grinders at Harbor Freight are great- especially for the price. I pick them up when they're on sale for $19.99, and the come with a spare set of brushes. I've got two that have been used and abused on the '69 Camaro I've been restoring, and they're holding up well. One of them started to get tired, and at first I thought "ohh well, for $20, what do you expect?", but I changed the brushes (about a 2 minute job), and it ran like new again.

Yep, vs. $80-$100 for a name brand that might work.

 

[Chuck122]

It depends how much you use them and if you consider them a diposable item. If you use the **** out of them, you may want to look at cheaper ones and keep spares

 

[Fordman7795]

Ive had a makita for 10+ years and its still going strong. I also have some older milwaukee usa made ones that I got from an auction that work well.

 

[sberry]

I have a fair amount of grinder expertise, have used dozens and dozens, owned dozens including HF at 20$,,,,, skip right past that and spend 30 for the B&D at Walmart. In about 5 minutes you will not ever give it a second thought that you are not using a 100$ grinder,,,, which it basically is.

I will never buy another 4 1/2 again other than these, have beaten them brutally in a welding shop, they outlast their Dewalt cousins by a long shot and the cord lasts the life of the unit, I really doubt a home brew DIY outfit can wear one out.

Please do this,,, report back,,, this is low risk hi reward tool purchase,,, trust me,,, ha

 

[sberry]

The cheap plastic cord is way better than the commercial model and whatever they did to the brushes made them last. I suspect they limit the power a pinch to avoid overload but in about 30 seconds its not an issue, have ran boxes of wheels thru one of these. Had one last 5 times as long as the black ones and same for the yellow.

Never had to repair a cord, the rubber on the expensive models is for sales, replacement cord for a Milwaukee cost more than the whole grinder and to tell the truth I like the bd better. There is a huge weight difference between this and HF.

 

[Stooge]

ive been beating the **** out of my porter cable , (i think its the 750) for probably 4years, and have been especially hard on it the last 2 with some of my car projects, and i wouldnt think twice about picking up another when this one finally decides to die. think i saw them at lowes for like $35 -$40 last time i was in there

 

[OGJordan]

I've had a Bosch for about 10 years and use it hard. Cutting quarter inch angle iron, grinding, wire wheel cleaning. It never bogs down, never any problems. Had one of the cheap harbor freight ones so I could grind with the Bosch then sand with it. I'd rather just switch wheels on the Bosch, and gave the harbor away. And I'm not a HF hater I have a lot of their stuff.

 

[LG63]

I like the barrel size on my Makita's. I have both 4" and 4-1/2" and they are both easy to hold one handed. I think I paid $50-something each on Amazon, both within the past several years.

 

[Monte]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CSEJLA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[thinmac]

I use a fancy-pants Metabo all day every day, but I've happily used Makita, Hilti, Bosch, and Harbor Freight angle grinders. The only brand I would avoid is Dwalt - for some reason, everyone I know with one of those has switched to something else.

The Harbor Freight are very durable, but they vibrate pretty badly. They make an excellent newbie or loaner grinder. If you aren't using it professionally and have the money to spend, I'd go Makita. They're 90% the grinder of the more exotic brands at 50% the price.

 

[sberry]

Some of these other models are good and no one is being robbed with a 50$ grinder that has proven itself. What I hate to leave is the impression that you have to do without a good tool because you cant or wont bring yourself to spring for a Metabo,,, which by the way has really came down in price comparitively,,, or a guy needs a Fien or whatever they are.

Not every cheap one is good, there are the picks.

 

[sberry]

The only brand I would avoid is Dwalt - for some reason, everyone I know with one of those has switched to something else.

I know exactly why they switched, I got a pile of broke **** to speak for itself. First it was a B$D 2750 then a DW402. Its the most comfort convenient grinders I have used, loved the paddle but they were proned to overheat, I overloaded a handful of them and wore out the brushes,,, need to be a checker with it.

I just plain got tired of the cost,,, All the production went to china and I figured if I was buying from there I would find the root model,,, as it so happens this cheap version is the 7750 but I think it comes off the same line with minor changes,,,, none of which hurt, all helped. The only problem with one I have had was a switch,,,,, years in to it,, and we fixed it in about 10 mins, went another couple years and crapped last fall, simply shelved it and opened a new one.

For giggles I was going to see if I could put the armature and brushes and cord into the old DeWalt or B&D case with a paddle switch. I looked at a couple case things that were different but need to look again and see if all the back end would slip on to the new armature gear head assembly??