Cordless Roloc Host Options

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

Preface: I don't (and probably never will) have enough air to sustain an air die grinder (probably would need close to 20 CFM).
I do have the M12 right angle die grinder. While it is a great tool, I bog it easily with 2" roloc 3M surface conditioning pads.

Soooo, I'm looking for something beefier. The ability to use 3" discs would be even better. I have M12, M18, and DeWalt 20/60 but am not opposed to adding another battery platform if I have to. I would prefer cordless, but corded wouldn't be the end of the world.

The Ryobi 18V compact angle grinder is well thought of on the torque test channel.

What other one handed options are there?

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

It looks like the Makita XVP01R1B might also be an option. However, the Ryobi kit comes with a larger battery and you can almost buy two of the Ryobis for the price of the Makita at Home Depot.

 

[dnschmidt]

The M12 has plenty of power I use it with 3" Rolocs without issue. USE THE 5 (preferred) OR 6 AMP-Hour XC battery. If you're using the little batteries in this tool you're wasting your time as they simply don't cut it.

 

[neophyte]

Corded die grinders also exist.

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

The M12 has plenty of power I use it with 3" Rolocs without issue. USE THE 5 (preferred) OR 6 AMP-Hour XC battery. If you're using the little batteries in this tool you're wasting your time as they simply don't cut it.

I was using a 5.0 4.0 but it might have been old and tired and not fully charged. I do have a couple of new 5.0 batteries arriving in a couple of days. Maybe that will do the trick.

 

[GeoBruin]

I was using a 5.0 but it might have been old and tired and not fully charged. I do have a couple of new 5.0 batteries arriving in a couple of days. Maybe that will do the trick.

2 inch surface conditioning disc is about right for the m12 with a good battery. 3 inch will cause mine to just shut down.

 

[oilslick]

Mac tool’s for the win! I have a 3” disc on mine running dewalt power stacks, brushless grunt! I can’t believe it isn’t more popular or that dewalt doesn’t sell it in yellow

 

[mike93lx]

Mac tool’s for the win! I have a 3” disc on mine running dewalt power stacks, brushless grunt! I can’t believe it isn’t more popular or that dewalt doesn’t sell it in yellow

I couldn't find it on the website. Can you share the model number?

Or is it this?

20V Max Polisher/Sander - 3"

Ideal solution for headlight restoration and precise detail applications .BL-SPEC™ Brushless Motor delivers maximum runtime and performance .Three speed settings (0-3000, 0-5000, 0-9000 RPM) plus a variable speed trigger delivers maximum control while performing polishing and sanding...

www.mactools.com

 

[theoldwizard1]

I do have the M12 right angle die grinder. While it is a great tool, I bog it easily with 2" roloc 3M surface conditioning pads.

You must be really pushing it hard ! That is my current "go to" tool for anything that needs rust removal.

I am able to use 3" grinding/cut off wheels it I don't push too hard. A beefier M12 would be nice.

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

You must be really pushing it hard !

That is a possibility. I am usually in hurry and time constrained.

 

[dnschmidt]

Two points:

1) The 5.0 high output batteries for the M12 has only been out a year and a half. Why are you saying that you're 5.0 batteries are old. Are these FAKE Milwaukee batteries or the real deal.
2) I've been able to stall out my air right angle die grinders a lot easier with a 3" Roloc than I have my M12 with the 6.0 real deal Milwaukee battery and I've got a big compressor and high flow fittings so air supply isn't the issue.

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

My mistake - it was an XC 4.0.

 

[Hohn]

It looks like the Makita XVP01R1B might also be an option. However, the Ryobi kit comes with a larger battery and you can almost buy two of the Ryobis for the price of the Makita at Home Depot.

I love my Makita stuff, but at 9500rpm max I'd be hard pressed to consider that Makita as a die grinder replacement.
I recently posted about buying the corded Makita die grinder (the flagship model GD 0800C), and one takeaway from using that tool is how high speed under load is another world of capability. The Makita has gobs of torque and can maintain most of the free speed under loads that might even be unsafe to apply by hand.

By my lights, the same things that make an air die grinder marginal for hard use would make a cordless even worse. Even though air compressors are horribly inefficient, you still have a LOT more energy available to drive an air die grinder than you could ever dream of storing in a cordless battery.


But if you only need the die grinder for shorter bursts of work and aren't sustaining much output, then the battery is probably fine. Then again, the air tool is probably even finer.

It's too bad nobody seems to think a corded right angle die grinder is worth making. Something like a small corded drill but 20krpm. I could see some real world use for a pistol grip corded die grinder as an alternative to when you don't have 7.5hp worth of air compressor than can sustain die grinder use nearly indefinitely.

 

[GeoBruin]

Based on this reddit thread, it sounds like there is something on the horizon from Dewalt. Hopefully it's not just a yellow version of the Mac "sander/polisher" but a proper right angle die grinder. Even if it's the same massive dimensions as the straight die grinder, it will still get use for running larger discs and longer grinding sessions than the m12 is capable of.

 

[oilslick]

I couldn't find it on the website. Can you share the model number?

Or is it this?

20V Max Polisher/Sander - 3"

Ideal solution for headlight restoration and precise detail applications .BL-SPEC™ Brushless Motor delivers maximum runtime and performance .Three speed settings (0-3000, 0-5000, 0-9000 RPM) plus a variable speed trigger delivers maximum control while performing polishing and sanding...

www.mactools.com

Yes that’s it, it’s compact and no comparison to m12 angle grinder for power I have both. This thing will sand like an air powered unit! Fairly compact for the power it has . 2 coworkers have bought them after using mine , both Milwaukee guys.