Lets talk about small angle Grinders

[CGT80]

They don't make my favorite grinder anymore. A USA made Milwaukee 5" 11 amp variable speed paddle switch that can be locked on, and has a quick change cord which is nice when I want to unplug it to change a disc. I bought it in 2000 or so and have used it a lot. I can't stall it. It did bite my welding jacket once when I had a 5" wire cup brush on it. It wrapped it's self up in my jacket and twisted the jacket so bad that it threw my back out. It tore a bit of the jacket as well. Needless to say, I haven't used a cup brush much since then.

Variable speed is great for flap discs and surfacing discs. 36 and 60 grit flap discs are my go to abrasive. I don't really use grinding discs anymore. Leigh Valley has a velcro backing pad and surfacing discs that cost about $2 bucks each. So far, they are working well. The surfacing discs with a grinding wheel backing work well (from CGW), but cost more, and I haven't tried the ones I bought from LV.

The 5" grinder is a bit heavy, but it was the biggest "small" grinder I could find at the time, and it has almost as much power, or more, as some of the 7 and 9 inch grinders. My dad has a makita 4" that I used before I bought mine. It held up very well and was smaller and lighter, but there is a big difference between the work a 4" and a 5" disc will do. For light deburring, I use my IR composite air right angle die grinder and 3" flap discs or surfacing discs also from LV.

I have not bought any of the made in China, Milwaukee tools yet. My coworkers had some and I wasn't impressed with the drills and impacts. I haven't used the grinders. It really chaps my *** that they are now made in China and the prices don't seem to be any lower. I also have the V28 US made tools and the old 14.4 nicad that may have been japan or tiawan. They have been put through hell and held up to professional construction use every day.

 

[classicJackets]

I have a 4.5" "Wel-Bilt" grinder that I got from Northern tool for $35 with wire wheel, grinding discs, and sanding discs included. Feels pretty good so far but that's only been about a month of light use.

 

[e30bradley]

I think the people who buy HF grinders and like them have never used anything else... I use bosch grinders but bought a HF one because so many here love them and its a POS! It has no power. I never use it..

My oldest bosch grinder has been used heavily for at least 3 years and its still working great. I've used it enough to burn up dozens of wire wheels, wire cups, a dozen flap disks, a dozen grinding wheels, at least 2 dozen cutting wheels.. You get the idea. Go with bosch. I have the slim one, I don't know the part number.

 

[Thumper68]

I bought this set a few years ago when my B&D industrial finally lost the bearings.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-7-5-Amp-4-5-in-Grinder-Sag-2-Pack-1380SLIM-2P/203066680

Two grinders for $89 is not bad at all I might pick up 2 more, I like to set them up with different tools so I don't have to spend time changing things for use on the same job.

 

[Kirbot]

The only trouble I have with the harborfreight grinders is, they do more vibrating than more expensive brands. They never seem to lack any power too me.

 

[not-required]

I got a makita and dewalt. Makita slightly edges it out.

 

[mikehaugen]

I have an older ridgid (metabo made) and it is awesome. Where I worked about 8 years ago had gotten a new dewalt and it was the smoothest I have used, power was adequate- but nothing special. At that time dewalt had at least 2 versions at the bb stores, and it was the more expensive. Nowadays the dewalts don't seem as good. We just got a new bosch at work (could be the same one Thumper posted) and I really like it. It has a soft start feature that felt weird at first but it's nice once you get used to it. It is also variable speed iirc, and has decent power.

I've tried the hf one's and I hate them. Feel cheap, no power, lots of vibration, loud, and get hot quickly. I have not used one that had the grease replaced, which may help some of those issues, but it still wouldn't like it. Haven't liked the milwaukees that I've tried either

My favorite is my 6" metabo, but I don't really consider that a "small" angle grinder.

So I guess since my two favorite grinders are metabo-made, that is probably what I would buy if I needed another one, but for the price that bosch is pretty nice.

 

[ezzzzzzz]

Metabo... one and done.

 

[sberry]

I am not a fan of the HF. They are not as good as the Walmart.

 

[oldldh]

Before everybody jumps in my stuff...

I got these from Harbor Freight for $ 16.00...

I got what I paid for...

The grinder vibrates, but not too bad...

When it dies, I'll pitch it and buy another...

If I used a grinder a lot, as a professional, I'd spend the money, and get a good one or two...but I don't use mine for anything but rust removal...ergo---it's what I need...

That's always the answer with any tool purchase...Buy what you need to do the job...

 

[Moose364]

Ive had good luck with the Bosch. Dewalt has been good also, and I use the HF never had any power problems but they do have lot's of Vib but @ 9.00 a grinder. I don't feel bad throwing them away when they stop working

 

[Greeny]

Had a Bosch, lasted several years and bearing went out. Bought a $9 HF grinder to finish the immediate project, and it worked ok. Not as nice as the Bosch, but I wasn't complaining for 9 bucks. Bought another cheap HF one for the convenience of having two set up with different wheels. They're both ok, plenty good for the price. Planning ahead for failure, I bought another as a back up. It's been a couple of years and they're still going strong with no need for the backup yet. They're loud and vibrate more than the Bosch, but are working good for me.

 

[sberry]

The B&D at wally is 10 more retail, sometimes on sale at Menards for 20 but,,,,,,,,,,,, wayyyyyy better grinder than the HF

 

[dnschmidt]

Metabo has made the best small angle grinders in the world since the caveman. Milwaukee is very good as well and they make the best cordless angle grinder with their M18 fuel model. Hitachi are the best value for the money.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

once you go Metabo you'll know why everybody loves them. If that's out of your price range, makita and milwaukee have both served me well...new and old-USA, JAPAN, and newer China.

HF is a total ************* that vibrates your hand off. DeWalt is weak sauce (but I love their drills).

 

[sberry]

I think Metabo has worked to get the best reputation in the biz,,, they have done that well and were close to first when these became popular. They are no different than most other grinders. I have Milwaukee, would trade it for another Walmart BD,,, ha

 

[Cope]

I have two DW28402 DeWalt with paddle switch. One is 10 years old and the other around 6. I have had Makita and Bosch, but I prefer these.

 

[sberry]

I like the 402, its based on the old BD 2750 with the paddle and it has great handling feel, its my very fave but,,,, they didn't hold up and if you were not fussy minding the brushes out they went ruining the unit. A home brew outfit might not have much of an issue even over a long time with conciencious operators.
Where we really bear down on them and kept them bench where they see hi use we could keep an eye on them. I wish I would have found the BD cheap at Wally a long time ago, they use some of the same parts as the yellow ones and the numbers/stock/inventory must dictate its not worth cheapening the armature on them etc. They are heavy, if you scuffed or changed the label a guy wouldn't or couldn't know and if it was tossed in a gang box no one would give it a second thought except,,,, it does have a thumb like one of the cheaper yellow ones which I get used to but one thing is the cheap cord outlasts the real rubber by a long shot and the brushes were only about half worn or less.
We tried a lot of stuff till we ran across this, only ever had 1 failure and it was years of hard use and that was a switch, no reason to think if we fixed that it wouldn't go years again.
I have used a few knockoffs of various brands, the cheap ones work but not as good as this, didn't care for the Bosch a whole lot but it walked off before we really got a test on how long it lasted. I have used a fair amount of Metabo, never owned one but saw a couple welding shops with a box of old ones. I know a couple guys went to these cheap BD and they made me promise not to tell,,, hahaha

 

[kiraj]