4" angle grinder chuck keys

[Soundguy]

those lil flat 'wrenches', usually with 2 posts on them that engage holes in the lil hold down disc for holding abrasive blades into 4" angle grinders.. am I the only person that looses or bends / breaks those things?

if I don't loose them.. they break. I even made one out of flat stock and some heavy nails.. drilled and welde dthem in.. etc.. they still bend the lil posts.

I have an assortment of angle grinders.. some dating back to about 92.. some chinese.. some generic store brand that may or may not have been chinese back then.. may have been other import countries.. etc.. and at least 1 'good' makita.. which.. heck.. probably comes from china too..
i keep my good grinder for correct tasks.. the others are on a variety of jobs. usually hav eone set as a cutoff tool, one on a wire wheel.. and one on hard duty grinder.. If I see a harbor freight 9$ sale on them i grab one and put it on the shelf. some times on a tractor refurb i'll burn a 9$ one up by the time it's done. I have a buckt of parted grindres.. every couple years i scavange thru and make 3 out of 5.. etc.

anyway.. back to the chuck wrench. so.. either bent or broke. anymore I don't even look for one anymore.. I go right to the chissle drawer and grab a suitable small cold chissle and with a few taps of a ballpeen the chuck is loose.
.. heck.. half of them don't even have the lil joke of a plastic lock button to lock the blade.. thus the chissle is about the only way to get a blade off anyway..

am I the only one having to do that?

 

[brain55]

I don't ever use those silly wrenches. Most of the time I just hold the lock button and grab the disc to loosen the nut. If there isn't enough disc I grab my medium Channel lock pliers, push the lock button and loosen the nut. I never tighten the nut more than hand tight, I've never found reason to. I've seen guys think they need to tighten the nut one grunt before strip, and then wonder why they can't get the nut off when it is time to change discs.

Brian

 

[tcartwri]

Ya, you don't really have to use the wrench.

 

[jkis]

yer same here only hand tight, and hand undo
cheers stuart

 

[k0ua]

yer same here only hand tight, and hand undo
cheers stuart

I use the little wrenches, on mine, and never lost one (well for very long) and never bent or tore one up, but as said, I don't tighten the pi** out of them either. My little Ryobi has a convenient storage in the handle for the wrench, and that works well. My others just have loose wrenches, but I always try to throw the wrench's back in their little compartment in my weld cart so I know where they are.

James K0UA

 

[Agent Blue]

I have gone through several grinders and never had second thoughts about using a tool to tighten or loosen he cutting wheel. It tightens as it grinds so why would one exert more pressure than needed ? I buy one quality grinder at a time and change the discs to go with the specific usage. It's fast, quick, and I have less tools laying around to clean up. Buying throw aways is a waste of money.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I agree that turning the wheel itself will usually work. On my 9" one time the nut got too tight and the wrench pins were bending so I tried turning the wheel and that did the trick. If the lock button is missing it's a good idea to open the case and find the retaining ring before it gets in the gears.

I also have an adjustable wrench from HF in case I can't find a match. Adjustable Pin Wrench

 

[k0ua]

I agree that turning the wheel itself will usually work. On my 9" one time the nut got too tight and the wrench pins were bending so I tried turning the wheel and that did the trick. If the lock button is missing it's a good idea to open the case and find the retaining ring before it gets in the gears.

I also have an adjustable wrench from HF in case I can't find a match. Adjustable Pin Wrench

HA. adjustable Pin wrench.. never knew such a thing even existed.. Learn something new every day!

James K0UA

 

[Zebrafive]

I have a Metabo brand. Shut it OFF and as it is coasting to a stop hit the lock button. Momentum of the disc loosens it. Not abuse, this is how it's designed to work.

 

[jkis]

I have a Metabo brand. Shut it OFF and as it is coasting to a stop hit the lock button. Momentum of the disc loosens it. Not abuse, this is how it's designed to work.

thats how it looked to me on the box, just couldn't bring myself to hit the button.
cheers stuart