4 1/2" Angle Grinders - How Many??

[Redbug]

I am 4 grinder guy...Dewalts...4 1/2 inchers corded...You wind up getting more out of necessity when having to change to a brush, etc.

 

[Dargo]

I only have one, a DeWalt. I've bought too many 4~5 amp grinders that just got too hot while doing really hard grinding. Maybe if I wasn't so hard on them or didn't mind going slow and taking breaks the smaller ones would hold up. Now I only buy the heavy duty grinders, my current one is over 4 years old and is going strong.

I too am pretty well non-negotiable about having quality grinders since I do so much metal work. I mostly use DeWalt and Makita for the smaller stuff and then the old 9" Milwaukee that seems to weigh 40 pounds I bought at a pawn shop decades ago. As opposed to many here, I have absolutely no use for any Horrible Freight grinders. I listened to people opine about how great their HF grinder is etc. etc. My only thought is that there is no way they use their HF grinders like I use mine. After going through what seems like a half a dozen HF grinders I figured it was simply a waste of my time and gas to keep getting replacements when the new ones only lasted one or two times before the factory installed magic smoke self released and said grinder became useless.

I do have an 18v DeWalt grinder and I use it quite a bit with the flapper wheels on it. The new (expensive) batteries hold up fairly well unless you're using an abrasive wheel and really getting it. Still, they last longer than the HF grinders before you need to change the battery. Changing the battery is far easier than replacing the ginder. Besides, the 18v DeWalt has more power anyway when compared to the HF cheapies. HF grinders and chop saws are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to rating HF stuff. I'd rather pay a reasonable price for the tool and have it work for 20 years or more than replace a cheap one weekly. My time is worth more than all those replacement trips.

 

[travis potter]

I use a grinder every day in my work on steel doors and frames, grind welds and bondo. I have tride several brands never the real expensive brands but use the hf grinders most last 1 or 2 years before I drop them from a ladder or break the switch. On the Milwuakee brand I only use theire sawzall but the tool shop that repairs them for me says a few years back they bought a co. that made electrical switches and changed to the new switch he can't keep then instock the new ones are junk. Not as good as the old drills,grinders and saws.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

I have six 4 1/2" grinders and they all get used.

If I had to get only one though I would get one of the Metabo 4 1/2" grinders with the quick change arbor feature. Makes changing wheels extremely easy and quick without the need for any tools.

The fact that Metabo makes a top quality tool is just an added benefit. :thumbsup:

I think we paid around $130 each for ours (we have two).

 

[mefyj]

Keep'n it simple... three 4.5" grinders
1: grinding wheel
2: cutting wheel
3: wire wheel
.and I actually have 30amp outlets for 'em.

 

[KubotainNH]

Now see what this post did? I now have to 4.5" grinders because of it. Also because HF had a coupon for a $10 grinder. How could I pass that up?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Now see what this post did? I now have to 4.5" grinders because of it. Also because HF had a coupon for a $10 grinder. How could I pass that up?

I missed that coupon. The best I saw recently was $15 for their cheapest grinder.

I'm down to two grinders again, and I'm looking for a deal on one to have as a standby.

 

[KubotainNH]

PM me with an e-mail address, I may have the coupon via an e-mail and will forward it on if so.

 

[Bill 55]

I have a 4 1/2 in Makita that I have abused for almost 30 yrs, and my father inlaw's old chinese 4 1/2 that I use sparingly as it sounds like a box o'rocks when you hit the switch. A friend has a 4 1/2 Metabo that is the most amazing grinder I have ever used, but then he runs a general contracting business for his dad and they don't have time to deal with junk. The old Makita will probably outlast me.

 

[rjmack]

I wouldn't take a 4 1/2" grinder if you gave it to me.

Makita USA - Tool Details - 9005B