Which 4.5 inch angle grinder to buy

[aczlan]

Sberry,
You may not be aware....but...BandD is the JUNK line of DeWalt. I've used both and not even close to the same class and durability (and internal construction) though I am sure they share a number of common minor parts.

Actually, from my experience, they generally share many parts but will have (for example) plastic gears rather than metal ones in the same housing. They would also often on a drill have the same back, grip, etc, but the nose was different. Used to be that the batteries would also interchange (in the early 2000s).

Aaron Z

 

[Sberry]

I am aware, yes the price is different but I suspect not much difference, the chassis looks the same. I have actually field tested these under rather extreme duty. This response is typical until a guy uses one, I know a couple welding contractors that use them extensively. I got a whole box full of carcasses, a couple Dewalt 402's in there which I fundamentally like except for the brush wear and if a guy isn't keeping an eye on it takes out the armature, scrap. Like I said earlier we put one where its a daily driver just to see if we could wear it out, survived 5 years or so to the DeWalts we had to replace yearly or so.

I got no interest in selling them.

 

[Sberry]

Actually, from my experience, they generally share many parts but will have (for example) plastic gears rather than metal ones in the same housing. They would also often on a drill have the same back, grip, etc, but the nose was different. Used to be that the batteries would also interchange (in the early 2000s).

I will agree with some of this especially as it applies to drills. This particular model everything came together just right in.

There may be a couple things going with this, don't care enough to investigate but I suspect they used most everything on hand, didn'tnt re-design the major components to save a nickle, might have driven the cost up in added inventory. This unit is heavy, weighs every bit as much as similar common brand units. Its well worth the 10$ difference over the HF, I doubt if the hobby crowd, part timers could wear it out.

 

[aczlan]

I will agree with some of this especially as it applies to drills. This particular model everything came together just right in.
There may be a couple things going with this, don't care enough to investigate but I suspect they used most everything on hand, didn'tnt re-design the major components to save a nickle, might have driven the cost up in added inventory. This unit is heavy, weighs every bit as much as similar common brand units. Its well worth the 10$ difference over the HF, I doubt if the hobby crowd, part timers could wear it out.

Is it the Firestorm model? I have that one (got as a wedding present in 2007) and the only issue I have had was that the cord frayed where it entered the strain relief.

Aaron Z

 

[Sberry]

No, not the firestorm. Kmart had the exact same model and for some strange reason the shelf was full and they had it for 28, had the wife score another. They don't beat Walmart on anything.

Ok, I just looked, new something was funny and looked familiar, 7750is the model. When they were black, the old B&D industrial it was 2750. Its the exact same chassis the change being the switch which is a thumb,,, I like a paddle on the old one better but I can livwithth this.

In all fairness I have had a problem with one unit, the switch, it was maybe 4 yrs old, well worked and I had considered tossing it, when the black and yellowlow2 ones dumped they were usually ruined,, but my helper says,, it just quit, no smoke, etc and he walked it over to the electric bench and the switch they used actually had multiple contacts, he said,,, only one time fix, ha but was back in about 10 minutes and we run it another year or more including a couple big projects from scrap and it quit again when I was busy, I tossed it aside and just replaced it in about an hour (had someone pick it up) and I got a year on this one. I was thinking the new was getting hotter under hard labor than the old but could be my imagination, I am sure a certain amount of it is the luck of the draw but sufficientient.

I was gonna head to my storage, one of these days this winter I am going to get some of the old 2750 out and see what fits, I would love to put the casing switch assembly on the new chassis. ha. Now in confidence I can say from experience as far as common grinders for general fabrication the reason I am impressbecausecauseI got a whole box of 100$ grinders broke and the thing has been absolutely bullet proof,never overloaded or overheated it, the brushes still at 50% and I suspect worthy of the time to put a switch is as well used as fixing any other tool, the great thing is it costs 30$, that part of it is a gift.

I almost forgot,,, original cord, no repairs. In fact still looks nice, very tough finish, if you didnt know any better you wouldnt give it a second thought.