Angle Grinder add ons?

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

I have seen on Youtube type videos, people using what appear to be angle grinders fitted with wire brush cups or sanding discs to clean up exterior timbers. Are they angle grinders with add on attachments or are they a different tool entirely? The only tools that I can find that seem to be similar are rather expensive Hitachi outfits.

Mick

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Mick you can buy wire brushes for angle grinders, the 4" and 4.5" ones have an M14 thread, and many tool suppliers stock them to fit. You can also get backing pads for sanding disc and flap wheels to fit in place of the grinding discs. Somebody will be along with a link in a minute.

Chris Gunn

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Mick further to my post check out Toolstation who have a selection.

Chris Gunn

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

You can get a "chainsaw" disc too , but dont let go of the grinder if it grabs the wood ! Always think of the crotch area when using one…..

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

All sorts of stuff is available. Sanding pads and fibre pads for paint removal etc. etc. diamond cutting discs are good. The chain saw discs are fun !. 4" m/cs are usually M10 and all larger ones are M14, I think. I use a 4" one for rough shaping HSS tools.

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

The make of the angle grinder isn't mentioned. Providing a sensible one was bought there shouldn't be any problems.

I once bought a cheap one from Do It All and used it to cut up the track of a stair lift. 3 cuts and it failed on the last one. The problem was it's max continuous running time. If using something like that it's best to keep an eye on how hot it's getting. Bosch is a name worth remembering and the mains ones don't cost a lot.

John

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[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

I have a Makita mains powered 4.5 inch angle grinder, it has run without fault for years and will work all day if asked to. I use it a great deal to reshape hammer heads for dry stone wallers, typically to reshape the chisel edge behind the front hammer face. I dress that down flat as well and in badly worn cases there might be 1/2 hour of continuous .running involved.

​I also have their portable battery powered drills, again completely reliable tools and used all the time.

​Brian

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

Thanks very much gents.

Mick

[Martin CargillParticipant @martincargill50290]

Be careful of the grinder mounted wire brushes – they can fire off wires at the rate of a machine-gun. Also be aware that not all grinder attachments are rated for the speed of the small grinders. I've caught our boss handing out wire brushes rated at 8500 rpm to use on 4.5" angle grinders that run at 11000 rpm

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

Hi All, off track a little, sorry…….

I run 8 x 9" grinders plus at least 10×4" models, only ever buy Hitachi or Makita now……look for the offers at Screwfix…

mine get used as industrial machines…..they get worked to death, change the ball races once then chuck em out…..

never buy cheapo wire brushes, decent 1's are available from everywhere…..never buy cheap…

.always use GOGGLES….and stand out of the firing line…..

when cutting steel, I now only use ST/ST cutting disc's, they cost a little more than the norm but def last twice as long….

Buy em by the box, usually around the £2 a piece…..share the cost with a friend……..

Clogs……

[Ian WelfordParticipant @ianwelford58739]

Mick

there are a variety of wire brushes, cup discs sanding buts designed for standard and specialist (eg proxon) type angle grinders. The more lethal varieties go under names like "excaliber", Arbor tech were the original chainsaw type discs with carbide insert teeth used to rapidly ( and I mean RAPIDLY possibly even RABIDLY ) carve out sculptures from tree trunks, shape chair seats etc.

If you use an angle grinder a variable speed one turned down is more controllable but still scares the hell out of me.

If using the wire brush types WEAR EYE PROTECTION and heavy clothes. I had to pull several wires out that had gone through a padded shirt and into my ( ample?) waist line. Gave me a reason for having the padding of course….

Hope that's of use.

Ian

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

Thank you all for your valued advice.

Mick

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

You may find that some earlier 4 inch angle grinders do not have m14 threads, if you want to drive the the heavy duty wire cup brushes then a 4.5inch grinder is better as they generally have more powerful motors and wire brushes need power. I have 2 makitas ,bosch, hitachi, a 30 year old Sealey,a £5 chinese cheapy,and a Metabo. The Metabo is by far the best,its powerful and has the lowest level of vibration essential when using continuously,The bosch and hitachi are good ,the makita is ok as a grinder they do suffer from switch problems,one grinder 4in was replaced under warranty,the second a 4.5 out of warranty got binned, and now my Makita table saw has problems with soft start relay,Why do I have a lot of grinders,well when restoring stationary engines there is a need to swop from wire brush,to grinding disc to heavy sanding disc etc and it saves time in continuously stopping and changing discs, the £5 cheapy is only used for 1mm cutting discs,and I have an old 4 inch Makita which has been adapted with a 6mm collet to drive small grinding wheels and decoke type small wire brushes.Just be very careful with the heavy wire brushes,not only protect your eyes and hands,you will find that the bristles fly off and will make a jersey look like a hedgehog,I have not bought one of those cutters with chainsaw teeth,I think they are lethal and best avoided.I tend to wait until screwfix or other dealers have special offers and avoid paying the full cost

[mick70Participant @mick70]

the chainsaw type discs are great for creating loads of debris to clear up.

used to use them for making reptile hides out of logs.

so long as careful no probs with them used mine for few years.

the debris is good for rabbit hutches etc.

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

If people are going to talk sizes it might be best to go metric as the 4 1/2" ones are usually 110mm.

I bought my Bosch one a fair time ago. When I worked on EV's they had one in the workshop that was used daily. Knowing me it is probably the more powerful of the two that they do. I've cut all sorts with it and also done a bit of grinding.

I built a Spartan kit car years ago and needed to scratch brush the panels to get a key for the paint and cut some thick steel and clean it up. I bought a larger Makita for that which was mainly aimed at fettling castings. The body size is roughly the same as the larger ones that builders use and it takes 100mm scratch brushes. It's a 150mm grinder.

I bought a mains operated Metabo sds drill. Ok drilling but when I put a chisel on the end it started showing signs of falling apart while chiselling concrete for an hour or so. It's possible to spend rather a lot of money on these things but the Metabo was more affordable. To me it's that sort of brand.

I think when buying power tools there can be rip off's but there are no free lunches. There is a tendency to get what is paid for. Cheap will mostly be cheap. Personally I think Bosch score heavily in that area, B&Q power plus did too also some of the stuff that Lidl sell at times.

John

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