Angle grinder questions


 
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Dave S Iowa

New member
So I'm going to attempt the crossmember rehab this weekend and planning on grabbing an angle grinder. I've never used an angle grinder before...any tips for using one? I know theres some safety issues when using them because they spin like 10,000 to 12,000 rpm. I'd like to get a face shield but those are hard to come by nowadays. I know you should also not use cutting discs for grinding because they are thin and could shatter throwing shrapnel at you. Any safety features to be on the look out for? It sounds like paddle switches would be nicer but that seems to significantly increase the cost. I was leaning towards something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metabo-HPT...liding-Switch-Corded-Angle-Grinder/1001107544 or this https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-4-1-2-in-6-Amp-Sliding-Switch-Corded-Angle-Grinder/1000594633
 
Okay.......

1) NEVER put your body across the plane of a cutting disk. When it shatters, a 10k RPM spinning disk puts a lot of kinetic energy into the fragments. This also applies to grinding disks, but those are less likely to come apart due to their thicker construction. For that matter, just stay out of the line of fire if at all possible.
2) Don't put any sideways pressure on a cutting disk, only into the plane of the disk. Sideways pressure leads to risk #1.
3) Check your wire brush wheels before use for loose wire. Don't use a wheel that's out of balance.
4) Face shields are good.
5) A dust mask may be a good idea as well.

Personally, I've found that using good disks & wheels pays off. They just work better and last longer.

If you're just going to be an occasional user, Harbor Freight generally has economy grinders on sale for about $20 and they're perfectly serviceable if you're not making a living with them (I have 2.) Yes, they're going to be noisy, but almost disposable at $20.
 
1 how much you plan to use it justifies what model and price you are willing to pay.
2 corded or battery. Corded can run longer periods of time and have more power. If you are doing small projects lenght of use is not so important.
2 go to different stores like a lowes ,harbor freight, put different units in your hands , try out the switches,as you said paddle is the best for quick control. Also variable speed sometimes you do not need 20k 5k will do the job.weight of tool you may brake using this tool for hours
4 protection wear long pants and a good fitting shirt long sleeves are best. A hat and most of all eye and ear protection. High frequency noise can effect your hearing over the long term trust me I wear hearing aides, eye protection but good fitting safety glasses with good side protection and buy 2 or 3 as they get dirty and damaged by the flying debris. Good heavy gloves.
5 when using this tool or any power tool patents is the key do not try to remove all of what you are going after on the first pass, several lighter passes are easier on you and your attachment. If it comes off in one pass great or it may take 5 or 10. Do not work one area to long keep moving and then return ,so not ot over heat the material you are removing as it will become soft and start to penetrate even deeper into the porous base material .
6 take breaks and check your progress. For me it is a fire box I want to remove all loose carbon and debris, I am not wanting to try get back to clean original surface. During your breaks feel the surface with a rag to see if you are getting material transfer if not that area should be ready for the wipe down phase.

I know way to wordy and you are not 15 years old,sorry habit.
 
If you don't intend to use it much a cheap Harbour Freight grinder might do. My last one cost me $5 at HF. Good enough for these cleanup jobs. Yes I know it is cheap stuff made in Asia but even major brand name grinder can fail. I had a Makita grinder years ago which caught fire while cutting steel. Flames coming from the motor. As for safety gear what was said above.
 
Obviously eye protection, then breathing and ear protection are the most important, but I agree with Bruce that gloves are too.

Here's a pair of welding gloves from Harbor Freight that I bought based on a strong recommendation from a You Tube video that identified a top 5 list of items you "should" buy at HF. The reviewer was right, in my opinion. Very flexible yet also tough. I had some stiff leather gloves I used before. They may have given a little more protection but part of the safety comes from handling the tool effectively. These VULCAN gloves let me do that much better:

www.harborfreight.com

Professional MIG Welding Gloves, Large

Amazing deals on this Mig Welding Gloves, Large at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com
 
Except I think that the Vulcan brand is one of those that are excluded from most, although not all, of their coupon deals. I would be interested to see what you think when you try them on. I know they are for welding, but they can be used in other ways such as grinding.
 
Better grab a pair! They are extending coupon expiration dates to 6/30. I think you will really like them.
 
The big thing in my opinion is staying out of the plane of rotation and wearing eye protection. When one of those disks lets go it’s impressive.

My HF grinder has served me well.
 
Dave S Iowa said:
So I'm going to attempt the crossmember rehab this weekend and planning on grabbing an angle grinder. I've never used an angle grinder before...any tips for using one? I know theres some safety issues when using them because they spin like 10,000 to 12,000 rpm. I'd like to get a face shield but those are hard to come by nowadays. I know you should also not use cutting discs for grinding because they are thin and could shatter throwing shrapnel at you. Any safety features to be on the look out for? It sounds like paddle switches would be nicer but that seems to significantly increase the cost. I was leaning towards something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metabo-HPT...liding-Switch-Corded-Angle-Grinder/1001107544 or this https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-4-1-2-in-6-Amp-Sliding-Switch-Corded-Angle-Grinder/1000594633
Click to expand...
Here's a template for your very own DIY face shield...

www.spoon-tamago.com

Tokujin Yoshioka Releases Free Template to Create Your Own Face Shield

Healthcare workers around the world are putting their lives on the line to fight COVID-19 but their battle continues to be fought uphill as a shortage of medical supplies threatens to disrupt an already overwhelmed system. Bespectacled Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka wanted to do something to hel
www.spoon-tamago.com
 
Thanks guys for all the good info!

Matt B. said:
The big thing in my opinion is staying out of the plane of rotation and wearing eye protection. When one of those disks lets go it’s impressive.

My HF grinder has served me well.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I'm totally understanding what it means to stay out of the plane of rotation? If the disc is held vertical are you saying i shouldn't be standing behind in that same vertical line? And I should instead be standing off to the side?
 
Dave S Iowa said:
... I know theres some safety issues when using them because they spin like 10,000 to 12,000 rpm. I'd like to get a face shield but those are hard to come by nowadays. I know you should also not use cutting discs for grinding because they are thin and could shatter throwing shrapnel at you...
Click to expand...
Words well spoken. I had an one-time neighbor that died from being struck in the head by the shrapnel from an exploding disk. He made his living carving things out of giant samples of coquina rock used for landscaping. A bit of an artist I guess.
 
Good advice from all of the above. I'll just add to watch the wheel rotation. ( there should be an arrow marked on the grinder) That should always be pointed away from you towards the work, reverse it and the grinder can kick back towards you.
Use the guard. Better grinders have an adjustable guard so you can easily rotate it as you change angles.
Use the side handle, those are adjustable for either right or left handed work.
And yea don't go cheap on the gloves. Grinding ,cutting causes sparks, heat and I've had a few times where my gloves stated to melt or smoke.

Tim
 
Most grinders have a sliding power switch which can be put in the "locked on" position. That can come in handy, but also a bit dangerous. If the tool is unplugged and you're putting it away, for example, you might bump the switch to on. That means the next time you plug it in, the motor starts right away. That's why you should always set the tool down "upside down", which is to say with the disk up rather than touching your bench. Otherwise you might have the grinder chasing you around the shop or possibly causing damage to something. It's also a good idea to unplug the tool anytime you're changing disks.
 
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