Recommend me an angle grinder
 

A 4.5" one. Which companies do you like? What specs should I look for?

Makita.......nuff said

yeah, they seem to make pretty good ones, ive used dewalts also, keep it name brand seems to work best, better bearings and brushes, smoother longer lasting

I have two angle grinder's...a 4" Makita for finesse details...and a 4.5" DeWalt for the brute force stuff. The 4" Makita has a on/off slide up switch...the 4.5" DeWalt has a hold down lever on the handle so if you drop it, let go of it, it stops...the Makita doesn't.

The 4" Makita will shut it self off after a lot less strain than the 4.5" DeWalt will take...thus it is the brute force grinder. I love them both.

There is a huge difference in the power in the two grinders...but I use both of them for different things and they both suit their purposes well.

Makita and DeWalt both make excellent stuff...as does Milwaulkee. Every power tool I have had that was Craftsman was crap.

:guitar:

I seem pretty comfortable with either button type, but do you guys have a preference? What about handle position options? How about the ability to rebuild the motors and gears?

things ive noticed: (with cheaper models) ability to fit other attachments such as cup-shaped wire brushes, ease of changing/tightening discs, way wire enters body.. lots of movement can bend wire too much causing damage, also check for how much pressure it takes to hold trigger... can become bothersome after hours of grinding, most have a handle that can screw into side, this or some other option to allow hanging on from two diff axes is pretty convenient (removable to get in tight places of course)... I havent had to rebuild or replace components... usually just picked up new ones, cant help you on that one

Steve,

I work at an industrial fabrication shop and we have a bazillion hand power tools floating around. I have one that is on its last leg and talked to our equipment guy about getting it fixed...he said nowadays the parts cost so much that you just go get a new one for what it would cost to fix one.

The 4" Makita has one handle position and can use cutting discs and grinding rocks. Never looked at putting anything else on it, but I'm sure there are other attachments.

The 4.5" DeWalt has right, left and top handle positions, for those brute force jobs and seems to have a lot more attachment options as far as dics, wheels, etc.

The biggest thing for me is having both so I'm not switching out accessories like 20 times an afternoon when doing some fab work...it just got real old.

I even have a nice rack setup on my shop wall with all the accessories for each, so I have them "in stock" when I need them. :hillbill:

:guitar:

Metabo the one and only, good switch design, comfortable, good power

Built like a tank - and weigh almost as much.

Metabo usually spins at higher rpms which is good for cutting...but other than that...I personally don't like them.

:guitar:

Why is faster bad for grinding? (insert tim allen grunt here)

metabos are great for cutting.
I have one of these and have used the #$%# out of it, with no problems.
http://www.blackanddecker.com//Produ...6/QP650B_1.jpg

Can't control it as easily - it will dig in and take off more than you intended. (Specifically speaking about grinding wheels). Flap wheels are more forgiving.

I like my Makita Angle grinder....good tool...Don't buy a HITACHI! I've gone through two of them. The bearings went bad.

I am gonna add my two cents on this...

DONT BUY A HITACHI

Not only are the bearing on mine about to go bad (stops very quickly) but my switch is also crapping out and it tends to randomly start. Very dangerous as you might imagine.

We also have a Bosch 5" @ 11,000RPM which has been working really good for us, no problems whatsoever, but we use it for cutting, not grinding.

I have a 4.5" craftsman professional series and its stout and very strong. it has the bottom lever handle like brian's 4.5". i typically take my shroud off and run 7" paper wheels with a backing plate with no problem to buff down welds and typical grinding/sanding. i'll use 4.5" cutting wheels and it goes thru 1/4" like butter. it has handle positions on the left and right, but i'm not sure about one on the top - to be honest, i haven't looked for one there yet. that's what i used to build my bumper. i'm very happy with it.

Thanks guys. I've always used friends grinders since I don't have a house, but I think it's time to get my own.

The 4.5" Makita that I have has left, and right, handle mounting options. On/off switch as described above. Also has a spindle lock to make easy wheel changes. (and looking at the box now it has externally accessible carbon brushes for easy inspection and replacement). Also on the box, 5 amp weighs 3.1 lbs. I have used it with grinding wheels, cutting wheels, and wire brushes...works great! Model # 9524NBX www.makitatools.com

i bought a $30 Ryobi angle grinder and it has worked awsome. i dont need to grind that often, so the cost was a huge factor. being in college i have limited tools so i have used my angle grinder for more then just grinding metal. sanding wood, cutting PVC pipe etc.

dewalt of course...