4-1/2" Grinder - Does anybody make on that lasts?

I bought one of the blue HF units about 4 years ago. Even cut the damn cord and had to redo it to use it.

The only thing that killed it finally was cutting the motor out of a '47 Caddy I went through the floor and cut the bolts for the trans crossmember - the car'd sat in some sandy ground before I got it, and it seemed like some of that got into the grinder.

So this spring when that happened I went and bought another one for $16. They wanted to charge me $10 or $20 for a warranty, and I said, these are always on sale, it costs me less to just buy another one.

If I were using somehting every single day in the shop, as opposed to usually out in the field where there's a good chance it will get dropped in the mud or some other crazy thing, I'd spend the money either for a good unit, or have several HF units handy and a new one in the box on the shelf somewhere too. I mean at $16-$17, I can buy like 12 of them for the price of some high end units, then be lazy and have a cutoff wheel on one, a grinding wheel on another, and so on. I was actually looking to see if I could put a sanding pad on one of these - and I found one that would fit, but it uses hook and loop sandpaper. Would rather find one I can use the sticky ones with.

 

I've had a Bosch for over 10 years never missed a beat.

 

I've been using... errr... abusing my DeWalt 4 1/2" for about 10yrs. I use it a few times a week. I had to replace a $2.59 bearing about a month ago, and clean up the switch locking mechanism. When the time comes, I'll replace it with another DeWalt.

 

I've beat the **** out of my $50 craftsman and haven't had any problems yet. When it finally dies, I'll bury it in may back yard and try to remember all of the good times we've had together.

 

I have a Makita thats older than dirt, never a problem, and a 7 yr old Snap on 4 1/2, its been fine too....my son got one from the local swap meets "Tool Tent"...we killed it in 20 min. The cooling fan MELTED, and it superheated.....

 

The switch on my 10 year old Dewalt will not stay in the lock position but will not die. Bought a reman Makita a few years ago. gets the most hard use now. Got a orange HF for cut-off use. Its seems pretty tough and hasen't died yet. Can't beat the price.

 

I have 2 grinders that seem indestructable.
#1 is a HILTI, I've had since 1991
#2 is a Millwaukee, since 1999 both take a heavy duty beating daily.
I've tried others like Dewalt, Makita and Porter Cable, and wasnt impressed.
I hear METABO makes good tools

 

Been using a DeWalt for over 8yrs. can't kill it!

 

I worked them in the refinerries forever and what we found to last are Metabo first Dewalt second.

 

yep Metabos are the **** ! I have 2 they're pricey but I got them for a deal I know a guy.

 

Metabo's rock! Amazingly balanced, and lots of other nice features. Buy it once, use it forever.

 

Aren't Craftsman's warranteed for life?

 

i have a old makita that i got for $10 at the swapmeet over 10 years ago. it's a 4" and i beat the **** out of it.

 

metabo, one thing to watch for on any grinder is the bruches sticking, if there not making good contact they over heat the armature and thats the end of your grinder, i clean my bruches and there holders and the armature about every 6 months.

 

been using dewalt and milwakee and some miketas (sp) I work in heavy industrial work, and use the dewalts at home in my shop. they seem to take the best pounding for the dollar.

 

No, that warranty only applies for hand tools, not power tools.

 

Black & deckers are cheap and I've had mine for 8 years with no problems other then vibration. They seem to vibrate a lot more than other grinders. Also, they are akwardly shaped and hard to hold. Don't take the guard off or you will regret it.

 

I got a Craftsman. Have it for over 15 years and its still going strong. I think I have burned up 4-5 HF ones since then too.

 

dewalts grinders hold up pretty good. i wont buy harbor frieght so to me the dewalt is a very good bang for the buck .i have 4 grinders that i beat the **** out of. i havent bought a grinder in the last 5 years. i have a dewalt, black and decker industrial and a craftsman industrial, which are all the same grinder, the craftsman has a slitghtly different trigger, and a miluakee. i am an ironworker , have used tons and tons of grinders, i personally think metabo is the best, and hilti is right behind them, but they both go for a good buck. there is more than long life in a grinder, some of the more expensive models give off a lot less vibration and are more comfy.

 

Hey, I bought mine at HF. Use it all the time, but it seems mine puke out in about a year.
Here's the trick. Spend the $10 for the warrenty. WE KNOW it's gonna die... but for a little of nothing you can get a 3 year warrenty. SO once you buy one,... you know they gotta replace them for the next three years.
Spend the $25 or so for the HF one,.. use the hell out of it and when it gies trade it in for a new one.

 

The ones at HF are (like you said $20-$25)
My suggestion.. spend the $10 or so for the THREE year extended warrenty. When they die after 8 months or so,... they replace them for three years.

 

i have a bosch that i got used it looked like hell when i got it. then i used it to wire wheel plaster and mortor off about 100 foot long 12 foot high brick wall and its still going. its insane

 

Craftsman wouldn't even warranty my Torque wrench Sears stuff ****s now none of the electric stuff has the replacement warranty.

 

Dewalt!!

 

Makita use the **** out of it better than anything else out there

 

Maybe you havnt used a Metabo!?!

I have 2 Makitas, as well as a Metabo. The Metabo has a much more balanced motor, so it has just about zero vibration in your hand, needs no wrench to change wheels (no wrench to lose, and a big time saver), no screwdriver needed to change guard position (I finally make proper use of the safety guard!), clutch in case a cut off wheel jams. All these features really put metabo above the compe***ion.

Its all about personal preference, but anyone I know who has used a Metabo once, has sworn that their old favorite just doesnt hold a candle to the Metabo.

 

yep....

 

I bought a heavily used SKIL 4 1/2 at a Pawnshop in town a couple of months back when I was first working on my truck for $20.00

I've cut and ground with it pretty heavy, and its never laid down on me (except the Reset switch in the back fooled me into thinking it was dead at one point)

Just can't cut too much with it on sheetmetal, or grind for more than half an hour.

 

Agreed.. Metabo hands down. Best grinder out there bar none.

 

Got a flyer in the mail yesterday from Harbor freight, all coupons. The 4 1/2 grinders (blue case) are $10 with the coupon. Going to go grab a couple spares, I think. It's cheaper than buying the warranty -