Seems like I go thru them about once a year. I have used the 4 1/2" harbor frieght ($19) cheapies and them last 6 to 12 months. My 5.5 amp craftsman ($39) just puked after 18 months. Been looking at a Dewalt 7 amp unit which runs $69 - any one have any luck with this unit?
whats is a 5.5 amp craftsman? I have a "professional" craftsman 4.5 inch angle grinder that i bought in 1998 (I actually have two.. and when I grapped it to use it to sand some wood yesterday I thought what the hell I've had this thing for along time..) I use the heck out if it.. its been used to grind wood, plastic, metal and I even used it with a buffing wheel once or twice.. maybe you just bought the chineese version of the craftsman? sawzall
Yeah, I've got the Craftsman Professional version as well. Had mine since '87. I've used the everlovin' shit of it it too: cutting lengths of rebar to use as landscape wall nails, grinding a lot of stuff, put a twisted wire cup on it to strip rust out of I-don't-know how much stuff, and stripped all the undercoating off the bottom of a '56 Chevy with a wire cup. It stays in it's own devoted box, to keep the years of shop grime off it, which has probably helped the motor last a long time. It was about $139 back in '87, which was a helluva lot of money for a 17 year old kid, but it's been worth it. -Brad
I've got both a Makita and a Bosch and both have worked perfectly for 2+ years...........They both cost a little more than $80 each but they were worth it...........
I have about 5 or 6 Dewalts (my wife says I have problems). They have all been great. I bought two of them new, two from swap meets and one that a buddy gave me with the ring and pinion wiped clean. I bought new gears from Dewalt and it has done well ($36 shipped). I used those $10 for a while too. I used the justification, "I can throw away 6 or 8 of them for ONE Dewalt." Well, that's just what I did....junk.....no power......too fragile, etc. Since I have so many, now, my use of them is spread out. So I don't know how much I've really thrashed on any particular one... If they still make it, don't buy the less expensive Dewalt...the one with the plastic gear cover....the locking device for removing the stone SUCKS!!!!! I lucked out and picked up a new looking Metabo with a cup brush for $20 from a local pawn shop. I'll have to say, I'm impressed but I don't think I give $200-300 for one over a Dewalt. My neighbor has a Milwaukee......very smooth and seems to be built well. my .02 buy the dewalt....
I'd say that was money well spent I have a Makita now, it seems to be fine I have known guys to wear out any machine in short time they will bear down on it till the gears growl and the motor smokes then call the thing a piece of shit the way to make a grinder last, well you do need to start with a good one, is to listen to it, if it's complaining, you are pushing too hard
That happened to my first harbor freight. When I got a new one, I opened up the gear box and filled it full of outboard motor grease. Cleaned the screws and put them back in with locktight. Then when they went on sale I got another one, I think it was $12 or $14. Since then I've worn the cord out on one of them, put a new cord on. They are both still grinding away.
I did the same thing. I used the Dewalt with the metal gearbox and replaced it about twice a year. Then I started checking out other brands.The Makita is a better unit, but if you've never tried a METABO you owe it to yourself. That sumbitch is bulletproof! Best I've ever owned and that includes several Milwaukees..............
I would go with the DeWalt I use them every day (pipe welder). Don't buy cheap junk when it comes to something you use often. Upgrade to the paddle switch it's safer anyhow. The grinders I'm using today were bought 4 years ago. Just my 2 cents.
I'M A WELDOR/FABRICATER AND USE 5 INCH GRINDERS ALMOST CONSTANTLY.Because of they type work I do I grind atleast 4 hours a day continuosly. Shops around here use either dewalt or milwaukie grinders and Ive been using both daily for more than 10 years.in all that time I have NEVER had either one do more than use up a set of brushes!I don,t care how bad it smells fried or how much they sound like they ate bearings!TRY a new set of brushes they are very easy to change no soldering needed they just plug in .Napa auto parts carries a brush assortment that i have always been able to get replacements from. Milwakie will outlast Dewalt better than 3to1 my milwakie used 2 sets of brushes in the last 8 months we grabbed a Dewalt because the company supply house didn,t have brushes on hand last time it just died this week less than 2 months old!but I am positive its just the brushes nothing more.I'm so sure that these thing only cook brushes that I have taken home "junk"units replaced the brushes and sold them to friends and family .not one has failed in home use yet, now I think makita is also a real good machine I have a midsize that i've owned 10 years that I use at home no failures at all with it.Ihave makita drills and other power tools none have failed me yet . I also use dewalt and milwakie grinders that I have taken as junk these are what i use most for everyday stuff home the makita is used mostly with a hard wheel and the other 2 with 36 or finer sanding discs.WATCH your extension cord size because that will kill your tools faster than anything keep them as short as possible and use the heaviest gauge you can get.my work isnt weld a little and dress the weld then weld a little it's weld an hour or more strait then grab a grinder and hide all signs of welding 4 or more hours non stop grinding.if you see the chance to get a dead grinder grab it and try this out most company won't even check out a dead grinder just toss it and buy a new one . as they say just MHO
Got 4 of the $15 tent sale cheapies for school. 2 of them died within a few weeks. the other 2 are still going after two years of high school student abuse. I guess quality is hit or miss on the cheapies.
I've had my Millwaukie now for 20 yrs. Put about 3 sets of brushs in , 1 cord, and 1 switch. Still going strong today. Buy a good one. You get what you pay for !
I have a 12/13 year old Milwaukee and have put in 3 sets of brushes...I think the armature is finally going bad - it's slow. Those $15 tool sale units aren't worth hauling home: the switches are junk and the wheel is too close to the side handle. After knocking my knuckles a couple times I threw the 2 I had away. Charlie
60's style has the solution for about 80-90% of the small grinder failures. they just won't last when loaded to almost stall. You can't be impatient if you expect to make them last. If you are putting any more than just light down pressure on the grinder your making it heat up and shortening it's life. Let it feed itself into the work. As soon as it has removed the surface material it automatically starts on the undelyling metal and the cycle just keep repeating. Forcing the wheel into the stock usually results in the RPM dropping and less material being removed. Treat it more like a surgical knife and less like an ax and it will return a better job for a longer time. Frank
I had used the harbor freight ones for a few years. I never had one burn out, but the button to lock the spindle to change disks broke. I finally stepped up to a $70 Makita and theres no turning back. It runs smooth, unlike the harbor frieght ones that vibrate bad. I never knew what I was missing.
FWIW - I bought a Makita when they first came out - they were less than 1/2 the price of a Milwaukee back then. This is the 3-1/2" one with the aluminum head. I've beat the dog snot out of it for 12 or 15 years now and that sucker just keeps taking it! Granted I do pull the head apart every 3 or 4 years to regrease the gears but that's it. Now granted it ISN'T a Milwaukee not by a long shot - the LOCK ON switch failed with the first couple years but I never cared. I did notice that they came out with a PLASTIC HEADED one - my buddy bought one - yuk!!!! WAY LESS POWER and it'll trip the thermal switch in a second if you lean on it too hard. Mine doesn't have that thermal switch and hasn't needed it either. For years I lusted after a 4" Milwaukee because the discs cost the SAME and I figured that it would make it that much cheaper to run, and I finally got one for cheap - store display or something. Anyways it's great BUT!! I find that the slightly smaller Makita is easier to get into tight locations not only with the tool itself but the disc size as well. Whoda thunk. Speaking of disc size - do yourself a favor and keep those that are 1/2 worn out - there will be times when you NEED the smaller sized disc!! So now I still have both (3-1/2" Makita and 4" Mlwaukee) and wouldn't get rid of either one. I reach for the Makita 99% of the time - not that it's "better" than the Milwaukee (because I don't think it is) but it seems more versatile - at least for the "finer" work. Gonna miss it when it finally goes south. I've looked over some Dewalt stuff - looks to be well made - wouldn't mind trying their stuff out - at least they appear to be ok.
I've got several Black & Deckers from wally world. One year warranty and it's easy to get them warrantied each year. I don't like to change the stuff over so I just have one for grinding ,one for wire brush ,one for flap disc,one for cutoff wheel ect. saves a lot of time. I'm not saying they are the best but when one of them screws up I can always find a receipt thats about a year to match.
Ive a $12 Cal Hawk that is used only with a cut off disc, no problems since 1997; amperage matters, this one is 600W, many are only 400-500W. I have Milwaukee and Makita for HD grinding.
My father and I are tile and stone masons and we have used makita angle grinders since the early 90's. I have three and we fuckin rail on them, after work they go in my garage and see metal work use too. I love thema nd will never use anything else. I've trashed dewalts,milwaukees and harbor frieghts. If you buy a makita make sure you get the higher end ones with aluminum gear cases.
I use Makita all day @ work, same grinder for 3 years now, had a DeWalt @ the house, it died building a building a frame for the roadster, bought myself a new Makita, took it to work, brought home the old one, still love it, works like a champ! Note: DO NOT lose the "nuts" that hold on the discs, I usually toss mine since my grinding wheels and wire wheels are nutted 5/8 and fit right on the arbor, but when you need to put a cutting wheel on, you're shit outta luck w/o those nuts. Me
4.5's I have a beat up Black and Decker, 8 years old or so. But I also have 6 Harbor Freights. Each has something different attached to it, grinder wheel, wire brush, wire brush cup, flapper wheel, one of those flimsy cut off disks. It saves so much time, not having to stop and switch out. And for under $20 a piece, its worth it to SAVE MY TIME! For the big BERTHA 7" I have a Makita. Smooth, and will eat though all shit like a knife through warm butter.
As fas as electric grinders go, mine is a Bosch. It's a quality piece. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
I've got a Milwaukee 4" that Ive had so long I don't remember when I got it. Replaced the switch and cord a couple of times,the brushes once. Have had it so hot I couldn't hang on to it many times. I've have a Hitachi in the shop now for a few years and so far no problems. I keep a stone on one and a flap wheel on the other to save time changing them.
I am a ceramic tile installers by trade, and i use a Mikita very heavy.....mine has lasted 12 years.....used daily, i just keep blowing the dust out of it at least once a week.....try them out!!!!!! ....but dont buy the cheap one.....they run about 89.00 now.......
i just bought some, RIGID. wanted some made in the USA but couldn't find any. found the rigids are made in germany, very close second if you ask me. i didn't want send my money to china if i could help it. later jim
i bought a 4" used makita from the swapmeet about 10 yrs ago ($10) and it hasn't given up yet................
check my earlier post only problem I have had with these is worn brushes in more than 10 years of heavy usage on the job
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