115mm Angle Grinders - best buys ?

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

From the land of grump........

I HAD 3 angle grinders,

1 "posh" one - ryobi costs a load, with a flap linishing wheel.

1 Bosch green - medium price - with a 1mm cutting disc

1 cheap as hell Power Devil with silly huge motor bought years ago for £14.99 and abused horribly.

Sunday saw the Bosch er "Melt N Smoke"

last night the Posh one threw its feet up in the air...

Which leaves me with just the big motored cheap junk one - still working ???

So, B*gger buying expensive angle grinders........

I wnat suggestions for

2x angle grinders, 115mm type, biggest motor vs cheapest price and where to get from ??

I have really got the hump between family probs, work probs, house probs, this really helped "Chill me" last night

NOT

wots next from the pageant of lifes rich tapestry ?

(Do not answer that please )

Nige

[ltwt1981]

Nige I bought a cheap one from Wickes, works fine and lasted a good few years. Don't know the motor size but it does OK for me. We also have a big petrol one for those tough jobs.

[Les Henson]

I have a Bosch GWS 7 angle grinder. Had it for a couple of years now, and it's a very tough tool.

Got a Ryobi power drill, they are bluddy expensive things too.

Les.

[freeagent]

bought a 'FERM' (i think) big grinder from screwfix about 3 years ago, has unconditional 3 year warranty, abused and thrashed it big style...

when it did finally cough and give up, we contacted them, as didn't have receipt, they traced our purchase through our postcode, we sent it away, it wasn't worth repairing so they sent us a new replacement, as our model had been discontinued we got the new updated one...

not bad considering it was only about £35 to start with...

would certainly recomend..

[Mark90]

Nige I bought a cheap one from Wickes, works fine and lasted a good few years. Don't know the motor size but it does OK for me. We also have a big petrol one for those tough jobs.

Aye another vote here for Wickes grinders. Had mine a couple of years and it's had some abuse, only grinder I have so it gets used for everything. Think it cost about £15 and if it dies tomorrow I've still had my moneys worth out of it, and I'd buy another one. IIRC it's 800W. Much better quality than B&Q brand power tools.

[02GF74]

I have a Black and Decker professional, bought almost 20 years ago when I was replacing sills on my MGB - still going strong. It even survived being borrowed by a mate who afyter being inspired by my sill replacing, decided to do his Midghet - abrasive disc came back the size of a 2 p (the larger old ones), let's say I was not amused, bu%%er didn;t replace it either Dunno what the wattage.

I think most of my workshop hand tools are B&D and not really had problem with any other them (excpet cordless drill battery had gone bad).

[dirtydiesel]

I've allways found cheap ones don't last.

I've got a makita at the mo which has lasted 3 years, the beaings have been rumbling for 6 months of so but it keeps on going.

Bosch's pro range is reasonably priced and work well though,

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Pro range ???

I have seen bosch blue and green - is there a difference ?

Nige

Back here waiting for the AA as wheel brace suppiled with car will not remove wheel to change falt .....

[SeriousIIa]

Wouldn't recommend the Black&Decker ones (sorry there was Bosch here but I made a mistake, got a Bosch blue 180mm one that haslasted for ages so that's okay!!). The had a special discount on them last week. Bought one. Traded it for a new one 2 days later because all the teaath had gone missing. Then only 7 hours (continues use) this one died from the same problem. They gave me another one but I had to promise not to come back again.......

Got a Dewalt also , been lasting for 4 yours now. with lots of abuse (grinding all day long) Only thin is that the electrical contact have to be resoldered now and then. Very nice machine.

Got also an Einhell with 1300!!!watt motor. But it failed bigtime after about 5 months! And gave a nice fire

Cheers Bowy

[02GF74]

Cheers Bowy

You should tidy that kitchen up a bit

[Les Henson]

Gawd, you scruffy devil!

Les.

[simonr]

It may just have been a one-off, but, in 1987 I bought a Makita one as my cheap-as-chips one expired and it was all the shop had (Haywards in Tunbridge wells IIRC).

Despite nearly 20 years abuse - it's still going strong! Original brushes and everything. It looks horrible though - a very 'organic', sucked sweet look - but obviously good quality. It was about £100 in 87.

Other people seem to reckon Hitachi are good - and that's what I'll buy next.

I had a pair of the best own-brand ones that Homebase do. Neither lasted a week. The gearbox on one locked up solid in use, causing the disk to explode (I have a nice 4" scar on my tummy above my appendix scar a year on!).

I swapped the pair for a green Bosch one - which has been fine so far.

Si

[dollythelw]

We get a max of a week from a Bosch grinder,

I run a 3 grinder setup bought from B&Q half a mile from home, the grinders last a week of hard use or upto a month of pansy use but as sure as eggs is eggs they will all die

I keep the receipt and the box, and take them back, of the 3 I originally bought Ive had 8 or 10 replacements, cutting is the killer and cutting Ally is even more efficient and meting them

Ferm do two ranges - industrial and hobby, the hobby is pants, the industrial is superb, bought one in slovakia and other than the locking pin snuffing it due to rolling disc change technique its the oldest veteran of the barn it whimpers and hides in the darkness when we go near it but still works well, its spared from the carnage that the bosch's have to take as its a heavy thing to work in small spaces

[Mark]

Green bosch is thier domestic range, and Blue is their Pro range (or at least this was the case a couple of years ago).

I have a black and decker 800W which I have had for about 5 years and has been abused and is now rumbling. I also have a blue homebase (powerbase brand) which I have had for about 4 years and has only ever been used for sanding but is still going strong.

At christmas I treated myself to a Metabo Grinder from screwfix (picked the most expensive one in the catalogue in the hope that it was good!) and so far has been excellent. I believe metabo is the same company as elektra beckum, so I am hoping it will last. It is certianly quieter and smoother than either of the others.

B&Q ones have plastic gearboxes (and gears) so probably not a great idea.

Not sure that helps much. but hey...

Cheers

Mark

[ripley]

Ive used my Einhell 115mm 850w Grinder everyday with 1mm Cutting Discs or Grinding Discs

for over 2yrs now, still works perfect, was expensive but well worth the money.

For light Finishing I use a Northern Tools £9.99 500w Grinder, Its lasted over 6months so far,

but at that price I dont care if it stops working tommorrow

[Les Henson]

It's alright saying 'it cost me £15 and I don't care if it packs up tomorrow' but you see, you're forgetting sods law, which means that it'll pack up on a sunday afternoon when you are halfway through doing something that has to be done by the morning. I think if you buy cheap, then buy two - that way you'll be covered against sods law.

Les.

[white90]

I have a Makita 9" grinder and a Black & Decker Pro 4" one

the black and decker has done tons of work and is still ok bar a small flt on the pin to lock the disc it doesn't and changing discs is a PITA

The Makita is very powerful and has cut no end of :

Walls

Blocks

Paving slabs

Steel

Ali

I'd get another one if I ever had to.

[Gromit]

if you buy cheap, then buy two - that way you'll be covered against sods law.

Be aware that doing that doubles the likelyhood of sod's law occurring in the first place. Given that in this case sod's law would state that both your grinders grind to a halt at the same time, it may not be such a good idea. B)

[simonr]

That's two votes for Makita then!

Si

[s2hotdog]

I would reccomend Bosch blue ............ thats what I got spares are available brought mine from a autojumble

Had it checked over at work (bosch blue grinders are all we generally use) and overhaulled had no probs I do abuse it not as much as you prfessionals though

Steve

[Tonk]

i've got bosch blue grinders, 4" and 9", grind all day then bang some nails in with them when u've finished.

[Astro_Al]

Hmm, I'm kinda suprised by the bad reports of bosch grinders so far - I've got one which has lasted really well, I can't remember what the others are - a B&D one I think, dunno.

I keep at least 2 or 3 set up - one with a cutting disc, one with a grinding disc and usually at least one extra one for when I can't find the other 2 (I guess they go the same place as tape measures and pens, only to magically re-appear 3 hours later), and can't be bothered tidying the floor to find them.

In the end, I see them as expendable and wouldn't 'waste' money on a pricey one, but I'd definitely buy bosch again.

Al.

[02GF74]

Hmm, I'm kinda suprised by the bad reports of bosch grinders so far - I've got one which has lasted really well, I can't remember what the others are - a B&D one I think, dunno.

I keep at least 2 or 3 set up - one with a cutting disc, one with a grinding disc and usually at least one extra one for when I can't find the other 2 (I guess they go the same place as tape measures and pens, only to magically re-appear 3 hours later), and can't be bothered tidying the floor to find them.

In the end, I see them as expendable and wouldn't 'waste' money on a pricey one, but I'd definitely buy bosch again.

Al.

... and junior hacksaws. I misplaced mine, looked ages for tit then bought an identical one from B&Q, put it down in the garage and virtually on top of the one that had gone missing, despite having searched that area many times. Aliens, I reckon.

[jules]

Ryobi are OK ish on site there regarded as the lower quality make

Hire shops supply

Bosch = good

Makita = very good

De-Walt = good

I have

Bosch

power pro(B&Q)

£14 one that I can't remember the name of but get the most use!.

Hilti = untouchable by any other brand but you pay for quality

[tomaxcars]

We used to go through 4 1/2" (115mm) grinders with great frequency - even a bosch one bit the dust eventually. When a new one was required I didn't want to spend a fortune (more difficult than you'd think in Ireland) - but comparing specs a Bosch 600watt unit was the same price as a Dewalt 900watt unit - So we opted for the Dewalt and it's been going strong for a year now - slightly heavier due to the motor size - but even with paddle sanders and plenty of pressure it's difficult to burden the motor. Cost approx 85 EUR ex. VAT.

Also we have switched to using stainless steel discs for all our cutting - when bought in bulk they are the same price as normal discs - but they make extremely light work of mild steel. Only about .9mm wide - they don't tend to heat up the area half as much as traditional discs - also cutting straight lines by hand is easier. We pay 1.50 EUR per disc.

9" (230mm) is a 2000watt bosch unit bought second hand and it's held up well for 5 years.

Cheers,

Andrew.