Lewis Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 So after deciding on a whim to learn how to draw I bought myself a laptop I resented spending money on a dull, non-Land Rover non-tool purchase so decided to make it up to myself with a new toy A new 4.5" grinder, 720watt slim body Makita, on sale at toolstop. We were getting short on grinders since the last B&Q own brand 5quid special died after a short and unhappy life on wire wheel duty I try to buy bosch where possible and bought a couple of he old model industrial blue ones when they were on offer at screwfix in the summer, but you can never have too many grinders and I thought the Makita was worth a punt Anyway, there was no way I was gonna spend £7 on postage when a few more quid would get me over the free shipping threshold, so I ended up with another grinder A cheapo Fern 750watt 4.5", Its probably carp, but it'll run a strip and clean disc well enough Having two new grinders made me feel better, but I needed them anyway, they weren't much consolation, and I'd been thinking for some time about getting an AC TIG set for Aluminium. I read a few reviews, watched doubleboosts videos on youtube and made up my mind to get an R-Tech TIG161 Sure its no Miller or Kempi, but the reviews are very positive and the UK based support and warranty are reassuring. I cant wait to get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 My dad has that Makita grinder. I call it the tool of death. The power switch latches on, and is in a horrible position. The guard is also on the underside of the disk, so gets in the way and has to be removed for a flapwheel or wire wheel. Also, jealous of the TIG, it's something I'd love to learn someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 I always pull the guards off for soft-pad or wire wheel work anyway. A lot of new grinders tend to come with those full guards, I've been keeping the old style ones and have also ground out the welds on another to convert it If the button is that bad perhaps I'll demote it to strip and clean work instead. I haven't even opened the box yet though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 i have one of those grinders. its at least as good as my old bosch one which has just self destructed. (if you try to turn it upside down when runing you get it jamming up and loads of smoke) the power switch takes a bit of getting used to thats all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I have three of those Makita grinders: No.1 has a slitting disc No.2 has a grinding disc No.3 has either a wire brush or a flap disc. Very good grinders. I also have a 9" Makita for bigger cutting jobs, that is an animal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 i 've got that one too. bought the set from screwfix last year. the 9" is most useful for cutting the back half off a disco chassis.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 i 've got that one too. bought the set from screwfix last year. the 9" is most useful for cutting the back half off a disco chassis.. The 9" is also superb at setting fire to things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 ive never managed that one myself... how would i go about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Well 2 options really, 1 hurts more than the other... 1) You know you really should tidy up your workshop but never get around to it... 2) Wear a cotton boiler suit impregnated with oil & ignore the fact that your leg is getting warm whilst cutting... Before trying either of the above I can heartily recommend you have more than a CO2 extinguisher as that only adds insult to injury! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 3. Wear a wolley jumper with deoderant on :\ I'd love to learn tig, good luck and everyone loves new toys, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I bought the next welder up from that early last year Lewis and so far it's been great. My dad who has spent far too much time on the big old Miller Synchrowaves had a play when I got it and thought it was a really nice machine as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 we have makita power tools, all apart from our 4.5" grinder which is an AEG one IIRC, IMO makita usually pretty nice and long lasting. the batteries on my impact gun last ages and ages. tonight i ran my battery down to where i will think about putting it on charge, it was put on christmas day when i got the thing (not fully charged as i nicked it off the impact screwdriver, battery gauge showed around 2/3 full then mighty impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Oh, I do agree the Makita grinder is very good quality. I just question some of the design choices, that's all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Their li-ion batteries used to be pretty bad , don't know what they are like now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 My welding instructor had an R-Tech, he loved it, it was his recommendation. At the moment I'm debating whether to buy just the DC version, or go all the way for the AC/DC version...which is a lot more money! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Their li-ion batteries used to be pretty bad , don't know what they are like now though. we love them great set especiall as we have 4 batteries and theres always chargemin them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 I bought the next welder up from that early last year Lewis and so far it's been great. My dad who has spent far too much time on the big old Miller Synchrowaves had a play when I got it and thought it was a really nice machine as well. I thought long and hard about buying the 200amp model you have, but having watched doubleboost welding 1/2" aluminium and 10mm steel without exceeding 125amps I couldn't justify the additional £300 for 40amps I won't use I already have a decent 200amp mig, and have access to large transformer TIG's and MIGs set up for stainless and ally up to 600amp at work, so should be safe for any eventuality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 we love them great set especiall as we have 4 batteries and theres always chargemin them all Yeah they do work really well, a mate had 4 batteries, and slowly they all died after about 2 years -it's a known issue, and they were replacing them as fast as they could make at one point, I expect they have solved that issue by now though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I thought long and hard about buying the 200amp model you have, but having watched doubleboost welding 1/2" aluminium and 10mm steel without exceeding 125amps I couldn't justify the additional £300 for 40amps I won't use I already have a decent 200amp mig, and have access to large transformer TIG's and MIGs set up for stainless and ally up to 600amp at work, so should be safe for any eventuality Fair enough, I don't have access to big TIG's anymore, my father has retired now and so have his mates that had big TIG's for work, and unfortunately in my job a soldering iron is about all I get to play with. This was one of the reasons I bit the bullet last year and bought a decent welder. As well as the extra 40 amps it has a higher duty cycle I seem to remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 That's looking a lot like the welder for me. Mig-Argoshield bottle is nearly empty and I have to weld ally at work. Which is free, but not very flexible on when I can grab a set. I could make some good parts if I could ally weld panels any time I needed it........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Steve, feel free to pop round if you wanna have a look/feel before you take the plunge. It won't arrive until mid week, and I don't have a bottle organised yet, but in the next week or so it should be up and running Besides which I could probably use a few tips Got any recommendations on local gas suppliers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich broom Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 a few motor factors are doing the rent free bottles now. save £100 a year on rent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I think rent free is the future. Mine is BOC. Darren thinks Argon is a bit splattery on Mig, but I can't run two. 'Have a go' is very tempting I think my 'tip' would be; to not dip the tungsten in the weld pool. I'm twitchy and drop concentration and then plop, in it goes There's 'dipper' and 'feeders'. Dippers dab the rod into the weld and the others feed it in constantly by working their fingers evenly as they weld. We have both at work. I'm neither. I have to stop to move my pinkies up the rod Pulse setting pushes and pulls the weld pool. It makes blending two edges easier. That is going to be a really useful setting! Looked at the 200 which is the next one up. I think it is more than 13 amp, which I could do, but it limits its use. The 161 really does seem to have all you would want to do stuff, pretty much anywhere ! It might take a spool mig gun as an option? (can't see why it wouldn't) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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