4 1/2 grinder

HNM

Member
Looking for a good 120 volt 4 1/2" grinder with paddle switch.What have you had good luck with.Thanks for your input. Neil
 
(quoted from post at 15:51:41 01/12/19) Looking for a good 120 volt 4 1/2" grinder with paddle switch.What have you had good luck with.Thanks for your input. Neil

I've got metabo and milwaukee... no problem with either

john
 
I have had a DeWalt for a few years and it does a good job. I got a Harbor Freight one that ran for an hour or two total and recently died, and even before it died I broke the lock so it was very hard to change discs. I had read somewhere that they were just as good, and while it was 1/4 of the price it was worth even less than I paid.
Zach
 
I have a Makita and a Dewalt. Replaced the brushes in the Makita. Both work well, though neither one has a paddle switch.
 
I've got three of the harbor freight grinders I've been using for many years. I believe they were only about ten bucks so you can't beat that. They don't have a paddle switch though. They have a slide switch that works easily.
 
I have a Porter Cable with paddle switch. Won't ever get another Porter Cable like that! Tool works well, but the switch is so awkward to engage that without the guard on, makes the grinder dangerous to use when trying to start one-handed. ...You can't always have both hands available.

Does anyone make a soft-start model?
 
A whole drawer full of em. One for each grind brush wheel flap or cutoff ect ect
nothing exceptional about any except the cheapies from harbor are louder and just cheap
 
I have a DeWalt. The paddle switch has a safety that makes it a little awkward with gloves on. I had one at work that the safety was gone and nearly got bit a few times, or it takes off when I set it down. Glad it's there.
 
I have 4 total, a Metabo, Ryobi, B&D, and a $15 one from NT, and I know one has a paddle switch. One time I was cutting some bolts or something in a hurry, standing up, and I needed both hands, I stuck the grinder under my arm to hold it and it started! I must of had on a heavy jacket, because I didn't hurt myself.
 
Hello HNM,

MAKITA is my pick. They make more then 30 grinders. 10 amps for lots of HP. Excellentt sealing from dust, quickly stop models, pick one. I have one that was used(ABUSED), in a welding shop FOR YEARS! a new set of brushes and good as new,

Guido.
 
Makita I found new and cheap on Ebay.

Been running strong for years, I'll buy another when it's gone.

I used to like Milwaukee until they sold out to China, you know the rest of the story...
 
I have a Makita and a harbor freight. I absoulty detest the switch on the harbor freight. It is so hard to push, you almost need 1 hand on the switch while holding the grinder with the other hand.
 
HF has a paddle switch one (not to be confused with the thumb switch $10 one). It is my "go to" grinder for steel. Used it a lot and I like the size. I also have one of the $10 jobs which is not suited for grinding because it overheats too easily but I use it strictly for 4.5" cutoff wheels at which it works great.
 
The Harbor Freight power tools seem to have soft brushes that wear really bad. If you can find replacement brushes, you can make them last a lot longer.
 
i do the tool repair for a pallet maker and they have makita, dewalt. and harbor fright and the harbor hold up as good if not better then the other two when they get dropped or slammed under a pallet non will hold up and at 17.99 compared to 49.99 nota hard choice .we use the blue ones with the paddle switch and they do not press hard at all
 

The cheap Makita's will not hold up I have several of the higher priced 4 1/2" makita's that do well. In this post I over worked a 4 1/2" makita and let the smoke out it was my fraught. The good, repair parts were not that bad in price to fix it. While waiting I browned one from a bud a 5" Makita its the rear deal not to big and not to small its just right...

Buy a nice one and enjoy it life's to short to deal with a bad buy on a cheap one...



https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1292435&highlight=makita
 
I have a Milwaukee and Bosch, both about equal. Bosch has a lock on switch which I like for home use but grinders with this type of switch are illegal in industries such as mining. If you are going to use at home it everyday for long periods I would go with the Bosch. If in a workplace check their safety rules and make your best decision.


W have had the Milwaukee for years, the Bosch just a few years. Do not know how long the Bosch will last. Milwaukee does have a good servicing dealer network, but for $50.00 or less it may be cheaper to throw it away and get a new one.


As for HF tools some of their tools are as good as the name brands, other items in their stores are not so good.
 
I have 2-4 1/2" and 2-7" dewalts. They are all over 20 years old and I use them a lot. I recently got a Milwaukee m18 fuel 4 1/2" grinder. It is very handy, but lacks p the power for heavy grinding. I use it for all clean up and light jobs because it has no cord. But any serious grinding gets a Milwaukee.
 
Never did care for a paddle switch grinder myself. saw to many of them take off when laid down.

Don't overlook [b:bdc2ccad00]Hitachi[/b:bdc2ccad00]. I have had a 9.5 amp one for over ten years and it has never failed. A lot of oil field welders here are going to or have been using the 12 Amp Hitachi 4 1/2" grindes. They seem to like them a lot.

Hitachi owns and has been making Metabo grinders for years.
 
I have 2 dewalt 10 amp ones I carry in truck. One has a cutoff wheel other has a grinding wheel. I carry an old B&D with a wire brush that I plug into an outlet with a dimmer switch on it to slow wire brush down.

Not sure if any right angle grinders are variable speed. That might be something to look for. The right angle at hi speed is scary when you have a wire brush on it.
Also look at the amps. More amps more power.

I buy dewalt cut off wheels at RK on sale for $1, regular price is $2. I use a 6 inch cut off on my 4.5 inch, same price. 6 inch wheels last longer. May want to look at 6 inch right angle.

I have bought some cheapie HF grinders and make two trips to store. One to buy it and another one to return it. You get what you pay for there.
 
I think people lump all of Harbor Freights tools into the same bucket. They sell a number of angle grinders. They sell a $10 one that is probably not that great but they also sell a range of other ones up to $90. I bet the more expensive ones are much better. Harbor Freight has been slowly bringing in new models of tools that are much better than what they sold 20 ago.
 
I have probably gone through more 4 1/2 in grinders than any 10 average people. I use on the average of a box of 25 wheels a month plus the flap wheels and cut-off wheels. I have tried every brand made, I think. The Harbor Freight ones won't last a month. Dewalt 3 months. Bosch 6 months. Makita 6 months. The old Milwaukee's were great, the new ones are junk. The one and only grinder that will hold up to my use is a METABO. I have 3 and the newest one is about a year old, the oldest is over three. They cost in the neighborhood of 125.00 bucks. Well worth the money.
 
I have a HF 5 or 6 amp, forget, only one of my grinders triggered like that. Have been upgrading my HF grinders just because the originals are only 4" and after 30+ years of flawless service just decided it was time to upgrade....really I wanted the larger diameter machines. I load them up with different devices so that I don't have to swap discs or whatever when I want a different function.

The only objection I have with a paddle is that you you need to be careful how you set it down on the bench....any tool or what have you under the trigger will energize it for you and who knows where it might wind up. Never had a problem with a HF grinder and I have 4s, 4.5s. a newly acquired 7 and a 20 year old 9 beast that acts like a Gyroscope once it gets up to rpms.
 
The wife bought me a new Bosch for my birthday. Haven't had it long enough yet to know how well it will last,but it seems about twice as heavy as my old B&D.

I can laugh now,but I bought a cupped wire wheel for it to clean up some parts to paint. I dropped off the edge of a fender and it caught,kicked back,caught my shirt and pulled right inside my bibs. The darned thing wouldn't stop until I could get my thumb on the switch to turn it off. That was in late June and I've still got a big red scar on my belly.
 
I own a HF a Makita and a Hitachi. Makita has not held up to well ever other Makita tool I own are great. I leave a wire wheel on the HF I think I paid 19.00 for it with coupon been quite a while ago. Still hangin in there. The Hitachi is amazing I bought it off line on a recondition site. I also have a 7? Hitachi both are great tools
 
I have a 10 amp dewalt, and an 11 amp Milwaukee that I use at work. Both get used and I mean used a lot. Both have held up well and are 3-4 years old. I have owned Makita, craftsman, b&d and others that didn't bold up as well. Seems like the smaller amp grinders just didn't last.
 
I have a DeWalt, Hitachi and a Metabo. Most 4 1/2? grinders are disposable, not worth repairing. The Metabo 5?-6? is worth a repair at $249, German made. Pick one that suits your budget.
 

Not Porter Cable. I have a Harbor Freight $9.00 grinder that's better than the $50.00 PC. I'd get Makita or Dewalt.
 
My original DeWalt has had two replacement cords and needs a third one, they have a stiffener right outside the housing but the cords fray just beyond that. Think it's 8 or 10 amp, got it 40 (yes, FORTY) years ago.
I got a second DeWalt grinder about 20 years ago, to save time switching abrasives. Got a Milwakee 15 amp 4-1/2" grinder 12-13 years ago. Thing has some GUTS!

You guys ALL buy the cheapest stuff you can find to brag about the good deal you got, then complain about when it goes up in smoke. Most of the power tools Dad bought back in the 1940's and '50's still worked great when he had his last auction in 2006 because he bought good tools most of the time. Problem we both had was with WEN tools, his was a 4-speed 1/2" drill, mine was a 7" sander/grinder.
 

Who's complaining about the cheap stuff? My $9.00 HF grinder is pushing 20 years old and still going strong!
 
That's why I buy HF. For less than $20 you can just toss them when worn out....waiting and waiting, and waiting.........
 

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