Angle Grinder - Wattage, Button/Trigger, and Recommendations?

udaman · Post by **udaman** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:22 pm

Hi again

Sorry to follow my other thread so quickly with another, but need to choose which one to buy over the weekend so I can get started next week.

- I'm a bit confused by wattage. Looking at the Makita range, as the wattage goes up the RPM doesn't go up accordingly. So what difference does the wattage actually make in use? And for my main intended use - cutting a chase into a stone wall for lead flashing - what kind of wattage should I be looking at?

- What are people's thoughts and experiences on sliding switches (permanently on) vs trigger types?

- Any brand or model recommendations? Hoping to get 125mm so that the chase can be 38mm deep.

- A novice user question... Are you supposed to work from left to right or vice versa? With the spin of the disc or against it?

Many thanks and I promise to shut up about angle grinders after this!

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:46 pm

Without going into the technicalities of it, I would suggest you don't worry about the consumption of watts, but choose a tool by its reviews or particular brand you like.

I always prefer a trigger switch, so if you drop it the tool it will stop as opposed to continuing to severely injure you. Don't forget wear goggles (You only have 1 pair of eyes)
Oh and have a vacuum cleaner to hand, angle grinders make a lot of dust.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 6:06 pm

you wont get a 38mm deep chase on a 125mm as 76 from 125 only gives you a machine body space off 49mm eeven on a 150 you will only have perhaps 75mm for the body i suspect nearer 30-35mm will be the depth on a 150 machine----could be wrong off course so check :dunno:

watts means more power and more weight

udaman · Post by **udaman** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 8:52 pm

Thank you both.

Turns out there is a Parkside angle grinder this week at Lidl. I know they're not the best, but have over the years heard good things about Parkside - especially given the price - and the few handtools I've had from there I've been pleased with.

The Parkside ticks all of my boxes, and some boxes I didn't enough know needed ticking!!! The design features are amazing. But will it perform? Any thoughts or experiences?

Cheers

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:11 pm

you cant go far wrong the tools are excellent value for money and iff they do go wrong you get your money back

fin · Post by **fin** » Sat Sep 02, 2023 1:53 pm

yea a parkside one would do a chase for a lead flashing sound like.

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Sat Sep 02, 2023 2:29 pm

Nice thing about the Parkside grinders is that they are variable speed. Doesn't matter for cutting discs as you want them full speed but if you are using flap discs, sanding discs, scotchbrite or wire wheels then the 10-12k rpm is far too fast and unwieldy, with a variable speed you can drop that down to about 5-6k and it's much better.

udaman · Post by **udaman** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 1:41 pm

A little off topic from my original questions, but does anyone know what the thickest diamond disc would be for 9"/230mm angle grinder? I've not found anything thicker than 2.5mm so far.

At sensible prices, the thickest I've found for all sizes are:

- 4 1/2" 115mm = 8mm thick
- 5" / 125mm = 6.4mm
- 9" / 230mm = 2.5mm

Cheers

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:09 pm

Why do you think you want a thicker disc?

udaman · Post by **udaman** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 4:46 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:09 pm Why do you think you want a thicker disc?

To make a thicker cut.

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 5:02 pm

udaman wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 4:46 pm
Someone-Else wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:09 pm Why do you think you want a thicker disc?
To make a thicker cut.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 5:06 pm

I was always of the opinion that the thinner the disc is (Within reason) the better the cut as it will generate less friction than a wider disc, similar to a dull blade or a sharp blade.