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The best die grinders/cutoff wheels?

10K views 32 replies 29 participants last post by  TerryAT 
#1 ·
Greetings, I've been cutting on the 'Cutlass for several weeks now, and have gone through another cutoff tool. Mine is from Harbor frieght, and is like a die grinder, but it uses the 3" wheel. My question, what do you all use or buy when you need this type of tool. I have a water trap on my compressor, and I oil the thing before I use it, but it doesnt seem long before it starts to get weak on me. Is there anything out there that holds up for the long haul? Anything under $30? Thanks for yours input...!


-Karl
 
#2 ·
#6 ·
i Agree to the reccomendations about the grinders; you get what you pay for, just there isnt a need to spend hundreds of bucks on them any more. when it dies, toss it and get another one.

However, On the issue of cut off wheels, NEver NEver NEVer Dont cheep on them.. if the blade catastrophically explodes, there is no where to go except eat what is fed to you. nine times out of ten the reasons are;
  • improper matching the disc to the grinder..ie, 20,000 rpm tool, 12,000 rpm wheel. never a good thing. I always read about some poor guy missing parts of his body or dead from using a disc in a manner that it was NOT made for. Masonry discs.. are made for masonry.
  • improper adapters for disc to grinder. I buy some adapters out of granger and it has a solid arbor, two size adapter holes, 1/4 and 3/8". I prefer these to the threaded nut on a rod that are prolific out there.
  • Use the washers if required for the wheel.
  • too thin of a wheel for what you are doing with it. I wouldnt use a 0.035" thick blade for rounding corners. Use a 1/8" thick wheel.
  • Use the .035" discs for cut off. Get a feel on at what pressure the wheel is cutting best at. It will extend the life of the wheel.
  • PLease buy a good quality wheel. Norton makes some of the best.
  • If it feels out of balance it is. Check to see if the arbor is bent, or f the wheel is out of round. If you dont, you risk the exploding wheely thing and you kill the grinder in a very short time.
  • SAfety equipment such as a face shield / safety glasses (not sun glasses) with side shields. Gloves that are leather and comfortable. Having an eye patch is cool as a pirate, not as "this is what I got for not thinking about the dangers".
There are some other excellent manufacturers out there, but what ever they have at Harbor Freight- ISNT one of them.
 
#7 ·
Karl,
As far as the grinder itself goes, we have a cheap one at the shop that is probably 10 years old and keeps on getting it.

As far as the discs go, I have tried several but always go back to 3M. They last forever compared to the cheapos.
 
#8 ·
Another reason for air tool failure is improper air line installations and improper filters and not maintaining it.

Water and dirt and air tools don't do well together.

I have some expensive and some cheap air tools, but the cheap ones have been running for over twenty years right along side the expensive ones. Clean air lines and good air tool oil, they will last a long time.

Rob
 
#9 ·
I use a DeWalt grinder with a cutoff wheel ($65 at Home Depot). For tight places I use my trusty Dremel with the emery cutoff wheels.
 
#12 ·
Use norton discs at work, hold up great, don't wear down fast like the cheaper ones and cut faster too. As far as the tool, your problem might be in your "die grinder"... because it's just that, a die grinder. If you want something that will last, get an actual cut-off wheel tool. Die grinders just don't hold up to things other than using die grinder bits, I suppose they need more torque or something.
 
#13 ·
I have a few Matco and Snap-On die grinders and angle grinders, and I also have 6 or 7 cheapy straight and angle grinders, the good ones last me 6-10 years and the cheapies seem to last about 4 years. The absolute best die grinder I have is a Sioux-industrial and it is 21 years old. Why so many grinders?-each one has it's own seperate task. I have several loaded with different shaped burr bits, cutoff wheels, rolocs, trim and cut disc, surface prep discs. This saves me time by not having to change out bits. etc. Although I've never tried a Harbor Freight die grinder the cheap ones that I do have are lasting long enough at $10-$20 IMO.
 
#15 ·
Crazy question! Anything under $50 is gonna crap on you quickly. I got an IR (Ingerson Rand) Die Grinder for $60 many years ago. Never had an issue with it. Harbor Frieght? You get what you pay for in that store. You have to be carefull with thier stuff, most of it is garbage if you ask me. Why do you think it's so cheap?

Spend the extra $$ on a decent tool, and it will last longer then you need, and for the cutt off wheels get some decent one's also so your not picking them out of your teeth after the first 25,000 rpm.

Good luck
 
#17 ·
If you're doing major surgery, floorpans, quarters and such, I like to use my 4 1/2 inch electric with a Norton metal cutoff wheel. It cuts easier and lasts longer than my air grinder. I also like the 'stone' grinding wheels for rough dressing welds. As for air tools, in my opinon, Dotco is by far the best. In the 25 years I've been in aircraft maintenance we have always used Dotco air tools with no problems. They take abuse you wouldn't belive and almost never fail. My 2 cents.
 
#18 ·
Look for 3M green corp cutoff wheels. Every other brand I tried wore out way too fast, causing the grinder to do twice the work. Find a Green Corp and try one, you will never go to another. The thinnest green corp is 1\32 I think, and that is what I use on my air tool for all sheet metal. But if I want to cut some real metal, I use an electric grinder with cutoff wheel.
I put a drop or two of air tool oil into my cut off tool every couple of days, as I don't have a regular oiling tool. I think that helps with longevity. Use a couple drops of the correct oil in yours, it should last longer.
 
#19 ·
I bought about every air tool I could need at Harbor Freight thinking they would get me started, and I would replace with better when they needed replaced. That was 3 years or more ago. Funny thing, none of them have failed. Yes, I oil them every time I use them. Couldn't agree more about the discs. Buy good ones!
 
#20 ·
Allrighty, thanks to all who bothered to fill me on on what they're using, I always feel better knowing that someone else is doing the same stuff that I am! I dropped by the mom and pop tool store, and saw a Ingersoll Rand 3" cutoff made in Taiwan that they're asking about $50 for. I also saw thier cutoff wheels, both the 3M green corps, and another US brand, going for around $1.50 each. I'll give them a try when I get my second wind on the car. I'll probably snag the I.R. tool when I get my tax return as it'll be a "investment" and the other wheels should be completely dead by then. So do alot of the cheapo cutoff disks "grenade out"? I'm not sure what my RPMs are on the tool, but my PSI going into it is around 100PSI . I've used the H.F. disks, and have never had one blow up in my face, yet...

-Karl
 
#21 ·
The better cutoff wheels and sand paper etc, last longer, cut faster and overall cheaper in the end...Eric
 
#26 ·
I have bought alot of the HB grinders for my shop at home. With the 200$ price tag at Mac Tools for a 90 degree one i can't justify them at home. At my work it's another story even though i have some there as well. Here's what i'v found out about HB tools.
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/grinders/air-angle-die-grinder-32046.html
This one will break where the air coupling screw's on.
This one cost more but won't break off at the coupler.
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...ront-exhaust-air-angle-die-grinder-52848.html
This 120 degree one is nice in tight spots and u need to remove the rubber cover that get's in the way of the trigger.
These are the all around general cut off wheel's i use.
http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-10-thin-3-inch-cut-off-wheels-for-metal-96550.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/grinders/120-air-angle-die-grinder-99841.html
I use these and have 12 or so of them with different size wheel's on them and some have the guard's removed for the 4 inch wheels.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-inch-high-speed-air-cutter-67425.html
Here's a good straight die grinder, But the fitting is made the same and it will break off.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-inline-die-grinder-kit-53177.html
I like to put an arbor on the 90 degree die grinders, But these arbor's are junk, They wobble and the thicker wheels wont't stay on.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-cut-off-wheel-arbor-for-die-grinder-93389.html
Use this arbor from Home Depot, It's difficult to change the wheel, But it will take the thicker Grinding and cut off wheel's
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
All in all i have bought many of the same die and cut off cutters and only had problem's breaking the air fitting off on one and the o-rings in the air valve are too small. The o-ring kit HB sell's has a smaller o-ring in it that i use.
While having 60,000$ in tools where i work, Being a kenworth Truch Mech. I can't justify the Snap-on and Mac tool prices for my project's at home. I also like to have many cut off and die grinders already tooled up. So changing a tool with gloves on is easy to just grab another tool and re couple it and use it. Good luck with your Harbor Freight Tool's. C-ya Scott
 
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