Harbor Freight Angle Grinder Question

P

Paul Weiss

Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
16
Hello,

I am looking for an inexpensive Angle Grinder to cut and profile blades. I am a beginner and am starting out using 1084 hot rolled bar.

I will be using files then hand sanding to finish the blades.

I have found a HW 4 1/2" Angle Grinder on sale for $14.99

Any thoughts on the quality of this angle grinder.


Also, what wheels should I buy?

Thank you,

Paul
 
A 9amp Makita 4 1/2" grinder will set you back around $100, so one can assume that for $14.99 you are not going to get comparable quality. You just approach it that you will use it as long as possible and when it gives out, you replace it. It'll last awhile if you don't try and see how much abuse it will take....
 
homedepot sells a ryobi for 39.99 that has a rotating handle that comes in handy sometimes. I think it's a good equilibrium between price and quality. It's not a Makita, but it's definitely better than the harbor freight. If you plan on using it a lot I would take a step up from the harbor freight.
 
BTW, regarding wheels....go to your local big hardware or a welding shop and ask for "depressed center 4 1/2" grinding wheels".
 
I've had one of the HF specials for about a year. Haven't used it all that much but it works when I need it. For the price you can't go wrong.
 
I have one that I use for cutting out knife blanks and for any other general fabrication use I have and it works fine. Like fitzo said, if it breaks, hey it's only 15 bucks. Don't bear down on it with everything you got and it should do everything you need it for. The blades I use I get from HF as well....everything is so cheap there, I can't help it. Do not be tempted to buy the files though, they are worthless. Spend the money on Nicholson.
 
I have a HF 4.5" and a big stack of HF grinding discs. Both will work fine for what we need. I cut the door openings in stainless steel vertical forges, cut bar stock, pregrind the bevels on swords, clean up welds, and do all sorts of odd jobs with it. It still does the job fine. I have a Makita on the shelf in the wood shop I hardly ever use.If the HF unit ever burns up I'll get another one. At $15 each I consider them an expendable item.
Stacy

Raymond can attest to the fact that you need to know where all those sparks are going!
 
my first one lasted 6 months, often you would need to take the brushes out and true them up on the grinder, they would really wear quickly- after it burnt up went back for another, it died the same day i bought it , back to trade it in and the third one lasted 2 days at that time i was agrevated and threw it away and drove to tractor supply and bought a dewalt $85.00 worth every dime 2 years later heavy use no issues- a friend bought one last week he is already on his second now and hadnt gotten 10 minutes of use yet--
i do buy my grinding wheels there for cheap very happy with those.
 
Of coarse YMMV. I've had mine over a tear with out problem. I also got the extended warranty. They will replace it even if I dropp the thing. :thumbup::thumbup:

Jim L.
 
cadillac forge said:
my first one lasted 6 months, often you would need to take the brushes out and true them up on the grinder, they would really wear quickly- after it burnt up went back for another, it died the same day i bought it , back to trade it in and the third one lasted 2 days at that time i was agrevated and threw it away and drove to tractor supply and bought a dewalt $85.00 worth every dime 2 years later heavy use no issues- a friend bought one last week he is already on his second now and hadnt gotten 10 minutes of use yet--
i do buy my grinding wheels there for cheap very happy with those.
Click to expand...

Tractor Supply also has Clarkes for about $40,pretty good grinder!!
 
I have 2, One for grinding wheels and one for cut off wheels. They have been going strong for 2yrs now. I payed $100 for a makita and it burned up in about a month. The nice thing about the HF grinders is they are basically disposable. Even if it only lasts 6 months it does not cost too much to replace. The best one I have purchased though was a Milwaukee.

Chuck
 
Been using a HF angle grinder going on three years now. I don't work it too hard, not every single day or anything... but never had a problem with it. :thumbup:
 
The toughest grinder I have used industrialy is by far the Bosch. 6years on the one 5" and it is near indestructable. The only maintenance is "put another wheel on.".
 
I have a 4.5" HF that I got for 9.99. I've cut many blades with the cutoff wheels, roughed them in with the grinding wheels. Have used it for the occasional house chores. If you work construction the HF is probably a bad deal, if you make knives it's not so bad. Mine came with extra brushes, you do have to pay attention to them or you'll burn them up.

The first day I had mine it was paid for, not hard to do at 10 or 15 bucks.
 
I've got a cabinet maker friend that uses the HF cordless drills to do the installs. He says he can leave them on the job site and they don't grow legs. Can't beat that.
 
You can't beat the HF for price...had mine for 3 years now no trouble. I haven't found the expensive dewalt cutting discs and wheels at Lowes to be worth buying- 4.99 to 6.99 for 10 discs at HF or 3-4 discs at lowes for the same price. No brainer there.

ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY: find a meth head selling quality tools out of his truck bed and get a makita or bosch for $20 or so. But who wants "non-certified pre-owned" tools?
 
yea, HF all the way. iv had one and used the disks for years. thats one tool where cheaper is better. iv used expensive grinders and disks too and theres no difference. the cut off wheels are handy too.
-Lou
 
You might take note of the spindle size on the Makita. It used to be different, and used a different wheel.
I have a cheapie grinder that works fine. I did lube the brushes w/ graphite spray when it would not work properly on the first day. You had to smack it to make it start running until I lubed the brushes.
 
Buy two, I still have one in a box just incase. Their grinding wheels and cutt off wheels work well too. Get a couple of boxes on sale.
 
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