Need a GOOD angle grinder

[Opie Knievel]

Okay, thanks for that. I know some manufacturers demand quality work from the Chinese factories. Lionel trains comes to mind- you can't tell the difference. But I still prefer to put my money into an American worker's pocket whenever possible. By the way, I did my Basic Training at Ft. Knox. That's some beautiful country you have around there.

I understand your desire to support American workers. It's getting harder to do so nowadays.

Thanks, Kentucky does have some pretty scenery.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Okay, thanks for that. I know some manufacturers demand quality work from the Chinese factories. Lionel trains comes to mind- you can't tell the difference. But I still prefer to put my money into an American worker's pocket whenever possible. By the way, I did my Basic Training at Ft. Knox. That's some beautiful country you have around there.

Agreed with that....I would much rather buy USA made whenever possible, just getting harder to do nowadays!
Small world, I grew up and live in Louisville and am 15-20 mins from Ft. Knox. On some days you can hear artillery going off, pretty awesome place! I must say along with Opie, Kentucky does have some beautiful scenery!

 

[Bonnewagon]

Injectedcutty- I see the Metabo is not THAT expensive if you find the right dealer. But some are insane, even twice the going price, as well as out of stock. Must be good stuff. This one would be perfect for what I need- 4.5"/5" with the long handle. I find that the short handle models want to kick away from you as well get tedious to hold after a while. I used a long handle once and fell in love with the leverage. By the way- that isn't artillery you are hearing. Ft Knox is the US Army Armor Training center. Those are tanks live firing. The first week there I thought it was odd how there was a massive thunderstorm every night. Lit up the whole sky, and the ground shook. Ironically, when I was sent overseas to Germany, I served in the 1rst Armor Division. American firepower- you gotta love it!

 

[Opie Knievel]

One thing to consider before purchasing a power tool: parts availability. I can find parts pretty easy for my Milwaukee tools.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Injectedcutty- I see the Metabo is not THAT expensive if you find the right dealer. But some are insane, even twice the going price, as well as out of stock. Must be good stuff. This one would be perfect for what I need- 4.5"/5" with the long handle. I find that the short handle models want to kick away from you as well get tedious to hold after a while. I used a long handle once and fell in love with the leverage. By the way- that isn't artillery you are hearing. Ft Knox is the US Army Armor Training center. Those are tanks live firing. The first week there I thought it was odd how there was a massive thunderstorm every night. Lit up the whole sky, and the ground shook. Ironically, when I was sent overseas to Germany, I served in the 1rst Armor Division. American firepower- you gotta love it!

Yeah that would be a good grinder there, you can get them with the paddle throttle or the on/off switch so it's just a matter of what suits your fancy. As well as having the long handle I agree it's easier to control in the event of a snag.
That's what I meant in regards to the tanks, just typed it wrong, oops! As kids my dad would load us up in the Griswold family wagon and ride down there and one time we damn near got ran off the road by a convoy of tanks! He wanted us to see that stuff as he was in the Army in the late 60's as a diesel mechanic and infantryman, and served a tour in Vietnam. He still gets giddy if he catches a sound coming from Knox lol!
BTW, thanks for serving this awesome country of ours!
Scott

 

[Opie Knievel]

That's my M18 Fuel 2781 Grinder. It's pretty badass.

I took these at work a few minutes ago.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Wow, Autumn in Ken-tuck. I was there in Oct-Nov, finished up just as the snow began to fly. As much as I like my portable drill and driver set, I want a corded grinder for home. I don't like how the L-ion batteries go flat with no warning. But I can see where you would need portability, out in the field. I have to do some errands so I am going to swing by all the stores and evaluate the various grinders. That is the only way to know how they will feel in my hands. Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Opie Knievel]

Wow, Autumn in Ken-tuck. I was there in Oct-Nov, finished up just as the snow began to fly. As much as I like my portable drill and driver set, I want a corded grinder for home. I don't like how the L-ion batteries go flat with no warning. But I can see where you would need portability, out in the field. I have to do some errands so I am going to swing by all the stores and evaluate the various grinders. That is the only way to know how they will fell in my hands. Thanks for the replies guys!

Cordless definitely made the most sense for my use. These new lithium batteries have a great run time, the brushless motors help too. The best thing about the Milwaukee batteries is they have a battery "fuel" gauge to let you know how much charge you have left. If you don't exclusively use your tools on the go, I can understand getting the corded version. They're usually cheaper. Good luck on your search. I hope you find a grinder you like.

 

[drogg1]

This guy has reviewed just about every brand of grinder:

DeWalt:

Harbor Freight:

Makita:

Metabo:

It seems the Harbor Freight isn't as bad as it seems and that the Metabo isn't much better than the less expensive grinders. For what its worth, I've used a few DeWalts and a Metabo. They both seemed pretty durable. The Metabo I used had been in working condition for at least a decade and is still in use several years later.

Not to piss off Opie, but I have found Milwaukee to be not very rugged and somewhat poorly made. So, if you're only using it for light duty work that might be ok (like if you were an electrician) but we always stuck with DeWalt when I worked as a carpenter.

 

[Opie Knievel]

Not to piss off Opie, but I have found Milwaukee to be not very rugged and somewhat poorly made. So, if you're only using it for light duty work that might be ok (like if you were an electrician) but we always stuck with DeWalt when I worked as a carpenter.

You're not pissing me off. You're entitled to your opinion. In my experience, the Milwaukee tools have been very durable and have held up well to a couple of years of abuse. I take care of my tools but I don't baby them. My 1/2" impact has proved itself many times by breaking bolts loose that nobody else's impacts would touch. My 3/8" impact is really handy and pretty stout to be so small. It's rated at 200 ft.lbs. The grinder is about as strong as a corded version. The Sawzall is too. And the drill is ridiculously stout. I count on these tools to get the job done at work all day, everyday. They work very well for me. That's what I'm basing my recommendation on.