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Sorry, no, I have never had or used an angle grinder. I've often thought about buying one, but don't have that much need (when did that ever stop me buying an affordable tool? :D) and find them rather scary, dangerous tools.

I used to have a bench grinder. Actually, although there was a grinding wheel on the right, the left side was set up for polishing-mop wheels, and, back in my jewellery-hobby days, that is what it was most used as.

The angle grinder attachment you mentioned is used to attach a wood cutting wheel (saw toothed wheel) to the angle grinder, which is highly dangerous.



The angle grinder is used for works related to cutting and grinding metal using dedicated cutting / grinding abrasive wheels. Modification of a tool for purposes it is not designated for brings personal injuries with it. The angle grinder is a powerful tool and is difficult to handle- give it a lot of respect. Imagine the tool taking a walk with that saw toothed wheel. Please take this as a humble request from one DIY-er to another : " Please use designated accessories for power tools and never try to modify them".please:


Posting after a long time here and here is my latest tool - a seal puller

Agree that it is best to use tools for what they are intended and not try to modify them.

But that said, an Angle grinder when used in a free hand mode is dangerous because of kickbacks due to the saw tooth. That too only if you attempt to hold it with one hand without the 2nd screw on handle.

However once it is bolted on to this contraption, to me it appears to pose the same level of danger as a flat bed saw cutter. ( I am not comparing to the fixed model Table saw )
A runaway Angle grinder on this attachment would be the same as a runaway flat bed saw cutter.

By flatbed saw cutter I mean this one


Disclaimer : I am not recommending this to anyone , whoever plans to use it please ensure you follow all safety measures and understand the risks involved. While adrian has a valid point, I am just looking at alternatives if you do not want to spend on another tool that you would seldom use.

I had always wanted to buy a torque wrench but the cost and physical size of the wrenches kept me away. Couple of years back I came across a Digital Torque Adapter that plugs into your existing wrench and socket and converts it into a Torque Wrench. I picked it up in Canada for around $50. It has turned out to be an excellent tool with a wide range of torque adjustments and versatility. Here is a picture and link of the exact model I have.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta....pal-prod-com3

I'm usually hot on safety, but... what's an angle grinder? A motor spinning a disk, or whatever suitable attachment is, erm, attached. Whilst, as I have said, I am shy of them, due to the dangers of flying fragments, wheel breakdown, etc etc, I don't see why they should not be fitted in a well-built frame. I have seen some very good projects on youtube, but it was a while back, so don't have any link.

I think that novices should learn about the tool before attempting such things. Common mechanical sense suggests to me, for instance, that, mounted or not mounted, wheels should be used as intended. eg a cut-ff wheel is for cutting; a grinding wheel is for grinding... wheels that are designed to be used edge should not be used side on, and wheels for side contact should not be used on the edge. This much I can relate back to using a bench/pedestal grinder. Although I had to be told: "Whoa! Do not use the side of that wheel, young idiot!" 45 years ago.

Sometimes I feel it's best to stick to manual tools because of the greater degree of risk involved with electrical tools, even though they are damn convenient for saving time and effort.

After trying my hand with a bit of woodworking I have now ordered a bench vise. Am slowly trying my hand with polishing and finishing the wooden furniture, and intend to start with metal once I am a bit more comfortable.

I agree to an extent, because IMHO, each have their place for a DIYer.

Beginners definitely better stick to manual tools - they learn the principles and techniques better that way, gain a respect for the tools, and (in the case of tools that require repetitive action) ensure that they don't make a mistake in a flash. Apart from that, there's the point of reduced risk for certain classes of tools.

Once the skills are in place, then power tools end up being an aid to speed (instead of a crutch to make up for lack of knowledge).

To use an IT analogy (seeing your occupation) - frameworks like Node.js are power tools that can be used/misused, and it helps to have a good understanding of the bare metal work that goes on beneath it. So, someone who has cut his/her her teeth on classic ASP, moved to .NET, would appreciate the benefits such a framework brings, and will use it effectively. Someone hopping onto the bandwagon midway might succeed at the small scale but end up with a disaster on a larger scale.

EDIT: I think there's another aspect to it as well, which is "what is the goal?". For some DIYers, the end result is what matters, so power tools make sense. For others, the very act of building is therapeutic, and it is this latter category who would prefer using manual tools even when their experience levels would have them benefit from power tools.

True enough.

Personally I was tempted, even now am tempted, to buy power tools, but three things hold me back:

1. Risk of an injury to me or someone in the family who may accidentally use the tool (kids can be unpredictable)

2. I don't see much use for them at the moment. I have a portable dremel that's mostly sitting idle. No point sinking money into something that will sit on the shelf most of its life.

3. Upgrades: bristles not giving you the desired finish? Buy foam brushes cheap. A 12 inch portable hand saw not good enough? Buy a bigger one at 60 bucks. It's so damn cheap!

Some power tools make stuff easier. Drilling holes in masonry might be one example. Others don't make the job easier, but they do, once the necessary skills are learnt, make it faster.

Back to spinning wheels for my example of the second case. Ask a novice to polish a piece of jewellery on a polishing wheel, and it is likely that they will actually damage it --- possible loosing fingers and/or eyes in the process. However, after one or two pieces have whizzed past your ear and destroyed themselves in the wall behind you (or you have over-enthusiastically polished flats and removed fine details) you will get the knack. Polishing by hand can take hours compared to polishing by machine.

Certain power tools are incredibly dangerous simply because they don't look it. Circular saws look dangerous; power planers don't.

I do agree with the point that it is a good idea to learn necessary physical skills before transferring the task to a machine.

In the end, I think that most of us on this thread are tool enthusiasts. We are happy to own whatever tools we can afford (money and space) both hand tools and electric. And to ogle the ones we can't. I made two specific tool-shop-visiting expeditions while I was in London in August.

Well, buying the chisel and then sharpening it on the whet stone was an experience by itself. Much more involving and satisfying than merely changing the hacksaw blade.

But yes, it's oddly satisfying to be able to splurge money onto the boys' tools :-)

Using the word whet is an involving and satisfying experience!

:D

I have an Angle grinder as well as a Circular saw ( incidentally this power tool goes under different names - marble cutter, flatbed saw, circular saw).
Each has its uses. I picked up some attachments from Amazon and in a jiffy, the wooden saw attachment helps to peel away the moisture laden unseasoned wooden door. Another attachment acts as a planner to grind away the rough edges.

An angle grinder runs at high speed (around 12000 rpm) while the circular saw spins at half the speed. As it says, at the minimum you must wear a goggle and heavy leather gloves.

I would ask people not to use a marble cutter with woodcutting blades as a substitute for circular saw.

Marble cutters are high RPM as they work on the principle of abrading away to cut marble. Circular saws work on lower rpms as woodcutting works on the principle of actually sawing through wood fiber. Using marble cutters with woodcutting blades often burns the wood at the cutting point due to the heat generated.

Please don't feel that I am putting up arguments. I respect your decision and just want you to be extra cautious of what you are attempting.
Why you shouldn't use an angle grinder for wood working is explained very well in the below link.

( warning : contains graphic image)

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questi...cutting-blades

Point taken. I too pondered over this and after some reading ended up buying a Circular wood cutter itself. Though I did not go for Bosche , went for a local make which is made for wood. ( Stayed away from a chinese brand that was cheaper ..)


That is the case with most DIY'rs . Our tools would be used seldom but the time when it is needed it is real handy.

A similar analogy would apply to buying a Sedan vs a Hatch.
Most of the time the boot in the Sedan would be unused. But those 2 or 3 holiday trips you make during the year , would make the presence of the boot space worth it. :D