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Quote:
Originally Posted by Treecycle
I haven't bought a new grinder for myself in too many years, but pretty sure my Ryobi Towa machine bought in the mid 70's didn't have a side handle. Anyway, very easy to check either online or in the shop these days.
As always, these tools should be treated with respect. They bite if used incorrectly, even if they don't have teeth.
Alan...
I was a mechanic in a previous millenia so I'm well aquainted with the mighty angle grinder. I have a couple of friends who are brothers and love to argue. One is a fan of the 4" the other the 5". B1 dressed a metal lathe bed with a 4", and before you get your knickers in a knot the machine now cuts perfectly. Both are absolute master tradesmen.
I have only a couple of things to add to the above.
1. From what I've seen quality manufacturers have added light duty to their ranges. Bosch have always identified these with green colour. Makita tried the maktek range but it didn't seem to work so now you have home machines with the makita name on them. Price should be a good guide. It might look as good on paper but it probably won't last as long.
2. I have used small grinders with on/off switches for decades. Depending on what you are doing these can be dangerous. Be careful, and if you have the option consider the intermediate (dead man) lever switches offered on some models. I feel these are a great option.
3. As mentioned above 4" have a different spindle diameter to teh 4 1/2 and 5. If I recall correctly they have a different rotational speed. You can buy adapters.
I bought a hitachi 18V kit on amazon some months back (192 landed). They have a hitachi 4 1/2 18V skin for about $100
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4NRHUA...v_ov_lig_dp_it
It's worth shopping around...
Thanks for all of the replies. I still don't know if we have got to the bottom of why Makita seem to have so many different models with apparently so little difference between them, but I would expect that it is to create store exclusive models.
Anyway the reason I was asking is that the local M10 was having a long weekend sale (20% off) which is what they often do. After taking on board all of the advice I decided to go for the Makita 125mm 840W model - $129. I looked around online at a few of the other local tool stores and they all seemed to also have the same one for $129. It's not an urgent need for me at the moment however it is needed/handy long term so the opportunity to save 20% was enough for me to head out to M10. Unfortunately in store they only had the 100mm and the 125mm 720W ($99). They also had the Makita MT series 125mm 720W ($59).
Even the models that they had it was difficult to tell the difference between them. To be honest the MT series looked handy as you could buy two and set on up for grinding and one for cutting - although only 100mm. I would guess that the differences would lie on the quality of the components insider however with the limited information offered by Makita you are just basing quality on the additional cost.
So I walked away with nothing. With my limited use I am sure that any of them will do what I need but there is always the drive to get the better product. I will have a look at the Makita 125mm 840W next time I am in Adelaide Tools and will likely just end up going and buying what is available when I actually have a project that I need to use it on urgently.
Cheers.
Stinky
That's the very worst time to buy a tool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot
Yes the MT series might have shorter lived brushes for example. Pretty good value though - it allows me to have 2 trim routers at $100 each, and I can leave a bit in each permanently (flush trim and 5mm RO).
Usually different switches, ie some are slide and others paddle, also some have electronic brakingQuote:
Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot
Attachment 437173
Bought this Suhner 18 years ago. UWE 10. 1010W. 4.6A. Ng-10,000 min. 125mm Disc.Cost then:$650 including 48 Flap discs/48 1mm discs. Slide on/off/lock.Lock button for finger dial disc removal. Btw,the price noted is not a typo.
Sometimes you can get lucky with a cheapie. My first Ozito is 17 years old and I think it cost $49. I used it initially to cut a heaps of steel, brick pavers, limestone blocks and used more than 100 thin kerf cutting wheels and at least 50 flap discs with it. Then I bought another which I still have and the older one became my chief rust remover and it wore out two wire wheels. Still on its original brushes. Vibrates a bit with the wire wheels but not being able to kill it I gave it to my son and he hasn't been able to either.
About 12 months ago I purchased an AEG 125mm corded grinder from Bunnies. $95 with a 4 year warranty. Nearly everything in my shed is Makita so I'm a little bit biased that way. The thing that sold me with the AEG over the Makita & others I looked at is the guard can be rotated by depressing a lever. Having to use a screwdriver to loosen and retighten the guard locking screw every time I wanted to rotate the guard a little on my old 4 inch Makita was a real pain in the bum.
12 months on and having done a fair bit of work I think the AEG is good value.
Just my 2c worth
Twosheds
This thread raises an issue that is all to common in retailing ..and in all sectors.
Wholesalers/manufaturers will produce a bewildering array of models and packages, for no other purpose that to confuse the customer.
They will supply one model or package to one retailer and a very similar but not the same model or package to another to circumvent price matching.
At one time I could get the exact same model grinder from a large tool shop as a bare unit in a cardboard box with one grinder wheel included, go to one hardware chain and the exact same grinder in a plastic carry case supplied with a selection of 5 wheels and go to a competing hardware chain and again the very same grinder in a bigger plastic case with 12 wheels.
This is specifically intended to prevent direct comparisons and to make a joke out of price match guarantees ....... "Oh that is not the item we stock".
Combine that with the downgrade products some of the manufacturers are supplying to compete with the low price entry level brands ... and you have this multiplicity of models.
Bosch have always had a blue - industrial range and a green-domestic range ...... Ryobi at one time had both a green and blue range, but the seem to have abandoned the trade market in Australia to focus on domestic sales.
There has for as long as I remember been the head end and tail end switch options on grinders ........ deadman type switches near the head of the grinder have been prefered for safety reasons, but people in certain industries prefeer a tail end switch because they are less prone to failure from dust and grit.
Be very aware that this intentional model variation from store to store, and the explicit intention to make a joke out of price match guarantees is right across the board in retailing.
I've seen it in mowers, fishing tackle, home appliances and others ........ it is not new and will continue .... be aware.
OH .... and about those grinder blades they include ............ do not value them ...... I am very fussy about grinder blades and see value in using quality name brand blades .... they tend to last longer , cut better and don't blow up in your face.
cheers
cheers
You have summed it up well