The Versatile Angle Grinder

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You can walk into to just about any manufacturing building or automotive shop and see the distinctive and bright stream of sparks flying from an angle grinder. Angle grinders make quick work of applications requiring coarse grinding of metal and other materials.

            Smaller models that use for 4 to 5 inch grinding disks are lighter and easier to handle. These angle grinders can be found anywhere from a garage to an industrial plant. These tools will make quick work of rusty metal surfaces, remove metal spatter from welding jobs and smooth out rough surfaces. However, the 7 to 9 inch heavy duty angle grinders are primarily used in an industrial environment.

            The thing that makes these tools so versatile, is the almost limitless accessory disks that can be fitted on them. There are disks for sanding, cutting, carving, cleaning and cutting. Cut off wheels are thin abrasive disks that allow an angle grinder to slice right through rusty bolts or cut through a metal pipe. The small size makes it easier to get into those tight spots as well. You can fit a wire wheel brush to scrub off rust from a metal surface and polish it to a nice shine. You can even use an angle grinder on wood products. Just install a coarse abrasive flap wheel and you can shaper rough wood and do some coarse sanding.  A coarse abrasive flap wheel will go through hard woods like butter. There are electric and air powered versions of this tool. If you already have a shop air compressor available, I would recommend purchasing an air angle grinder. Air tools generally have more power and are more durable than the electric models. However, if you just need one for light jobs an electric angle grinder will serve you well.