General welding questions that dont fit in TIG, MIG, Stick, or Certification etc.
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I have my share of grinders, from a seven inch B&D that was my granddaddy's to Metabo, I give a good home to five of them, I like changing grinders instead of wheels. I loaned a DeWalt to a buddy so I needed another so after some research I stumbled upon ChuckE's porter cable review and went to Lowes and got one to run brushes on. I love it. it is as smooth as the Metabo and has no where near the vibration of the DeWalt, for 40 bucks I highly recommend it to someone tooling up or wanting a spare or even a primary.

another I use when I have to grind with one hand and hold the piece in the other is the little 4 inch grinder that Makita puts in their buy the saw get a free grinder package. I generally don't like anything about it but have found that it is easier to handle one handed and I am less concerned about kick back with it, even though I know it is still a danger.

I don't know how it will hold up but if I had bought it before the Metabo I probably would have bought 2 or 3 of the porter cables, Oh' I should have noted earlier it is the one with the trigger switch with a trigger lock that can be used if wanted.

Creek
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
Poland308
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I'll second the Makita. I like them and the Dewalt.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
Poleframer
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The words Makita and budget just dont go together, haha. Most of my carpentry tools are makita, I consider them wise investments, some are still going strong 30 years after I bought them new, and not with little use.
I'd been a die hard milwaukee fan as well, but I really like the makita 1/2" drill I got a couple years back, I've burned up a few 1/2" milwaukee holeshooters and I think the lower gear ratio on the makita is just better engineering.
Poland308
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Yeah me too. I went through two Milwaukee hole shooters and one Dewalt with the clutch. I had to step up to the Milwaukee that does 500 rpm. And looks like a sawzall body.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
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Poleframer wrote:The words Makita and budget just dont go together, haha. Most of my carpentry tools are makita, I consider them wise investments, some are still going strong 30 years after I bought them new, and not with little use.
I'd been a die hard milwaukee fan as well, but I really like the makita 1/2" drill I got a couple years back, I've burned up a few 1/2" milwaukee holeshooters and I think the lower gear ratio on the makita is just better engineering.
I was a big Makita fan at one time but had 2 grinders @ work that all but failed on first use and I have a sawz all at home a friend gave me brand new because the blade keeper broke on first use, I bought the part and have been using it for nearly 20 years but the keeper has always been an issue, I don't use it often and it was free so I just live with it.

when the first grinder started sounding like gravel I accused the guy running it of bearing down on it to hard but the second one I was watching and the guy running it was not pushing it at all.

I am not loyal to brands in general so I buy and try and return if need be.

one in my opinion to steer clear of is the porter cable 14 inch abrasive chop saw, I had one for about 24 hours and after the first cut I knew it would be going back, it may have been that I got a dud but it had no power at all.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
Poland308
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I've had good luck with Hitachi corded tools as well.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
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Granddaddy wrote: ...had 2 grinders @ work that all but failed on first use...
I have yet to buy a quality tool with a brushed motor that does not tell you (somewhere in the manual) to run it with no load for at least one minute to fully seat the brushes and generally break in the moving parts. I'm not diagnosing your particular issues, but reminding people not to pull it out of the box and start working it immediately.

Steve S
Farmwelding
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Otto Nobedder wrote:
Granddaddy wrote: ...had 2 grinders @ work that all but failed on first use...
I have yet to buy a quality tool with a brushed motor that does not tell you (somewhere in the manual) to run it with no load for at least one minute to fully seat the brushes and generally break in the moving parts. I'm not diagnosing your particular issues, but reminding people not to pull it out of the box and start working it immediately.

Steve S
Wait you are supposed to read those books? I always just used them as fire starters. Maybe I should reconsider :lol:
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
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Otto Nobedder wrote:
Granddaddy wrote: ...had 2 grinders @ work that all but failed on first use...
I have yet to buy a quality tool with a brushed motor that does not tell you (somewhere in the manual) to run it with no load for at least one minute to fully seat the brushes and generally break in the moving parts. I'm not diagnosing your particular issues, but reminding people not to pull it out of the box and start working it immediately.

Steve S
thanks Steve, I am embarrassed to say that I didn't know that. I will keep that in mind from here on out, I might could have saved 2 grinders.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
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Granddaddy wrote:
Otto Nobedder wrote:
Granddaddy wrote: ...had 2 grinders @ work that all but failed on first use...
I have yet to buy a quality tool with a brushed motor that does not tell you (somewhere in the manual) to run it with no load for at least one minute to fully seat the brushes and generally break in the moving parts. I'm not diagnosing your particular issues, but reminding people not to pull it out of the box and start working it immediately.

Steve S
thanks Steve, I am embarrassed to say that I didn't know that. I will keep that in mind from here on out, I might could have saved 2 grinders.
QC at the factory will test-run them, but on a production line, each tool may get one or two seconds of power to prove it runs, while only 1 in 1000 get run through the mill. I even do this if I put new brushes in a starter or alternator (or install a new one of either). I'll stick the starter in a vice and run it, and the alternator will get a minute or two without the wiring hooked up.

Steve S
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