Replies

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | Sep 16, 2003 05:34am | #1

    I've got an old black and decker that keeps on going and a few week old <GASP> Dewalt (which is identical to the old B&D in every way).

      Flapper wheels Kick arse, I use them for everything from shaping wood to sharpening the tractor blades, to smoothing out welds. The only 2 other discs that go on it are the diamond wheel for tuck pointing, and cutting cultured stone and block(and cutting aluminum siding) and the  1/16" cutting disc for sheet metal fabrication.

     The flappers work so well, I've got a set of 3" and 2" for the angle air die grinder for the shop.

    As for the grinders themselves, I prefer the ones with the paddle switches, but that is clearly a personal thing.

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Sep 16, 2003 05:46am | #3

   what are these 'flapper' wheels?  I thought I knew what maxwell was refering to,  but apparently not - -

1. 
   IMERC | Sep 16, 2003 06:20am | #6

   They fit Rt A grinders. Layers of grit cloth lapped.

   Have them for the 4-1/2" and 9". Slick.

   Easiest place to find them is at a welding supply. Wrks on wood, metal, fiberglass and a zillion other types. Polish, sand or grind. 

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

2. 
   BKCBUILDER | Sep 16, 2003 02:03pm | #7

   They are not the flapper wheel discs like on the late night infomercials, but the ones like these guys have described. I get them at the welding supply. They last forever, and work well for everything. I actually haven't had a grinding wheel on mine since new.

2. 
   DavidxDoud | Sep 16, 2003 05:43am | #2

   well,  you ask and answer your own question - - get the  milwaukee,  you won't regret it - get a cup brush,  a knotted wire brush and a selection of grits of sand paper disks (a 'flap' sandpaper disk? - maybe for a drill,  don't think you could use it with a grinder),  you'll probably use them all - a handy tool....

1. 
   MGMaxwell | Sep 16, 2003 06:20am | #5

   Coastal Tool has them for sale  with their selection of disc grinders. They are overlaping sheets of sandpaper arranged radially (spoke like). The sheets are rectangular, and as they wear out new grit is exposed on the underlying sheet.

3. 
   ccal | Sep 16, 2003 05:58am | #4

   Ive got a makita that has worked will for several years, i also bought a cheap one from harbor freight for about 15 bucks that has been surprisingly good except the trigger.

4. 
   Danusan11 | Sep 16, 2003 02:17pm | #8

   milwaukee you won't be disapointed

5. 
   KARLSTER | Sep 16, 2003 04:53pm | #9

   For what you are doing I suspect any quality manufacturers angle grinder is fine. 

   I use several and my favorite is a Metabo 5 inch variable speed.  I think it is a we9-125.  Two features that make it very appealing is the ergonomically shaped motor housing and the fact that the "nut" used to hold unthreaded accesories on the shaft doesn't require a wrench.  It has a unique locking mechanism in the nut that allows you to just hand tighten it.

   For my purposes I also like the fact that it is variable speed.

   I have a makita 5 inch variable speed that is a great tool and it is a bit heavier and clumsier than the metabo.

   I have a hitachi 4 1/2" single speed with a paddle switch that I use a lot

   I have a milwaukee single speed grinder with paddle switch that sits around as a back up and never gets used.

   I tried a cheap import angle grinder (like harbor freight tools) and it lasted for about ten minutes of use.  I deemed it a poor investment of time to try and diagnose or repair.  I recycled it.

   Whatever you do make sure your grinder has 5/8-11 threads on the spindle.  Some 4" grinders have a metric thread that doesn't allow you to use threaded accessories without an (elusive) adapter.

   Thanks for your reply on the CA glue query.

   Karl

   The variable speed grinders I mention as my top two have a soft start feature that makes it more difficult to accidentally allow the tools start up torque to lock a partially threaded accessory on the shaft. I especially like this after having jammed grinding drums on two grinders so tight that I ended up dedicating that grinding drum to the tool for the remainder of its useful life.  Even though I am fully aware of the problems related to not fully tightening a threaded accessory accidents happen.  The soft start is a very worthwhile feature on these tools.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 9/16/2003 9:59:49 AM ET by karl

1. 
   xMikeSmith | Sep 16, 2003 11:22pm | #10

   i agree with karl.. the 5" Metabo would be my first choice..

    i bought a 4" Hitachi which is great.. but i really wanted the 5" Metabo..  we cut a lot of reglets and reflash chimneys.. a 4" is not quite deep enough.. the 5" is perfect..

    and none of the others can touch the MetaboMike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

6. 
   billyg83440 | Sep 18, 2003 08:04pm | #11

   I first bought a cheapy import for about $15. Probably got 3-4 hours total use out of it before the gears stripped out. Decided to never again buy a cheap power tool.

   For about 3 times as much I bought a 4" Makita and have used it tons. Good tool, well built. Milwaukee makes an incredible small grinder for around $100 that allows you to easily move the grinding shield around w/o tools and some other nice features like having 3 handle positions instead of two.

   Maybe I'll have to get a flap wheel and try it. I've got both a cup style and disk style wire wheel for mine. Usually use both on most projects. The cup for most of it and the straight one to get into a few nooks the cup can't quite get to. A cut off wheel is great for cutting angle iron and sheet metal.

   Buy brand name wire wheels. Where I used to work decided to save money once and bought a bunch from harbor freight. They wore out inside a few hours or days of use where a dewalt or any name brand one would last weeks of daily near constant use. Some literally came apart shooting small pieces of wire around the shop at high speeds. Others the wires were just too soft and wore out quickly. Some just had a single wire break off occassionally. Those cheap wire wheels are extremely dangerous.

1. 
   MGMaxwell | Oct 01, 2003 05:35am | #12

   I made the plunge for the Milwaukee @ Coastal Tool; lots of accesories also. If it surprises me either good or bad I'll let you know.

7. 
   4Lorn2 | Oct 13, 2003 11:22am | #13

   I've got a 4.5 DeWalt. I use it for prep and finish of welds, etc. Flapper wheels work but they are expensive and once heavily glazed or dulled they must be replaced. For rust I prefer a good wire wheels. Wheel or cup is determined by how you can address the problem. Crimped wire for finer work, knotted for heavy going.

   One of the advantages of wire wheels is that they don't glaze and can be resharpened by using the wheel lightly, to build the burr not bend the tips, against a stone. I use a broken piece of green wheel designed for grinding carbide but similar result can be had with any stone, even concrete. Avoid soft and valuable stones as this usually hollows it quite a bit. Once the wheel is sharp it will cut paint, destroy rust and can , with too much enthusiasm, wear steel hollow.

   The wheels are also generally less expensive than the flapper wheels.

1. 
   IMERC | Oct 13, 2003 12:26pm | #14

   Use a rubber cleaning block on your flapper wheels when they get glazed. (or are they a lapped disk?)  

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

2. 
   BillHartmann | Oct 13, 2003 06:36pm | #15

   I was at HD and some that they have some of the 3M Scotchbrite type of stuff in a hard cup shape that goes on grinders.

   A friend of mine has some deck post with the remains of a vine that was growing on it. I might give them a try.