Welding Tips and Tricks

I currently use a hitachi 4 1/2 inch grinder with dewalt discs. Not the best brand, 1 disc only lasted me about a week. Any good brands that last a decent long time would be much appreciated!

Norton or Weil both make good wheels. I think they make them for most of the big names. How long a disc or wheel last usually depends on using the right grit and kind for the job your doing as well as how you use it. I stock flapper wheels in 40-60-80 grit on my truck as well as hard wheels 1/4 - 1/8 -3/32 in thick.

Pferd.

Poland308 wrote:Norton or Weil both make good wheels. I think they make them for most of the big names. How long a disc or wheel last usually depends on using the right grit and kind for the job your doing as well as how you use it. I stock flapper wheels in 40-60-80 grit on my truck as well as hard wheels 1/4 - 1/8 -3/32 in thick.

Have you ever used sait grinding discs? I heard from a friend that they work really well

ex framie wrote:Pferd.

Haha I dont understand, is that a brand for grinding discs?

Yes Sait and pferd. The shop I work for buys in bulk. They buy from all those big names. I don't notice much diferance between brands but I rarely use thick wheels it's mostly flapper wheels and the 3/32 and 1/8 in thin wheels.

Norton, Dewalt and Metabo for me.

For me it's often Flexovit.

Mostly because that's what Bunnings sells and they are nearby.



Kym

Like many buying their own consumables I tend to buy on price / locally available - but I have used Smith & Arrow on occasion - they last well compared with anything else I tried.

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Stick_Welder_Steve wrote:I currently use a hitachi 4 1/2 inch grinder with dewalt discs. Not the best brand, 1 disc only lasted me about a week. Any good brands that last a decent long time would be much appreciated!

Brand names aside, having the right disc for the material (stainless, aluminum?) is the real issue here, find a brand that's good, (many mention above) and ask your LWS or call the manufacturer to know which is the best for the material you'll be grinding.

Richard

Slightly off topic but here goes, this might be useful to someone:

Best grinding lesson I've learned I picked up from a magazine years ago. There was a feature on a home workshop. The guy had four angle grinders hanging up. His advice? "Grinders are cheap. Rather than endlessly swapping discs during a job, I just have a grinder for each job. Cutting, grinding, wire wheel, flap disc."

I've never regretted buying an extra grinder. Put one down, pick up the other, keep moving.



Kym

AKweldshop wrote:Norton, Dewalt and Metabo for me.

Can Norton brand discs be found in local big box stores like home depot or do they have to be ordered online?

LtBadd wrote:

Stick_Welder_Steve wrote:I currently use a hitachi 4 1/2 inch grinder with dewalt discs. Not the best brand, 1 disc only lasted me about a week. Any good brands that last a decent long time would be much appreciated!

Brand names aside, having the right disc for the material (stainless, aluminum?) is the real issue here, find a brand that's good, (many mention above) and ask your LWS or call the manufacturer to know which is the best for the material you'll be grinding.

Richard

I go to a trade school so we dont do much as far as exotic metals go mostly just carbon steel, aluminum, and stainless.

MosquitoMoto wrote:His advice? "Grinders are cheap. Rather than endlessly swapping discs during a job, I just have a grinder for each job. Cutting, grinding, wire wheel, flap disc."

I've never regretted buying an extra grinder. Put one down, pick up the other, keep moving.

Kym

I have been doing the same thing for years. I found a grinder at a hardware store on sale, since it had been the floor demo model and some sticky fingered idiot had pocketed the grinding disk locking nut and washer. Makes a great wire wheel mount!

I too buy what the LWS has. I also will watch for deals on brand names like Dewalt at tractor supply and rural king. Sometimes you find really good deals on old stock cutting wheels etc... for real cheap in their bargain bins. One brand I really like that is mostly available only through the Internet is Klingspor.

MosquitoMoto wrote:Slightly off topic but here goes, this might be useful to someone:

Best grinding lesson I've learned I picked up from a magazine years ago. There was a feature on a home workshop. The guy had four angle grinders hanging up. His advice? "Grinders are cheap. Rather than endlessly swapping discs during a job, I just have a grinder for each job. Cutting, grinding, wire wheel, flap disc."

I've never regretted buying an extra grinder. Put one down, pick up the other, keep moving.



Kym

I remember my instructor notifying me of the small trick and I have never regretted it once, the ability to quickly switch between different discs quickly is amazing

MosquitoMoto wrote:Slightly off topic but here goes, this might be useful to someone:

Best grinding lesson I've learned I picked up from a magazine years ago. There was a feature on a home workshop. The guy had four angle grinders hanging up. His advice? "Grinders are cheap. Rather than endlessly swapping discs during a job, I just have a grinder for each job. Cutting, grinding, wire wheel, flap disc."

I've never regretted buying an extra grinder. Put one down, pick up the other, keep moving.

Kym

Not long ago my 26 yr old hitachi grinder died, if I had been smart enough to have checked the brushes and changed them it would still be running.
Anyway down to the hardware store for a replacement, same make, same size, same output grinder was on special for $50, I bought 2 (the original was $85, in 1989).
Several weeks later during a project, I was getting sick of having to change discs/brushes, back to the hardware store, bought 2 more hitachi grinders, same size with higher output for less than $60 each, so I now have 4 100mm + 1 7 1/2 inch for bigger jobs.
Yep all the new ones are made in china, but they seem well made.
Saves a lot of stuffing around changing disc types.
Now just have to build a mount to keep them on.

Stick_Welder_Steve wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:Norton, Dewalt and Metabo for me.

Can Norton brand discs be found in local big box stores like home depot or do they have to be ordered online?

Not sure. I got mine off eBay.

[/quote]

Not long ago my 26 yr old hitachi grinder died, if I had been smart enough to have checked the brushes and changed them it would still be running.
Anyway down to the hardware store for a replacement, same make, same size, same output grinder was on special for $50, I bought 2 (the original was $85, in 1989).
Several weeks later during a project, I was getting sick of having to change discs/brushes, back to the hardware store, bought 2 more hitachi grinders, same size with higher output for less than $60 each, so I now have 4 100mm + 1 7 1/2 inch for bigger jobs.
Yep all the new ones are made in china, but they seem well made.
Saves a lot of stuffing around changing disc types.
Now just have to build a mount to keep them on.[/quote]

Another benefit of this approach is that even if you are buying 'budget priced' grinders, because you have 3 or 4 grinders sharing the work, they tend to last okay.

I welded up hooks for my grinders. I have cable tie loops on each grinder and I just hang them from a shed rafter.


Kym

ex framie wrote: Now just have to build a mount to keep them on.

I'm not affiliated with these guys at all, but had seen this a bit back over on one of the offroad wheeling forums.
Swag Offroad makes a few laser cut grinder hangers, and others have made similar things on a plasma table.

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Grinder-Wall ... _p_47.html

OMG. for 60$ I can buy a lot of 1/8 x2 flat stock to weld on to every work bench and wall in my garage for hanging grinders.

Poland308 wrote:OMG. for 60$ I can buy a lot of 1/8 x2 flat stock to weld on to every work bench and wall in my garage for hanging grinders.

True, but now you have ideas for how to save money on it!

The pricing is part of why I have no personal interest in the company, I can't afford to be buying their toys!

As to my storage, they live hanging off of the front edge of my welding cart's shelf, all side by side.

Two professional choices are

Pferd Germany
https://www.pferdusa.com

Bronco Germany
http://www.dronco.com/xist4c/web/Grindi ... 19586_.htm

I buy my grinding disks from the local metal recyclers.
These guys know exactly what works, they use it every day.

I did the same thing with 'weed whacker' grass trimmers.
I stop and ask the road crews along the highways.
Most times, they give me healthy samples to try out.

Many years ago, I had trouble sharpening chainsaw blades.
So, I bought the rental shop guy lunch,
and he taught me all about chainsaw blades. Money well spent.

WerkSpace wrote:I buy my grinding disks from the local metal recyclers.
These guys know exactly what works, they use it every day.

I did the same thing with 'weed whacker' grass trimmers.
I stop and ask the road crews along the highways.
Most times, they give me healthy samples to try out.

Many years ago, I had trouble sharpening chainsaw blades.
So, I bought the rental shop guy lunch,
and he taught me all about chainsaw blades. Money well spent.

Haha I never knew you could stop by road crews and start asking em questions about grass trimmers