If you’re working with metal, even if it’s just occasionally in a DIY capacity, then you might have considered investing in a high-quality angle grinder, like the Milwaukee m18. Here, let’s examine this essential tool in detail, and see exactly what it brings to the toolbox, and when the best time to use it might be.
What is an angle grinder?
An angle grinder consists of a handle-and-motor-assembly attached to a spinning, abrasive disk. They can be used for a whole range of purposes, including cutting and (you’ve guessed it) grinding, but also for finishing and polishing.
The abrasive disk can be swapped out depending on the kind of work you have in mind, which makes this among the more versatile tools available. If you need to do some rapid cutting, then you might choose a highly-abrasive disk; if you’re looking to polish a surface smooth, then you might choose one that’s barely-abrasive at all.
Grinding and Polishing Metal
If you’re going to be polishing metal, then simply swapping out the disc might not be enough. For this, you’ll want to be able to adjust the motor speed of the grinder. Bringing things all the way down will strike a nice compromise – it’ll be moving faster than your hand could, but without creating so much friction that the top layer of paint is stripped off the bonnet of your car.
If you’re going to be installing a large buffing pad, then then you might need to remove the wheel-guard first. But this tends to be no problem for most grinders. We should note that this approach will actually take a little bit of the surface away every time, so if you do it often enough, you’ll need to reapply a coat of wax.
Sharpening
Tool parts can be expensive to replace. Moreover, making new ones places a burden on the environment. Therefore, if we can repair older tools rather than buying new ones, then we should do it. This is where angle grinders can be tremendously valuable – they’re great for sharpening dull tools. Whether it’s a chisel, a lawnmower blade, a circular saw, or even a kitchen knife, an angle grinder will help you to get the job done nicely.
Cutting Tiles
If you’re going to be tiling, then you’ll need to cut through ceramics at some point. This is where an angle grinder can be tremendously useful – not only for getting the tiles down in the first place, but for making precise repairs to tiles that have already been laid.