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I'm guessing the answer is definitely no, but it seemed the easiest way of trying to explain my predicament.
I'm trying to chop the end off a double skin brick garden wall and just can't seem to get my hands in the right place.
It seems natural to hold the rear end of my grinder with my right hand, and the front/side handle with my left. Approach the wall holding the grinder as if I had my left hand on my bike handlebar and the right hand on my saddlle. I then address the grinder to the wall, carefully aligning it with the pre drilled holes. All is perfect....
Except for the fact that only the guard is actually facing the wall. The exposed disk is pointing back over my right shoulder.
So I change position to get the blade on the wall, but it completely throws the position out and I can no longer see the ****ing guide holes in the wall and my hands are wound in complete knots.
I change position again and end up with the debris from the cut spraying 4 inches into my face and my arms in positions where I know there is no chance of controlling any kickback ( didn't start it in this position, not that stupid)
The wall now looks like a noughts and crosses competition has taken place and I am still non the wiser about how to achieve a half decent cut.
I did think that if I took the guard off then the blade would be in the right place, but of course spinning in the direction than would kick it out of the groove rather than in ( like if you use the top edge of a chainsaw briefly)
So, back to square one. How to I use the damn thing so that I can see the blade, see the line, hold it firmly and have the blade spinning the right way?
the handle unthreads on most angle grinders and there should be another threaded hole to thread it into on the other side
The cover bolt can be loosened and the cover rotated often too.
You are using a grinding guard for cutting.
Unscrew the handle and screw it in the other side - duh
All angle grinder guards I’ve ever seen can be rotated, have a look for a clamp bolt to rotate it to where you need it, don’t remove it, ive seen first hand what happens when a disc explodes with no guard.... google it if you like
Cheers kevs. Was wondering about that. But wouldn't there then be the issue that the disk is spinning to push out of the cut rather than in? Or does that not matter?
( As regards the handle, yes if course I've tried ot in the various places and it doesn't help)
Unscrew the handle and screw it in the other side – duh
That doesn't reverse the direction of the blade 🙂
The clue is in the name really - yes you can move the handle to the other side and the guard should swivel about (although some are sort of indexed so you don't get complete freedom to set the position) but they're 'grinders' not 'cutters'. They are a shaping , smoothing, finishing tool and the design and handle positions reflect that. You can fit a disk that has a cutting function but that doesn't change the fundamental design of the tool - which 'angles' the disk, relative to the motor, in order to orientate the side of the disk into a position so you can comfortable use it for 'grinding'. A tool designed for cutting is called a 'Cut off tool' and runs the disk on the same axis as the motor.
( As regards the handle, yes if course I’ve tried ot in the various places and it doesn’t help)
The best place for a handfe for that would be on the back of the gearbox - on the same axis as the collet - but then to a right handed user the blade would be spinning the wrong way
All angle grinder guards I’ve ever seen can be rotated, have a look for a clamp bolt to rotate it to where you need it, don’t remove it, ive seen first hand what happens when a disc explodes with no guard…. google it if you like
The OP is surely using a cutting disk made from metal which is very unlikely to explode. A standard grinding/cutting disk should always be used with a guard though as you say,
I have a fancy metabo 9 inch grinder that you can rotate the handle, guard etc to get it in a comfy position, but since buying a proper cut off saw with hose connection the grinder only gets used for grinding now.
The OP is surely using a cutting disk made from metal which is very unlikely to explode.
I beg to differ 🙂 Abortech disks can explode like a mother! Sending spiky metal shuriken's ricocheting round the room! They can leave a fair sized, unbalanced, chuck of metal still spinning in the arbor which is pretty bloody nasty too as it tries to shake itself free of your grip.
issue that the disk is spinning to push out of the cut rather than in?
Start your cut at the bottom of the wall and work upwards.
Many thanks all. Got there in the end. It did indeed spinweird, but whassname nailed it with this
Start your cut at the bottom of the wall and work upwards.
Bloody scary tool though. Really really is. Just need to trim off the edges in the morning.
Oh, and get rid of the last bit if the tree stump that the wall was actually restin on. Wonder of the angle grinder will do that too.
Many thanks.
Oh, and get rid of the last bit if the tree stump that the wall was actually restin on. Wonder of the angle grinder will do that too.
A bloke I did some work for did exactly that, fitting the blade off his mitre saw onto the 9" grinder.
The resultant deep gash across his leg could easily have been a main artery 😳
I love a bit of angle grinder action even though mine is just a baby one. :
Bloody scary tool though. Really really is.
Yep. I hate, absolutely hate using mine. I'll reach for a hacksaw and a file before i resort to an angle grinder.
Put a flappy sanding disk on it though and its epic.
nailed it with this
Start your cut at the bottom of the wall and work upwards.
Boom!
The most awesome tool for dealing with tree stumps and roots is a Sabre Saw*. Plus a lot of digging and mattocking
*actually it's a JCB, but they aren't as cheap.
The OP is surely using a cutting disk made from metal which is very unlikely to explode. A standard grinding/cutting disk should always be used with a guard though as you say,
I've been thankful for my face shield in a similar situation.
Essentially in theory it shouldn't happen.
When it does happen there are no second chances.nothing quite like pulling a bit of grinding disk that's lodged in your face shield vertically to make you thank your lucky stars
I've actually already shelled out £360 to have the stump removed. But he couldn't remove this last bit as it had a wall on top.
Bloody hell gardening is expensive.
Please please please keep a guard on. I know a few folk who have stuck 4" and 9" grinders in legs and faces.... Worse with small grinders as you can (and I do) use them one handed. Wear as mask and glasses / goggles.
Please please please keep a guard on.
Yes indeed. Also wearing goggles and chainsaw helmet/grille thingy.
Recently switched to a Makita paddle switch 40V XGT 5" grinder with speed controller and it's excellent and I guess you can use that eaily with either hand, bar the disc spinning the opposite way relative to up/down. Okay it's not going to sit there all day grinding like my mains ones but it feels so much safer to use. Speed control means you can work a bit more gently better for wire brushes etc and the paddle switch just feels so much safer, if you were to drop it for some reason then it stops spinning very quickly.
Not much use if you are doing a wall as you probably need a 9" grinder or bugger but if you have a few ft of wall to do I would be popping to the hire shop and getting a proper masonry cut off saw. Will do the job in seconds.