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So I have decided that for my applications a corded grinder is going to be fine. Historically i like Bosch and Makita for durability. But often some of the budget brands do come up trumps. What is currently available out there, and are there any special offers on price on the web? nickwheeler was over for a couple of hours yesterday. We discussed a bunch of things again as usual. One of the things was 115mm angle grinders, and the matter of corded vs cordless. I usually keep three grinders set up, cutting, grinding and flap wheel. I want to replace my one, 25 year old, repeatedly repaired Bosch, corded grinder. The power switch has started to stick repeatedly, so not completely safe imho. I bought a pair of DeWalt cordless impact and power drills a year ago. Nick suggested I buy a cordless unit (priced around £120.00) rather than a corded unit between £30.00 and £50.00 What is the experience out there with the two options….? Thanks.
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Last Edit: Jan 14, 2023 10:32:39 GMT by grizz
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Cordless have the advantage that they can be easier to use due to the lack of a trailing cable, and without the risk of cutting that cable. The flip side is the need to have at least one soare charged battery if it's being used a lot. We recently switched from corded to cordless at work, mainly due to the cable issue, but for us the H&S factor was critical (school DT workshops). Ours run the same batteries as our cordless drills, so we were already set up for dealing with the charging situation. The flip side is that to disable, we have to remove all the batteries rather than just being able to hit the main power button for the whole workshop... For my own use, I prefer the corded ones as there isn't that annoying point when the battery runs down half way though, but there is still very much a place for the cordless ones. All comes down to how you see yourself using them. Unless the portablility is important, the cost of one cordless buying three corded ones is certainly somewhat of a deal breaker, especially if you want to have several, each already set up with a different wheels / discs.
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Depends where and what I'm doing, quick cutting of small stuff with a thin disc I'll tend to use my old brushed Makita 18v, for lots of wire wheeling/flap disc action I'll uae the 240v makita, it's a good bit more compact and has more grunt than the battery unit.
Access into most areas is pretty much the same, the helical gear head and guard are almost identical.
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Oh and the corded one is half the price of the battery unit
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
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I got a dewalt brushless cordless earlier this year and I do use it quite a lot, but not for major fab work. I will use it for cutting on thin bodywork as part of repairs for convenience (I used it a fair bit doing the lada) but for anything proper I still use corded, especially for grinding and flap wheeling. I’ll leave the corded ones setup on the bench, chop the bit out of the car I need to replace with the cordless then go to the bench and make it.
It really comes into its own for construction/property maintenance/scrap yard tasks where it’s grab and go rather than trail an extension out. My yard is big enough I’d need to join a couple of extension leads to get out to certain areas so it saves a good bit of time. For reference I find 1x dewalt 5ah battery equates almost exactly the the life of 2x 5” cutting discs. I literally never run it with anything but cutters in it.
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A unlike a drill, a battery grinder isn't a replacement for a corded one. They're not as powerful, the batteries don't last long for bigger jobs and they're bulkier/heavier. What they are good for is all the small jobs that take less time than getting an extension lead to the job, like lopping off exhaust or axle clamps, removing rusted bolts, making a nice shiny spot for grounds etc, etc.
Grinders should also be fitted with spannerless nuts too.
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Not a huge user of power tools (or any tools!) but about a year ago I bought some Ryobi kit. Drill and impact are brilliant, but the circular saw, angle grinder and jigsaw aren't as good as my 20+ year old corded Bosch ones.
To be fair, the freedom and health and safety benefits of the cordlessness (is that a word?) is brilliant, and I've just got used to going a bit slower at things.
Angle grinder and circular saw seem heaviest on the batteries.
The first time I used the grinder felt really scary (although I've always been wary of grinders anyway) it just felt like it was going to dig in and drag me along with it, with no cord to stop me!
Soon got over that.
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I have both. Like Dez I only use my Makita cordless for cutting duties. My first corded grinder was garbage, eating its own innards and I replaced with a Clarke Contractor one from Machine Mart. It's a bit of a beast and will do no end of grinding/cutting etc. I've given it hell and it just chugs on and on. It wasn't expensive either. Grinding or heavy duty cutting for the corded, and light cutting for the cordless. Works fine for me.
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DeWalt grinders absolutely hammer the batteries, also not as compact as a corded tool. Have both, cordless is normally only used with slitting discs unless I CBA running extension leads.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,829
Club RR Member Number: 174
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I was gonna get a cordless grinder until we got a couple of Milkwankee ones at work and I realised that for all the jobs I'd need them for I might aswell just use a drill as the performance seems much the same.
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LowStandards
Club Retro Rides Member
Bigging Up The Sum Sum Man Since '99
Posts: 2,632
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Unless you're stealing cats, corded all the way
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Unless you're stealing cats, corded all the way Cat theives don't use grinders, too noisy! Recip saws or electric pipe shears...
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LowStandards
Club Retro Rides Member
Bigging Up The Sum Sum Man Since '99
Posts: 2,632
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It's more they don't really cut through tucked up 2 inch pipe that well, rather than the noise. They don't seem to care too much about that...
Oh, and as mentioned, they're not powerful and you can't lean on them without stalling
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I got rid of my corded grinder a couple of years ago and only use my cordless one now. Mine is the older brushed 18V Makita. I gather the brushless ones are more powerful.
Something to bear in mind is the battery size. Bigger batteries are happier driving things like circular saws and grinders than the smaller ones are. I'd go minimum 3AH on a grinder. The lightweight 1AH batteries you can get for drills won't like running a grinder for long because they can't supply the current without the voltage dropping.
Also if/when you buy it, make sure you're not getting a Screwfix special version of the grinder. They have a habit of having their own slightly cheaper version which is more plasticky, not as durable etc.
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its a no brainer really if you already have other corded ones get a cordless, If you can afford one with speed control go for that aswell handy for lots of jobs. saves me having to run a lead out a block of flats when iam home
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mrbig
Part of things
Semi-professional Procrastinator
Posts: 461
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I have such a tendency to kill angle grinders that I would resent spending the money on a cordless grinder. I have 2 or 3 set up with different wheels on at any one time too so my £100 'investment' would suddenly be £300 and I can't see them lasting any longer.
I do love my Ryobi One cordless drill/drivers though!
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1969 German Look Beetle - in progress
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Frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death
Posts: 3,875
Club RR Member Number: 15
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I do love my Ryobi One cordless drill/drivers though! So do I so I got a Ryobi cordless angle grinder for Christmas (thanks Santa). It sucks big time on the small 1.4Ah batteries. The 4Ah batteries are OK but against corded it's no contest except for light duty applications.
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Tales of the Volcano Lair hereFrankenBug - Vulcan Power hereThe Frankenhealey here
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I'm cordless on everything except my grinder, in-laws bought me a corded dewalt. The only faff I have between my cordless dewalt power tools is that I only have one battery. Ideally you need two so one getting charged whilst one is in use.
When the corded grinder goes pop I'll go cordless. Love just no having extension cables running everywhere.
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Jan 14, 2023 12:52:46 GMT
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Next question.
So I have decided that for my applications a corded grinder is going to be fine.
Historically i like Bosch and Makita for durability.
But often some of the budget brands do come up trumps.
What is currently available out there, and are there any special offers on price on the web?
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Jan 14, 2023 13:16:23 GMT
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You already have quality batteries. Match the grinder to them.
Having a shelf full of assorted cordless tools that all use different batteries and chargers is a real pain.
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