As an engineer it is important you fill your warehouse with standard working pieces of equipment, it is not the kind of stuff you can avoid. An angle grinder is a perfect tool if you want to cut or polish any kind of steel or iron materials. If you are looking to buy this great tool, read this first as this guide will help you know the factors you need to consider before getting an angle grinder.
Disc size
When buying a grinder, the disc size is the number one thing you need consider; this size is also called the wheel or the head. The size of the disc is the primary determinant of its strength and level of performance. But whatever the case may be, you don’t need to at all cost buy an angle grinder that has a big disc but something that will work for you. For example, there are some situations that will require you go through extreme precision while grinding, it will require that you get a smaller disc that will be suitable for the job because you may not be comfortable with bigger disc drives for such tasks. Grinding discs are available in the market in different sizes depending on your choice; you can get them from in different magnitudes some are 4.9 inches while some are made in 9 inches size.
Power
The angle grinder can work with either of these three power supply means; it can work with either of the following three power sources the first and common power source is electricity, the second power source is petrol, while the third power source is compressed air. The three means have their various mode of operation and advantages, for example when the power goes off the electricity angle grinder stops working immediately, but that of petrol will not go off except you have exhausted the fuel inside which you can easily refill. Before buying any of the three categories explained, make sure you go through their manuals to know their usefulness and their turn offs.
Speed
Another factor you need to understand is how fast is the disc before purchasing because the faster the drive could roll over, the powerful it can work. These discs are so powerful such that they can roll over from between 5000 revolutions in a minute. Cases like this are the primary reason why angle grinder is considered a powerful tool when it comes to grinding and cutting. So at any point in time, you choose to buy an angle grinding machine, make sure you are going for a disc that has high rate of revolution. Make sure you also look for devices that do not have high speed. An average angle grinder has between seven hundred to a more top 1200 Revolutions in a minute, although some Grinders that do not have much load speed can perform up to 12,000 revolutions in one minute.
Wattage
There is no stress if you want to know the wattage of a grinder; the level of the wattage, determines the power of the grinder, this will determine how easy it will be able cut materials or grind objects quickly. Discs made in bigger sizes should automatically need higher wattage(s) compared to smaller drives. Also, make sure that your prefered machine comes with a higher amp so that they will be useful anytime you need to do heavy-duty works.
Interchangeability
Try to get a grinder that will allow you replace an installed disc any time of your choice; this will enable you use one Grinder for different purposes. More so, do not go for an angle grinder that will not allow you to use attachments. If the one you love to buy does not let you use accessories go for the ones that will enable you to use it.
Slow start
The slow-start is an essential feature in the machine because it will give you the opportunity to handle the device easily while the engine is working so that the machine will not malfunction into twisting and wrenching. However, make sure that you increase the speed of the grinder from soft start to high speed before using it for any work; the reason is that it has a slow start handle is not an indication that the device is usable immediately after startup. Slow start is to allow you to balance the handling of the device when you are ready to use it. Slow start-up is very common among big grinders, so you must check if the grinder you want to buy has this feature.
Handle
You dare not buy a grinder without a side handle, without a side handle you will not be able to use an angle grinder whether big or small. The side handle is a feature that makes it easy for an operator to use both handles on the Grinder while it’s in use. Also, make sure the kind of grinder you are going for has an anti-vibrator feature; this is what will let you be able to use it for an extended period without getting stressed. The anti-vibrator will also allow you handle the machine the way you want.
Conclusions
Angle grinders are not machines you can find anyhow; they exist only in an environment where powerful tools are in use. They are available in various sizes not and not produced based on your budget but for the capacity of what they can handle. Over time angle, grinders become so versatile because of the ability of how operators use their accessories. The most common among its sizes that you can easily find anywhere is 4-in and 4-1/2 in sizes. Angle grinders have the following basic features; the first one is spindle washer while the second one is spindle nut; these features are installed in different configurations, some of the settings are thick while some are thin. For a better understanding of this, make use of the manual that explains in details how to make use of the machine.