Angle grinders (in short - angle grinders) are necessary not only for professionals in the field of construction and repair, often home craftsmen may have a question about how to choose a grinder for the house. Let's define what the optimal tool should be.
Basic requirements for angle grinders - do the expectations coincide with reality?
To begin with, it will be useful to define the terms and principle of the tool. So why exactly "Bulgarian"? The fact is that the first angle grinders were imported to Russia from Bulgaria, and that is why they received a consonant name among the people. The angle grinder consists of a housing with an electric motor, a rotor, a threaded shaft for nozzles, a protective casing and a handle - this is a short list of the main components, of which, of course, there are much more. Distinguish between wired and battery angle grinders, professional with high power, medium and small for small needs... Actually, it is the power of the grinder, its dimensions and the diameter of the casing that determine the selection criteria. Although there are other factors, which we will discuss separately below.
The main quality that every craftsman expects from a tool is reliability. This concept includes both wear resistance, and undemanding maintenance of angle grinders, and resistance to high loads. As a rule, it was believed that such properties are mainly possessed by grinding machines of well-known foreign brands, a high rating confirms the fact that they are often counterfeited in China. Recently, however, the domestic industry has begun to gain momentum, and the production of power tools has reached a new quality level. Now Russian stamps have also begun to be forged.
The advantage of domestic angle grinders over foreign ones is undoubtedly provided that the quality is approximately equal. First, large Russian manufacturers place their brand stores in many cities, creating service centers along the way. Secondly, it is easier to protest the acquisition when a defect is found from a domestic enterprise, rather than looking for a way out to a foreign company. And thirdly, all parts for repair and modernization of the tool can be purchased much cheaper if they do not cross borders, but are produced within your region.
Choosing a domestic manufacturer - the most popular brands
Perhaps many have seen angle grinders in stores, which have an inscription on the case Baikal... Tools under this brand are produced not somewhere abroad, but in Russia, coming off the conveyors of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. And the name is written in Latin letters for the reason that this trademark has passed the international registration. Initially, it was an arms factory, which eventually mastered the production of medical equipment, and later - various devices and, finally, electrical professional and household tools, the rating of which on the market is quite high.
The second largest angle grinder company is Interskol. The production base of this manufacturer includes the Bykovskiy Power Tool Plant (abbreviated as BEZ) and the Interskol-Alabuga complex in the Republic of Tatarstan. True, some models are made from foreign parts, so they can not always be called domestic. Some of the products of this company are produced in the workshops of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, where all units and electronic components are manufactured. There are also production facilities in Spain and China.
Another domestic enterprise that produces high-quality angle grinders is the Konakovsky Plant of Mechanized Tools, but it specializes mainly in pneumatic devices. Also worth mentioning the company Fiolent, recently confidently advancing to one of the leading positions in the Russian market. The fact is that the tool produced by this manufacturer is quite reliable at a low cost. True, this brand has not yet become popular.
And, finally, one of the most popular grinders - Lepse, instruments under this trade mark are produced at the Kirovskiy JSC EMZS "LEPSE". According to the reviews of those who happened to work with this brand, professional angle grinders of high power are extremely wear-resistant. As for small grinders for household needs, they do not always cope with the tasks assigned to them, but here, most likely, improper operation takes place, since such grinders are not suitable even for grinding welded seams.
Which grinder is better? First of all, pay attention to the manufacturer's reviews. However, all the companies listed above have already proven themselves in the Russian market quite positively, although each has the most successful directions. So, at KZMI Electric drills and power screwdrivers are considered the best, but grinders are of an average quality level, but very inexpensive. Izhevsk angle grinders are trouble-free in operation, and although breakdowns do occur, they are easy to fix thanks to affordable and inexpensive spare parts. Grinding machines Lepse they are often too noisy, do not have protection against dust and jamming, they are too heavy, but they work well even in the most difficult conditions and do not break down for years. As for the company Interskol, they make the most successful small tools for household needs with attachments up to 125 millimeters.
Big or small grinder - which size to choose?
Even for beginners who first pick up a power tool, it is usually clear that the more powerful the device, the heavier and larger it is. With regard to the grinder, there is another factor - the diameter of the nozzles that can be used depends on the power of the machine. The corresponding dimensions are given to the protective casing, and a disc with a diameter larger than the allowable one simply cannot be delivered. So which angle grinder to choose? It all depends on the nature of the work that you have to face.
If you plan on sawing brick and concrete and sanding, as well as cutting thin sheet metal, a 600 to 900 watt tool is sufficient. But low-power grinders, as we have already mentioned, will not cope with thick welding seams, as well as with thick steel, therefore, for channels and I-beams, it is better to choose angle grinders from 1 kilowatt and above. Power also matters when choosing attachments. If you need a large thickness, you will need a disc about 23 centimeters in diameter, a small nozzle within 12.5 centimeters will not cope with the task.
As for the most popular discs for household needs, these are just diameters from 115 millimeters to 125. Accordingly, small grinders are needed to work with them. This option is very convenient, since you can work with small angle grinders with one hand, simply by holding the body (this will not work with a professional tool). That is why the rating of grinders with 125 mm discs is very high. Also, in order to handle the grinder without resorting to the second handle, it is advisable to buy a device with speed control.
If the grinder is equipped with a speed control, it is undesirable to exceed the permissible load or operate longer than the recommended active period (15-20 minutes), otherwise the electronic speed control unit may fail.
For small angle grinders there are very convenient attachments with a diameter of 125 millimeters with the so-called "Velcro", on which you can attach and, pressing down, instantly fix the emery wheels provided with a corresponding coating on the back side. Sanding attachments of this type are suitable for both wood and metal. As for other discs, metal with spraying, abrasive or petal from overlapping pieces of sandpaper, their size and thickness depend primarily on the size of the protective casing, without which it is absolutely not recommended to work without.
What to look for when buying angle grinders?
First of all, the instrument must be wired. The cordless angle grinder is convenient, but its operating time is very short due to the strong resistance of materials during cutting and significant friction during grinding. Therefore, if mobility is needed, the wireless device must be kept as a backup, and the network must be the main one. Now about how to choose the right grinder. Make sure that it has a soft start, that is, a gradual, not abrupt, increase in speed, otherwise there is a risk that one day, when turned on, a disc with an imperceptible defect will fly apart. Also pay attention to the speed limit. If you purchase a tool without changing the speeds, and take the attachments only within the specified limits, otherwise the result will be the same - the destruction of the disc during operation.
Quite an important factor when choosing is the presence of automatic shutdown of the brushes in those moments when the voltage supply is briefly interrupted in the network. This will save the tool from breakage due to a sharp decrease in revolutions and the next moment the same sharp increase. Another very convenient function is the fixing of the start button, it is not available on all tools, which is due to the safety of the operator, but for long-term work this option is very important so as not to tire the hand. By the way, start fixation is usually present on grinders, starting from the average power level, on very small ones there is no need for it.
Some models have a rather interesting ability to remove and put on the casing without the use of wrenches, which can also be an important criterion when choosing a tool. The fact is that it is the difficulty of installing the protective shield that prompts some operators to neglect it when changing discs frequently, which leads to injuries. Be sure to be guided by the fact that the grinder has dust protection, at least for brushes, so that the tool does not jam during operation. But it is better if the entire stator is protected by the case, that is, the main part of the angle grinder, to which the rotor is attached. However, if the question is how to choose angle grinders for the home, and not for the shop, you will not have to deal with a lot of dust.
Grinder for household needs- summing up the results
So, if you are not a professional and you need to make a choice of a grinder for work in the house or in the garage, and not for repair or construction, but for various small tasks, for example, to remove old varnish from furniture, choose a small tool. Ideally, you want an extremely light sander that can be held without strain with one hand, without the need for an additional handle.
Adjusting the rotational speed of the nozzle is necessary if only because the 2nd or 3rd speed is enough for grinding with emery wheels, on the 6th the tool is already poorly controlled without additional fixation. And many household chores require the other hand to hold the work surface or hold the operator on a ladder. If you have a suburban area, mobility will not be superfluous, and the best grinders for this option are rechargeable ones. But you should choose those that have a spare battery included in the kit, so that while you work, you have a backup battery, after installing which you can charge the main battery. However, in the presence of a multi-meter extension cord, it will be much more productive to use the network model.
And, finally, if it is not supposed to cut large parts, a fairly low-power angle grinder with a maximum diameter of 125 mm nozzles. Actually, she can also cut metal, the depth of the cut will be about 4 centimeters, which is good when performing small household tasks. The main thing is to measure the power and size of the disks. The larger the tip at low power, the higher the load on the tool.