Best over all grinder for a body shop....

Whats the best over all grinder for a body shop, Make, size, ect???

 

I like the Milwaukee 4.5". I have had the same one for years and I just can't kill it.

 

When others don't respect your tools, let them fall, don't oil them or drain the compressor, leave out in the rain overnight, etc., it doesn't matter. Get what you can afford, and take care of them...at all costs.

 

DeWalt...for me.

 

Metabo, the 4.5" is cool, they also have a 6" that is about the size of everyones 4.5". It's for real production work. There have been days where it ran all day long.

 

Blue point pnuematic 7" sander/buffer works well. It will do most grinding needed as well as any minor buffing jobs.
I prefer a 4.5" for grinding welds etc. also use a Dynabrade 6mm angle die grinder with the 3m roloc disc for sheet metal prep before fillers, welds etc.

all in all it depends what type of service the tool will see.

 

I know there's diffrent strenghts on the pads, what is the most common pad to use, I'm taking paint down on my truck, I want to see what layers are under there. Am I making sence here?? I dont want to dig into my paint just skuff it up a bit...There.

 

I am in with the Dewalt also.They just had a killer sale on them at The Home depot.I think it was buy a drill and get the grinder free.

 

You got to try them all. Harbor Freight $15-$20 ones are ok, great to lend out AND as a spare. I've had Makita, it finally broke, it was ok. They wanted $60 to fix a $120 grinder, no way! Wore out a Dewalt, it was ok too. I still have the $110, 10yr old Milwaukee, it's good. But my favorite by far is the $40-$45 Ryobi from Home Depot. I have worn these out too. The latest Ryobi has an adjustable handle, push a button and the handle rotates 180 degrees. If I could only have one, it would be the Ryobi. model AG 452 from Home Depot. I wore them out grinding & cutting steel, cinder blocks, concrete and rocks. I hope this helps, Lucky667

 

Santa's commin to Town!!!!

 

i love my ryobi also. my pops has the harbor freight one it blows mine will run circles around it.

 

Ingersoll -Rand air 9"angle and 6" angle with huge air lines is what I use you cant bog those things down for nothing.

 

5" Metabo 1050watts.

the bigger ones (i think they are 1350Watts?) are too much for body shop stuff, and the body is too fat for continual one hand use. they get real heavy after a few hours. Ive used the big Watt ones in heavy steel fab, and jesus they are powerful, but get the lighter one.

My Metabo is six years old, and works like day one, I use it pretty much 300 days a year. it wouldnt bother me if they cost 600 bucks, still worth it. (i think they are about three fifty aus dollars, less in US)

cheap grinders are dumb. metabos rule all.

 

Sounds like you need a DA sander, and some 180 grit

 

Metabo, made in Germany, you know the Germans, they always make good stuff - Home Depot used to sell this as their Rigid brand, now its made in China.

The HD one, not the Metabo

 

Buy decent tools and take care of them. If you have people that work for you and you allow them to use your tools make sure they understand it's part of their job to take care of them.

 

You need at least a 4-1/2" unit ,Dewalt or so and a 9" one, I have a 45 year old Craftsman that still works after all these years.

 

Dewalt 4.5" with the paddle switch.

 

I bought a Harbor Freight $15 special, and used it every day at work for 6 years. Finally wore the brushes out , and replaced them with the spares they give you.
The switch kinda sticks out ,and I broke it one day, so I went and bought another grinder.
I have a Sears 4 1/2 at home, that I bought 20 years ago.

 

Buy whichever one says "MADE IN USA" on it and no other. Keep that in mind for every purchase you make and all your tools will last a while.

 

I have a dewalt,and a skill 4 1/2" both are good but the Dewalt is alot better.

I bought a harbor frieght grinder once, (I was working on a fiends car and had forgot mine at home), It burned up in less than 4 hours.

 

Harbor Freight's not so good, they do have a 30 day warranty! Keep your receipt! Lucky667

 

Metabos rock. I wan't one.

That being said, I realize that HF stuff sucks but bought one when I killed a DeWalt.

And THAT being said, I absolutely CAN NOT kill my blue Harbor freight. It's possesed. It won't die. It rules. I dunno. Weird.

 

I like Bosch the best

 

Blue Point 4.5" I've used almost every day for 10 years and it's never failed me. Oiling every day is a crucial.

 

What RustyBolts said. I've used mine with grinding wheels, flap-sanding wheels and one of John Kelly's shrinking discs.

 

Dewalt 4.5" for me. I had a B&D 9" professional but didn't use it much, too big, too heavy. Had a sears 4" that was bullet proof, just not as easy to get discs, etc.
The dewalt with the 3m purple stripit discs have made my sandblaster obsolete.

 

Fastenal carries them in the US and they usually have them on sale every month or so. I think I paid $130 for the last one I got.

You may not get one then...

 

same here

 

Don't use a grinder for stripping paint, especially if you're just roughing it up. But then again if you're also looking to see what's there, that's different than roughing it up too, but a DA sander is still the tool for the job.

If you do have that many layers of paint, the best tool for the job is a brush, gloves, and a scraper so you can apply the gallon of aircraft stripper. Then use the DA for cleanup. Still no grinder in action here.


FWIW I have a pair of 4.5 electrics for work that requires grinders. A cheapie harbor freight with a thin cutting wheel, because cutting is easier on the grinder's bearings. Next to it is an equivalent Makita with a grinding wheel, which is where the real abuse happens. When you cut you also need to grind, so switching back n forth is a pain. Get 2.

good luck