Thread: Electric die grinder preferences

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I am planning to buy an electric die grinder for head porting. I am looking for your opinions on the brands any of you use. Common sense would lead me to the 4.5 amp Milwaukee but is that overkill for the hobbiest? Will a 2-3 amp tool get the job done?
I already have a old craftsman but it has no speed control. I have air die grinders but not enough air and I also have a Foredom.

any one you get you want a speed control speed i use air so i can slow it down for sand drums and flaps and carbide needs to run slow and for fine work a round valve seats etc . stone you can run alot faster .i would look at a flex drive type like a dremel super kit 1/5 model 804-1095 with variable speed control or bigger. i have all ways used air most of the time. when working with alum and or carbide cuters with a length of over 2 1/2 shank like 6+ inch long carbide you have to slow things down .i have a makita electric505-3141. 2 amps that i just use stones or and Mx or Cratex abrasive wheels with but if you have a foredom why not use it.. you have more right now then i do and i have done it for some time now but if you are doing it all the time you may want to look at the milwaukee 5192 or bosch1209 i did use a milwaukee 5192 big heavy all in all more then what i needed

You can get (some) speed control by adding a pressure regulator in line.

The Fordom is too slow for the double cut burrs. My compressor is small and tired, a bigger one would require rewiring an old house that isn't mine. The electricians don't even like to come here.lol. The craftsman is really old and tired, I am sure it would die before I got done. I just want a new electric one, the air ones work the crap out of compressors, even good ones. Why have a 6 horse compressor running all day when you could have a 2 amp die grinder?

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

The Fordom is too slow for the double cut burrs. My compressor is small and tired, a bigger one would require rewiring an old house that isn't mine. The electricians don't even like to come here.lol. The craftsman is really old and tired, I am sure it would die before I got done. I just want a new electric one, the air ones work the crap out of compressors, even good ones. Why have a 6 horse compressor running all day when you could have a 2 amp die grinder?

well yes i can say that my air compressor will run. when i do a block i use stones and the makita i had that for 20 years it works good for stones i used them alot more then carbide burs they just seam to throw it in my eyes then it to the doc to get it dug out

The electric ones will have more power, at any rpm. I use foot rheostats to control power, to constantly change the rpms, as needed. (electric or air)
My air grinder has been in tool box for years, I never use it.
I am changing everything I can from air to eletric.

Pat

I would buy one of these http://www.mytoolstore.com/makita/mak08-08.html

Originally Posted by tango

I would buy one of these http://www.mytoolstore.com/makita/mak08-08.html

that the same one i have had it for 20 years burnt the front bearings out of it and the tin nose cone fell off put new bearings it still running spins to fast for alum yor will have a hard time keeping the carbide from loading up

Look who else Like's that Grinder http://www.mondellotwister.com/ArtHeadPort.htm

Eastwood has a real nice set up, 1/2 HP motor and a flex shaft.

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

it still running spins to fast for alum yor will have a hard time keeping the carbide from loading up

Spray WD-40 on the bur and it won't load up. High speed or carbide.

I have been using 1/8", 1/4" (with & with out a flex shaft, & 90 dgree grinders every week on alumumn & steel/iron since early 70's I have top of the line name brands, and I have grinders that I paid $14.00 for, the old Dremel worked & last the best.
The only 1/4" one that I burned out was a Chicago electric, 3-5 mins after I started use it! still use the replacement one on lite stuff.

I have changed many brush's in all brands I've owned. Harder to get name brand brush's, alot of cheaper ones come with spare brush's. I work them hard most of the time when I use them.

Pat

Originally Posted by HemiTCoupe

Spray WD-40 on the bur and it won't load up. High speed or carbide.

I have been using 1/8", 1/4" (with & with out a flex shaft, & 90 dgree grinders every week on alumumn & steel/iron since early 70's I have top of the line name brands, and I have grinders that I paid $14.00 for, the old Dremel worked & last the best.
The only 1/4" one that I burned out was a Chicago electric, 3-5 mins after I started use it! still use the replacement one on lite stuff.

I have changed many brush's in all brands I've owned. Harder to get name brand brush's, alot of cheaper ones come with spare brush's. I work them hard most of the time when I use them.

Pat

i use petroleum jelly with a acid brush but the thing is just to fast for my likeing needs a speed control and in time like you said you could burn the brush out of it fast . the way it is with out a speed control you will plug a alum carbide wd 40 is ok the mill /tapping cutting oil work s better but any thing spinning that fast you just burning any thing you put on the carbide i done a wee bit of this stuff to over the years but a could be wrong

Originally Posted by tango

I would buy one of these http://www.mytoolstore.com/makita/mak08-08.html

I like the 3.5 amp paddle.

I have a friend who is a wood carver and he has bought those chinese Makita knockoffs and got by with them but I noticed they vibrated a bit more than Makita.
I am thinking I could use my Foredom foot control.

Block looks nice, I know what it takes to get to that point, alot sitting with a grinder in hand. I like to put on head phones and get it to it all day, for days. I build Aluminum investment molds & plastic injection molds long before we had CNC's. lots of grinding.
I ground smooth all the welds on our '27 T frame with IRS, IFS.

I understand what you mean by to many rpm's. I like to use the foot controller on the 1/4" grinders(I'm usually sitting), and I like the controler on the grinder on the 1/8' ones(I'm all over the place, free to move).

Pat

Originally Posted by HemiTCoupe

Block looks nice, I know what it takes to get to that point, alot sitting with a grinder in hand. I like to put on head phones and get it to it all day, for days. I build Aluminum investment molds & plastic injection molds long before we had CNC's. lots of grinding.
I ground smooth all the welds on our '27 T frame with IRS, IFS.

I understand what you mean by to many rpm's. I like to use the foot controller on the 1/4" grinders(I'm usually sitting), and I like the controler on the grinder on the 1/8' ones(I'm all over the place, free to move).

Pat

Thanks i have done many like this. i can do one fast now:dSMILE: .i do as well as head chambers port work on heads for harley s bike and intakes as well as auto heads and intakes . i did rims to for GM show cars i like to work with grinders and sanders to blend and form metals i fix busted blocks and blown up heads. i am doing some stuff at the shop right now. i may put some of it up on the form to show some guys how i fix busted stuff . the crank case timming cavity looks the same on that block to . over the years i have found for me anyways i like drum sanders and use more stones and MX or Cratex then carbide but i do use them i like to run them about the same speed as a drum sanders or a hair faster just to get a good cut thats all. the carbide for me if they start to plug up at hi speed start s to jump i worry about catching one in the face or blowing up one .i had one that was 6 inch long in a intake was a cheaply made bur it bent the 1/4 shaft on the mount and started to whip .with stones i can run them so much fast and if plug up they do not jump and i can cut them to size or unload them by using my bench grinder for frames and other big stuff on i have some of the see thru sanders they have holes in them so you can watch the cut i run on the small 4 1/2 angle grinders and move up to a 8 inch soft pad i use on a big variable speed sander with 80 grit zirconia abrasive then move up to a da sander