What brand air grinders are you using?

M

mitch_04

Learnin'
Just curious what everyone out there is using for pneumatic angle and die grinders. I've been using Ingersoll Rand but have been having problems with the "throttle" binding and spring inside breaking. They were supposed to be variable speed but most definitely are not, sent it back once and they sent the same problem back.
 
I got frustrated with all my good ones going out.. bought a few throw aways and they are actually holding up better than I expected..
Not the preferred tool but in a bind they at least make for a decent back up tool
 
i use mina all the time. i have 2, one is a CP and the other believe it or not came from northern. both work just fine. the cp i have had for prob 8 years now and use it every day. the northern one had a couple years. works fine its just loud! with that said, if your looking for a good one you can never go wrong with dynabrade.
 
I may catch a tongue lashing from some for saying this but, the elcheapo HF one's are actually holding up pretty well for me. I got a straight die grinder and an angle die grinder for a present from a friend with no auto experience. I thought I would just keep em around for a spare in case of a problem, well luck would have it a week later the one I had been using (can;t remember what brand, I bought it at a swap meet) died and I grabbed up the HF angle grinder. That was a year ago and I have not had it fail yet. I can't say any other one from there would last that long, but for $10 how could you really complain? I will say they don't seem to have the power of the higher quality tools, but they are doing surprisingly well for the money. Also, I think air pressure and oiling has a lot to do with any of them lasting any amount of time. I have a friend the doesn't run a pressure regulator in line so all of his air tools get roughly 150 psi. He uses a regulator at the gun for painting but not for anything else. He can't get a Snap on or matco grinder to last more than 6 months.

Kelly
 
Maybe that's my problem.. I don't regulate any of my lines.. lol..

I may have to give some dynabrade stuff a try.. never really used their stuff.
 
Yeah, at our shop they run unregulated air so that could be a problem. I'll look into the dynabrade as well. I have a hard time buying cheap tools... just in my nature I guess!
 
I don't make a living with my tools; I just buy them to avoid paying other people to fix my things. I've had good luck with all but one of the Harbor Freight air tools I purchased over the years (mail order -- before the internet) and they sent me the air hammer rebuild kit for free when I wrote to them.

I bought a $50 Husky angle die grinder many years ago. My compressor setup was pretty primitive and the (Red) Husky stopped working when the inlet strainer clogged up. After I fixed it, decided to buy a backup. Went to Harbor Freight and bought the $10 die grinder. It worked as well as the Husky so I ended up buying three more. It's handy having different grits and sizes ready to go instead of changing backing pads all the time. For $40 I bought three angle and one straight HF grinders, less than the price of one more Husky. I also have 5-foot HF whips on all my air tools because I kept bumping the big air line couplers off the tools when I worked in tight places. It also saves a couple of ounces and a little bulk at the tool and I get a swivel coupler as a bonus.
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If you want to spend more on your tools, Grainger sells this Ingersoll Rand for $90.10. It's a .25 hp unit that free spins at 21,000 rpm and uses 24 CFM at full load.
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If that's still too cheap, Grainger sells this 0.33 HP Ingersoll Rand for $179.50.
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If you really have a hard time buying cheap tools, this might be the solution. Grainger sells this Dynabrade for $811.50. It's a 0.4 HP that free spins at 3,200 rpm. That's not the most expensive one but it's pretty close.
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I have the second IR you listed currently. I've sent it back once and fixed it myself once. I have the straight one as well, same story. I oil them after every use, don't know what my luck is with them. This is using them for my mechanic job, not bodywork.
 
If you're looking for the best I'd suggest sioux industrial grade if you can afford it-I've got one I've been using since 1986, bought a rebuild kit for it because it's been so indestructible I'd hate to see it go but hasn't needed a rebuild yet! I also have about a 7 or 8 HF die grinders loaded with different bits-sure saves time.
 
When I googled the Sioux Tool part number, it also showed it under Snap On. Any idea if Snap On is rebranding them?
 
We don't regulate the air and go through a lot of grinders but I buy cheap ones made by mountain. They cost me about the same as a roll of Norton 6" 80 DA paper and that doesn't last very long either.
 
When I googled the Sioux Tool part number, it also showed it under Snap On. Any idea if Snap On is rebranding them? They are rebranding them. Snap on bought them out a few years ago. I have a few Sioux air tools and love them. We used to have a Sioux manufacturing plant here in Sioux City and the quality is top notch!
 
Snap on is rebranding them. (I used to be a die hard Sioux guy myself) but there is bad news. The last 4 I ordered at close to a hundred bucks a piece were made in tiawan. I figure for the 80-90 difference China isn't too far off of tiawan and the cheapies I keep quite a few of on hand so I don't have to change anything. No regulators on my main air. Just a drier and I don't oil them either. When they stop they go in the scrap pile and I grab a new one out of the bottom drawer. Fwiw..
 
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