7 Functions of Angle Grinder

Angle grinder is a hand-held power tool used for grinding and polishing. Angle grinder has a rotating grinding disk and a cutting head at a certain angle relative to the drive shaft. Angle grinders have 3 power sources: electricity, gasoline and compressed air (pneumatic). It can be corded or cordless. In addition to grinding metals, angle grinders can also be used in cutting, sharpening, grinding and polishing various materials or material surfaces.

Size of an angle grinder is determined by the diameter of grinding disk, the most commonly used are 4 inch and 4-1/2 inch. According to the material you want to cut or finish machining, you can choose other sizes, models and motor power. For example, if you need to cut masonry or other hard materials, you should use a high-power angle grinder with a rated current of 5 to 7 amps.

7 Functions of Angle Grinder

1. Grinding & Sharpening

Grinding and sharpening are the main functions of an angle grinder. Install a suitable grinding disk on the angle grinder, then it can has the functions of grinding and cleaning the welded joints, removing excess material, as well as deburring and chamfering.

Angle grinder is also used to repair material edges and sharpen flat surfaces. For example, when the edges of some tools become rough and no longer sharp, you can use an angle grinder to restore them.

Note that when using an angle grinder, the metal blade is prone to overheating. When the temperature exceeds the recrystallization point, the cutting edge will lose its hardness. In this case, the edge of blade will turn light blue or straw color and may wear out quickly. To avoid such problems, please make sure to always move the angle grinder during operating. In addition, often using wet sponge or cloth to soak the metal can achieve the effect of cooling.

2. Cutting Metal

With the right accessories (such as cutting disk), the angle grinder can function as a metal cutting machine without having to use a hacksaw to cut rods, bars, and bolts laboriously.

Install a thin grinding disk then you can cut sheet metal and steel bars with angle grinder. Construction workers often use metal cutting gang saws and electric angle grinders to cut steel bars used to reinforce concrete.

Of course, the work of cutting steel and similar materials belongs to heavy-duty work, and industrial-grade angle grinders with such powerful performance usually cost more.

3. Cutting Tiles and Concrete

Cutting tiles and concrete blocks is an important part of construction and renovation work. Workers usually use special tile saws to complete these tasks. When you don't have a tile saw, an angle grinder can easily cut these materials. You can easily cut ceramic tiles and concrete simply by installing a dry cutting diamond disk for the angle grinder.

Remember, a professional tile saw is always the best choice for straight cutting and the preferred power tool for construction work. However, when you want to replace old bricks, a powerful angle grinder is sufficient.

4. Cutting Masonry

Angle grinder can not only cut ceramic tiles, but also masonry. You only need to install a diamond cutting disk to cut any brick. Of course, repeated cutting of this very hard material may cause the angle grinder's motor to wear out quickly, so make sure to choose an angle grinder with a powerful motor from the beginning.

5. Removing the Mortar

Angle grinder can remove old mortar without damaging the bricks. It is recommended that you use a diamond tuckpointing disk whose thickness is close to the width of mortar. Even though such a grinding disk is installed, you may still need to grind several times to completely remove the old mortar.

It should be noted that when using an angle grinder to remove mortar, you must wear a mask and goggles, because the dust will fly in the process. Flying debris can cause serious personal injury.

6. Cleaning Metal

Install a wire disk or wire cup brush to the angle grinder, you can use the angle grinder to remove rust and peeling paint on metal easily, quickly and efficiently. However, the functions of these two accessories are not exactly the same. The wire cup brush is suitable for removing rust and paint on flat areas. Wire disks are used to clean hard-to-reach spots, such as corners and crevices.

7. Polishing Metal

You can use the angle grinder with a buffing wheel to polish aluminum, steel and other metals. Before polishing, use a grinding disk to remove deep traces and burrs.

Obviously, through the introduction of this article, you can learn that angle grinders are incredibly versatile. As long as replace the corresponding grinding disk or accessories to the electric angle grinder, it can be easily used for different purposes and applications. One thing to note here, not all accessories are compatible with all angle grinders, so please select the correct model according to your job requirements.