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Variable speed for angle grinders useful?

6K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  OHD 
#1 ·
I was looking at getting a 4-1/2" angle grinder sometime between now & spring & was wondering what features people liked or disliked in theirs. I found a Milwaukee model 6154-20 which is a 12 amp variable speed 4000-11,000 rpm soft start with electronic feedback which is supposed to keep the speed constant under load for 150.00. Is the variable speed model better than one without it? I would think that 12 amps in a 4-1/2" grinder would be plenty of power considering a lot of them are around 8 amps. Does anyone have any experience with this model & if so, how do you like it compared to the other grinders you have used?

Thanks,
Steve
 
#2 ·
SteveU said:
I was looking at getting a 4-1/2" angle grinder sometime between now & spring & was wondering what features people liked or disliked in theirs. I found a Milwaukee model 6154-20 which is a 12 amp variable speed 4000-11,000 rpm soft start with electronic feedback which is supposed to keep the speed constant under load for 150.00. Is the variable speed model better than one without it? I would think that 12 amps in a 4-1/2" grinder would be plenty of power considering a lot of them are around 8 amps. Does anyone have any experience with this model & if so, how do you like it compared to the other grinders you have used?

Thanks,
Steve
I would definitely get one with the variable speed. I actually looked for a while locally and couldn't find one. I use them for polishing, cutting , grinding lots of stuff. You get a lot more control over it if you can slow them down, especially useful when in awkward positions or delicate situations. Think I'll order one of those myself, thanks for the info.
 
#4 ·
I have one that I use 4 1/2" cutoff wheels on it works great. I have four other Milwaukee grinders and they are all I buy new but only have the one VS for the cutoff tool. I have one that is about 10 years old and it is still going strong. allong with three of their 1/2" drills nothing better on the market.

Mike
 
#5 ·
main thing about a grinder is the switch .
some are hard to cut off , some are easy to bump on and they take off .
some get hung up in cord and break off , or after time you have to plea to make it come on .
i like the black & decker and dewalt i believe are the same , but like i say , watch your cord and don't let it get behind the trigger and break it off .
them cheap like makeeta's with the switch you click on , there the worse i've seen .
 
#6 ·
angle grinder with variable speed

I've just a couple hundred hours on my Milwaukee 4 1/2" grinder mostly using cut off wheels. This is the model with the paddle type switch which I really like. I've basically done all the flat cutting and grinding necessary to build my '27 modified roadster with it and even cut 1" thick alum plate. With a new grinding wheel I can take 1/4" off the end of 1/2" plate in one pass. Unbelievable tool. Back to your question I think the constant speed and high torque of this tool are what makes it work. If I have to have a variable it is my pressure or angle of attack.
 
#7 ·
I think the variable speed could come in handy when you wanted to use a cup wire wheel. they aren't all rated at 11,000 R.P.M...in fact im not sure if ive ever found one that was. I'm sure we've all picked needles out of our shirt and thought what if one of those makes it past my safety glasses.

while i have no personal experience with Milwaukee my understanding of them is that they are a quality product...and the price tag reflects it. I have a Craftsmen "professional" 4-1/2, 7 amp, 10,000 rpm angle grinder that does everything i ask of it...and i ask alot of it. everything from dressing endless welds, turning a wire wheel for hours on end, grinding off torch cut edges on thick plate steel, cut off tools, flap disks, and one time I put an old CD in it to see what would happen...it exploded after some persuasion if your curious.

I like the switch as well, its more of a trigger, when you let go of it, the grinder stops. really nice for grinding, not so nice for cut off wheels but it can be locked on so that takes care of that.

the best part: 50.00 bucks

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00911651000P

think of all the flap disks you can buy with the 100 dollars you'd save over the Milwaukee.
 
#8 ·
I have that exact tool and I use the different speeds on different types of metals.

It will cut up to 1/4 inch steel as fast and straight as a plasma cutter, with nice rtesults.

I use cutting wheels, flap sanding wheels, and grinding wheels. I test the speed when using to see what speed cuts and does not clog, best.

It realy helps when cutting ti to slow it down.
 
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