Angle grinder
An angle grinder, also known as a side grinder or disc grinder,
is a handheld power tool used for grinding (abrasive cutting) and
polishing. Although developed originally as tools for rigid
abrasive discs, the availability of an interchangeable power source
has encouraged their use with a wide variety of cutters and
attachments.
Angle grinders can be powered by an electric motor or Angle grinder
compressed air. The motor drives a geared head at a right-angle,
on which can be mounted an abrasive disc or a thinner cut-off
disc, either of which can be replaced when worn. Angle grinders typically have an adjustable guard and a
side-handle for two-handed operation. Certain angle grinders, depending on their speed range, can be
used as sanders, employing a sanding disc with a backing pad or disc. The backing system is typically
made of hard plastic, phenolic resin, or medium-hard rubber, depending on the amount of flexibility
desired.
Angle grinders are used in metal fabrication shops and on construction sites. They are also common in
machine shops, along with die grinders and bench grinders.
Safety and health
The use of an angle grinder in cutting is not preferred, because large
amounts of harmful sparks, fumes and particulates are generated when
compared with using reciprocating saw or band saw.[1] Angle grinders
produce sparks when cutting ferrous metals. They also produce shards
when cutting other materials. The blades themselves may break, which is a
hazard to the face and eyes especially, as well as other parts of the body.
Consequently, a full face shield and other protective clothing must be
worn. Angle grinders should never be used without their guard or handle
attached. All workpieces should be securely clamped or held firmly in a
vise.[2] In a sound pressure level and vibration study conducted by the US
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, grinders under an Video: An angle grinder is
unloaded condition created noise which ranged from 91 to 103 dBA.[3] used for cutting through a
steel chain, kept under
tension by a second person
Regulation to avoid impeding the
wheel of the grinder. Large
amounts of potentially
Uses harmful particulates (metal
dust) are being generated.)
Angle grinders may be used for removing excess material from a
piece. There are many different kinds of discs that are used for
various tasks, such as cut-off discs (diamond blade), abrasive
grinding discs, grinding stones, sanding discs, wire brush wheels
and polishing pads. The angle grinder has large bearings to counter
side forces generated during cutting, unlike a power drill, in which
the force is axial. A video on vibration research done
on pneumatic grinders
Angle grinders are widely used in metalworking and construction,
emergency rescues, and even for the theft of bicycles. Generally,
they are found in workshops, service garages and auto body repair shops. There are a large variety of
angle grinders with different disc sizes and power sources: battery, corded or pneumatic. Other variables
include the power of the motor, rpm, and arbor size. Generally, disc size and power increase together.
Disc size is usually measured in inches or millimeters. Common disc sizes for angle grinders in the
United States include 4, 4.5, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 12 inches, with the most popular sizes being the 4.5 and 5"
size. In Europe, the most common sizes for angle grinder discs are 115 and 125 millimeters.
Discs for pneumatic grinders are much smaller. Pneumatic grinders are generally used for lighter-duty
jobs in which more precision is required. That is because pneumatic grinders can be powerful while being
small and light, because they do not contain heavy copper motor windings. It is harder for an electric
grinder to maintain adequate power with smaller size. Electric grinders are more commonly used for
larger, heavy duty jobs. However, there are also small electric grinders and large pneumatic grinders.
Angle grinders have been used to remove wheel clamps from vehicles.[4][5]
History
The high-speed angle grinder was invented in 1954[6] by German company Ackermann + Schmitt (FLEX-
Elektrowerkzeuge GmbH) in Steinheim an der Murr.[7] As a result, in German, Dutch, Slovak, Czech,
Polish, Croatian, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Latvian, an angle grinder is colloquially called a
"flex", and in Italy and in Spanish-speaking countries it is sometimes called "flexible". In Switzerland it
is known as "Perles" from a popular brand of cutting tools. In Polish it is also known as "kątówka"[8] or
"gumówka"[9] (= the rubber thing), which refers to the elasticity of certain types of disks. However they
are never made out of true rubber due to fire hazard. In Russian, it is known as "болгарка"
("bolgarka")[10] (literally "Bulgarian" of the feminine gender), since the first angle grinders in the USSR
were Bulgarian made.[11]
See also
Abrasive saw
Health impacts of sawdust
References
1. "What's the Best Way to Cut Thick Steel?" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMXa1QIm
M54). YouTube. 7 August 2021.
2. Risk Control (https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/workplaces/plant-tools-and-vehicles/angle-grin
ders)
3. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Division of Applied Research
and Technology (DART), Hand-held Power Tools Sound Pressure and Vibrations Database,
2009
4. " 'Superhero' takes on clampers" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3112670.stm). BBC
News. 2003-09-16. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20230304014652/http://news.bbc.
co.uk/1/hi/england/3112670.stm) from the original on 2023-03-04.
5. "WATCH: Man takes angle grinder to clamp in Limerick" (https://www.newstalk.com/news/w
atch-man-takes-angle-grinder-to-clamp-in-limerick-632007). Newstalk. 2015-10-31. Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20230304015016/https://www.newstalk.com/news/watch-man-t
akes-angle-grinder-to-clamp-in-limerick-632007) from the original on 2023-03-04.
6. History (https://www.flex-tools.com/en/company/history/)
7. Henke, Michael (January 2009), "Nachgefragt: Warum heißen Winkelschleifer "Flex"" (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20160304073121/http://www.flex-tools.com/documentpool/Winkelsc
hleifer-FLEX-PR-FLiesen-Platten.pdf) (PDF), Fliesen und Platten, Köln: Verlagsgesellschaft
Rudolf Müller, p. 45, archived from the original (http://www.flex-tools.com/documentpool/Win
kelschleifer-FLEX-PR-FLiesen-Platten.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-03-04, retrieved 2014-01-16
8. " 'Podaj flexa!' – krótka historia szlifierki kątowej" (http://www.technikanarzedziowa.pl/2014/1
1/08/podaj-flexa-krotka-historia-szlifierki-katowej/).
9. Wikidictionary (https://pl.wiktionary.org/wiki/szlifierka_kątowa)
10. "Защо ъглошлайфът в Русия се нарича "българка"?" (https://www.webmiastoto.com/?p=
27184). 11 July 2023.
11. " 'Болгарка' - история названия и секреты правильного выбора инструмента" (https://gp.
by/novosti/kaleidoscope/news142402.html).
External links
Angle grinders Safework SA (https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/workplaces/plant-tools-and-ve
hicles/angle-grinders)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Angle_grinder&oldid=1266826381"
