so apparently cut off wheels for the 4.5" angle grinder die quicker than I though... I recall back in the day you could buy multi-packs at walmart... seems no longer... ended up snagging a few singles at kmart... but they didn't last very long and seemed a bit expensive.
so where do you guys get them?
Harbor Freight.
Harbor Freight.
The Makita brand ones from the hardware store last longer and are thinner. Expensive though.
I use the HF ones. I like to double them up.
Ace Hardware
Norton or SAIT brand at the welding supply store. They seem to last the longest. Forney brand at Coastal farm supply cost the same but only last 75% as long. I gave up on HF grinding discs. they either last forever but don't cut worth a damn or cut great but dissapear in minutes.
I have had decent luck from the Dewalt brand from Lowe's. I think I bought 5 last time and have yet to be on #3, I bought them 6yrs ago or so.
Found this on this board a few years ago and I always try to pass it on when the subject comes up.
If you like to buy in bulk you cant beat http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com
Even if you dont like to buy in bulk they are great.
Cheap cutoff wheels are worth what they cost and I can't afford to be that cheap -
I haven't tried the lehigh cutoff wheels but their flap sanding disks are pretty stinking good. And a good price. I'll be getting some of their cutoff disks when my HF ones wear out. I've used them for years, but the last couple of batches have been almost dangerous. Well, dangerous. I shattered two of the last five disks at speed. Good thing for eye and hearing protection.
motomoron wrote: Cheap cutoff wheels are worth what they cost and I can't afford to be that cheap - 3M Green Corps cutoff wheels are long-lasting and don't shatter - F-ing up your parts and trying to blind you.
Teh E36 M3 wrote: I haven't tried the lehigh cutoff wheels but their flap sanding disks are pretty stinking good. And a good price. I'll be getting some of their cutoff disks when my HF ones wear out. I've used them for years, but the last couple of batches have been almost dangerous. Well, dangerous. I shattered two of the last five disks at speed. Good thing for eye and hearing protection.
Their cutting disks are pretty good too, havent had any shatters on them
I like living dangerously
- matabo 7" wheel on a 4.5" grinder. Work really well, but ya gotta watch yourself. They will go through a welding glove in nothing flat A buddy is a pipefitter - has tons laying around.
+1 on lehigh. I buy a bunch from them.
Just picked up some Metabo slicers.
hmmm... I may need to buy another grinder while i'm at HF... switching from cutting to grinding is getting old quick :(... then again the last cheapo china grinder I got lasted less than 5 min...
Depends on what I am cutting. The harbor freight ones are OK, but are thicker than the dewalt ones. If I want precision, I get dewalt from Lowes.
donalson wrote: hmmm... I may need to buy another grinder while i'm at HF... switching from cutting to grinding is getting old quick :(... then again the last cheapo china grinder I got lasted less than 5 min...
Next time plug it in, tape the switch on and let it run for an hour or so with no load. It will bed in the brushes and burnish the gears. I've got a 7" Powerfist unit, which is probably comparable to a HF unit- sold in Princess Auto up here- and I've been using 9" cut off discs on it for about 5 years now.
thanks for the info streetwise... the one I got was one of the $9 specials from the truck shows... never tried the HF model... my black and decker i got for christmas 7 or so years ago has been fine every time i've used it... not that it's been that much in those years...
+1 for the DeWalts from Lowes
DeWalt cutoff wheels last longer than anything else I've used. By far.
Really cheap ones have the nasty habit of exploding. I've never liked that. It hurts.
As much as I like the HF auto darkening helmet (another thread) I hate their cut off wheels. They wear quickly and unevenly and at times, break apart in chunks.
I really like the Norton brand sold at Home Depot.
The HF ones are total crap. They burn faster than welding rods. The DeWalt ones are great but they are pricey.
I usually add a few abrasives to my order when shopping for nuts/bolts/fasteners etc... http://www.mcmaster.com/#cutoff-wheels/=bzhp61
Someone... 914Driver or Hess maybe...? once posted a great place online that had high quality stuff at great prices but I lost the link.
I gave up on HF wheels a few months back after the second one exploded on me in 5 mins. 
That E36M3 hurts like hell and if I hadn't been wearing proper saftey gear head to toe could have done serious damage. I bought Norton brand at Northern tool and they seem to be pretty good and maybe a bit spendy, but worth every penny if they don't try to emasculate me everytime I use them.
Doesn't much of this depends on what you're cutting: HF wheels fine for exhaust tube, but not for anthing much thicker? Like 1/2 rebar?
Sort of like do not use a cross cut saw for ripping--for those of us who still cut wood by hand
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