How to choose a disc for a grinder

The grinder, or in other words, the angle grinder is a special tool widely used in both industrial and domestic purposes. As an active element, special diamond discs are used here – hard rounds, fixed on the shaft and acting as a cutting edge. In order for the work with the grinder to be as productive as possible, close attention should be paid to the choice of discs for the tool.

The best manufacturers of grinders discs

Masters working with angle grinders recommend using branded discs made by those companies that produce the grinders themselves:

1. Bosch

2. Makita

3. DeWatt

4. Hitachi

5. Shtill

6. AEZ

The characteristics and operational parameters of a particular disk can be found in the manufacturer's catalogs, as well as based on user reviews on the Internet. You can get acquainted with them on thematic construction forums, as well as in public social networks dedicated to construction in general and metal processing in particular.

Types of discs for grinders

Abrasive disc for cutting and grinding metal

Thin enough discs, from 3 to 6 millimeters. Made of special abrasive material that allows cutting and grinding of high-strength stainless steel with minimal wear of the disc. Discs of different diameters are on sale for working with grinders of various designs and capacities.

Advantages

• Compact dimensions;

• Designed to work with all types of metals;

• Small thickness;

disadvantages

• Not suitable for working with natural materials and artificial stone;

Abrasive Grinding Discs

It differs, first of all, in thickness – these discs vary from 4 to 8 millimeters. It has a lower rotation speed and is intended exclusively for grinding and polishing stone, granite, marble and other similar textures.

Advantages

• Thick enough;

• Inexpensive;

• Variety of models;

• Special composition of abrasive designed for working with stone;

disadvantages

• Not suitable for working with metal;

Diamond blades for cutting natural and artificial stone

Thick, about 6-7 millimeters, discs, the edge of which has a special gear structure. Due to the design features, such discs do an excellent job with stone processing and practically do not wear out. Special cuts and selection of individual segments are designed to improve cutting performance, as well as to remove temperature from the cutting edge during operation.

Advantages

• Suitable for working with all types of stone;

• The presence of special cuts and segments designed to remove temperature;

• High wear resistance;

disadvantages

• High quality road models;

• Smooth diamond discs are prone to overheating;

Stone grinding cups

Special discs made of durable polymer materials, on the side of which there are special abrasive inserts. Used for finishing stone surfaces, as well as marble, granite and other materials.

Advantages

• Allows you to finish the stone surface;

• Suitable for use with a wide variety of grinders;

• High wear resistance;

disadvantages

• Expensive cost;

• A large amount of dust is emitted during operation;

• Narrow specialization;

Flap discs for wood processing

They are special polymer discs, on the surface of which inserts made of sandpaper are fixed, used for finishing and grinding wood, as well as metal and many other surfaces.

Advantages

• Suitable for finishing;

• Sandpaper of various grain sizes allows processing of various degrees of depth;

• Can be sanded with a wide variety of materials;

disadvantages

• Low wear resistance;

• Narrow specialization;

Corsets

Special attachments with rigidly fixed metal bristles, designed for finishing metal and other surfaces. They are used to clean surfaces from rust, paint and varnish layers, oxides and other defects.

Advantages

• High wear resistance;

• Variety of sizes and types of materials used;

• Pile of various degrees of hardness for processing various surfaces;

disadvantages

• Expensive;

• They are used exclusively for cleaning material;

The main criteria for choosing a disc for a grinder

1. Disc diameter. The main criterion to rely on when choosing a disc. Select the model that matches the characteristics of the grinder used. The most commonly used discs are 115, 125, 150, 180 and 230 millimeters in diameter;

2. The diameter of the bore hole on which the disc is put on is an equally important factor, which is also selected depending on the type of grinder used. The installed disk must be rigidly fixed, not play or vibrate while working with the device;

3. Disc type. It is selected depending on what operations need to be performed. Cutting, grinding, cleaning, polishing – manufacturers provide separate discs and attachments for all these and many other manipulations;

4. Disc thickness. To work with metal, thinner discs are used; stone processing requires circles of a slightly greater thickness;

Features of choosing a diamond blade

The characteristics of the diamond discs to look out for are very specific. The above criteria are complemented by the following:

1. The number of diamonds. Preference should be given to average discs, the cutting edges of which have an average number of cutting crystals. The use of an excessive amount leads to a rise in the price of the disc without improving the cutting properties, a decrease leads to an early failure of the disc;

2. Number of cutting segments. The more elements, the higher the cutting speed of the material. Conversely, the smaller, the slower the cut, but the more efficient is the removal of dust from the cutting edges. The optimal value is from 18 to 22 regardless of the disc circumference;

3. The strength of the metal and its resistance to overheating. The friction generated during cutting contributes to a critical rise in temperature. You should choose only high-quality discs from well-known manufacturers, otherwise there is a high risk of getting a deformed disc after just one cutting procedure.

In the following articles, our experts tell you how to choose the right grinder and the secrets of choosing a hammer drill.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.