Basic Angle Grinder Uses You Should Know

What is an angle grinder used for? An angle grinder is a versatile power tool with a fast rotating disc that cuts, grinds, polishes, sharpens and cleans a variety of difficult materials including iron, copper, brass, brick, tile, stone or mortar.

In this article, SINOTOOLS will introduce some basic angle grinder uses that every DIYer should know, preparing you with essential knowledge when choosing the right tools.

1. Grinding and Polishing Metal

One of the most primary angle grinder uses is to grind metal. It does this through the use of grinding discs, which are available in a range of materials, such as aluminum, carbide and diamond-tipped grinding discs. Load the grinding disc, turn on the grinder and start the disc spinning rapidly. The grinding disc should be pressed against the target metal to make it flat and smooth or to completely remove debris from the metal.

2. Cutting Metal

Angle grinder uses include more than just smoothing, buffing and grinding off metal; it can also be used to cut metal. This is a common use for plumbers when working with galvanized iron or lead pipe. Welders often cut pieces of metal to clean up projects or to prepare a piece of metal as a match.

3. Cleaning Metal

Angle grinders are also useful for removing paint, rust and lacquer from metal surfaces. Equip a plastic stripping disc or metal cleaning wheel to remove flaking and peeling coatings without damaging the metal underneath. Plastic stripping discs are a good choice for removing paint, lacquer and similar coatings that are not fused to the metal. These discs are made of nylon mesh material and silicon carbide to provide enough abrasive force to strip these coatings from the metal.

4. Sharpening Tools

Angle grinders can also be used to sharpen other tools, such as restoring the edge of a lawn mower blade, axe or chisel. Equip your angle grinder with a grinding disc and be sure to properly secure the tool's blade in a vise so you can focus on controlling and stabilizing the movement of the grinder.

When sharpening a tool blade with an angle grinder, it is important to align the grinding disc with the angle on the blade so that the sharpened blade has the same cutting angle. Changing the cutting angle can greatly reduce the effectiveness of the tool and can actually ruin the blade.

5. Cutting Tile, Stone, Other Masonry Materials

While primary angle grinder uses are to work with copper, iron, steel, lead and other metals, they can also be cutting hard masonry materials, including tile, stone and brick. By replacing the metal cutting disc with a masonry cutting wheel, you can cut these difficult materials directly. The precision of an angle grinder makes it useful for cutting custom angles on tiles to help repair a bathroom shower, make a garden path out of brick or stone, or replace broken pieces of a backyard fire pit.

6. Removing Mortar

Water leaks, drafts and recurring insect damage can all be solved by replacing the mortar on the exterior of the house. However, it's not easy to remove mortar without damaging the bricks without using an angle grinder. Get a thick abrasive disc that can handle soft masonry work, or use a masonry cutting wheel to start chipping away at the mortar lines between the bricks.

This article describes what an angle grinder is used for. An angle grinder is a very practical and convenient power tool for all DIY enthusiasts. Start your next project with a multifunctional angle grinder, if you have a purchase to make, feel free to contact us.